On March 17, 2012, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) was among the nearly 300 political, business, environmental, real estate, and civic leaders from around Hampton Roads gathered on the floor of Old Dominion University’s Ted Constant Convocation Center to participate in the region’s first Reality Check.  Facilitated by the Urban Land Institute (UILI) Hampton Roads in partnership with the HRTPO, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC), and others, Reality Check is a visioning exercise conducted by regions throughout the United States to plan for and allocate projected population and job growth in a way that adds value to communities and preserves the environment.

The challenge presented to Game Day participants in Hampton Roads was:  Where should the estimated 350,000 new residents and 175,000 new jobs projected for Hampton Roads by the year 2035 be located?  In other words, how will our region accommodate the addition of another Chesapeake and Hampton? 

Assigned to tables of nine to ten, participants were left to tackle this question by first devising a set of guiding principles for allocating growth.  With these principles in mind, and the vision rule to “Think Big,” groups placed colored LEGO© blocks representing a set number of jobs and housing onto a map, determining where growth should be directed, for what uses, and at what density.   

The work produced by participants was gathered and synthesized with that of other tables and presented at the end of the day.  These preliminary results are the first step in a long-range planning process that will ultimately result in a document designed to help Hampton Roads leaders envision alternative growth scenarios.  

For more information about Reality Check and ULI Hampton Roads’ long-range planning process for Hampton Roads, please visit www.realitycheckhr.org