Berkley neighbors push back as Norfolk weighs Colonna’s Shipyard expansion

NORFOLK, Va. — As Norfolk City Council prepares to vote Tuesday night on a rezoning measure that could reshape the historic Berkley neighborhood, many residents say they’re not opposed to progress — they just want a seat at the table.

The vote could allow Colonna’s Shipyard, the oldest continuously operating family-owned shipyard in the United States, to move forward with an $80 million expansion that includes building a fourth drydock along the Elizabeth River.

The new drydock — expected to lift up to 25,000 tons — would expand the company’s capacity to repair and maintain ships by 2028. The project has been praised by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office, which called it a major investment in jobs and the state’s maritime industry.

But inside Berkley, one of Norfolk’s oldest historic