Ghent, Norfolk
Ghent is a historic district in downtown Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, but also refers to the outlying neighborhood and commercial corridors, including Colonial Avenue, Colley Avenue, and 21st Street. The original neighborhood is roughly bounded by Olney Road, Virginia Beach Boulevard/Boush Street, Smith's Creek, and Brambleton Avenue.
History
The Ghent suburb of Norfolk, Virginia, began its development in 1890 with most construction occurring between 1892 and 1907. Located blocks west of Norfolk's present commercial core, Ghent originally covered approximately 220 acres. Although most of Ghent was laid along a standard grid plan, the citing of the south section of the suburb by Smith Creek, and a “Y”-shaped inlet off the Elizabeth River, suggesting a different planning approach. Marshlands at this area were filled and the shoreline given a semicircular shape. The resulting street, Mowbary Arch, soon became the favored location for the stately houses of Norfolk’s middle and upper-middle class residents. Ghent’s plan was not particularly innovative, but it successfully exploited the area’s strategic waterfront location, providing views over the creek to the grass banks on the opposite shore. While Ghent originally covered more than thirty blocks in area, the Mowbary Arch section displays the highest concentration of houses built during the late 19th century. This area is contained by Smith’s Creek and Onley Road, a four-lane traffic artery connecting the two arms of the creek and providing east-west access to downtown Norfolk.
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