PORTSMOUTH — Renovations to the building that once housed Roger Brown’s Restaurant and Sports Bar are expected to start by the fall, and new construction is expected to bring roughly 30 new market-rate apartments to Olde Towne.
Tim Foley, principal owner of Lightwell Development, a New York City-based real estate development firm focused on historic tax credit renovation work. Foley recently purchased four historic buildings in downtown Portsmouth. (Courtesy photo)
Roger Brown’s, a beloved landmark of Olde Towne, closed in February after more than 25 years. The iconic sports bar and restaurant at 316 High St. is named after Virginia Sports Hall of Famer and six-time NFL Pro Bowl player Roger Brown. He was a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams before retiring in Portsmouth and opening several restaurants. Brown died in 2021.
The new owner, developer Tim Foley of the Norfolk-based Lightwell Development, is working with Norfolk design firm GARC on a multi-story, mixed-use concept that will feature a “well-known” area restaurant and a new set of market-rate apartments. Foley is using state and federal historic tax credit programs for the estimated $8 million project to preserve the exterior, and completely renovate and overhaul the interior. The restaurant portion will remain intact, but renovations will be made to the kitchen, electrical wiring and HVAC, among other improvements.
Foley said the mixed-use concept fits well into the city’s longer-term, ongoing plans of developing the downtown and waterfront.
“It’s what creates the vibrant community that I think everybody wants to achieve,” Foley said.
Foley said he expects the necessary demolitions and renovations to begin in a month, with a roughly nine-month construction timeline for the new apartments. Foley said he’s received plenty of interest from restaurants in the region wanting to use the space as an additional location, and expects to secure one within the next three months.
“It’s important for us to keep the identity of the neighborhood intact,” Foley told The Virginian-Pilot. “While the building shell is old, everything in the building will be brand new.”
About 26,000 square feet will be used for The Foundry apartments, of which the vast majority will be one-bedroom units, with a few two-bedroom and three-bedroom options. Foley said they’ll be market rate at an estimated rate that hovers around $1,400 per month.
The Lightwell Development firm has built apartments elsewhere in the city, including the 12-unit High Street Lofts as part of a transformation of the historic Quality Shop at 309 High St. He’s also renovated the Olde Towne Apartments, inside a building that previously housed the YMCA, as well as the Professional Office Building to make it a mix of luxury apartments and commercial space.
Foley said he purchased the Roger Brown’s property a few months before the restaurant announced closure in February. Online business records show the address has been listed under Lion LLC and Curtis Lyons, one of the previous owners and operators.
Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
Dining and Cooking