How / Case Studies
East Beach Development—Creating a Community
How do you turn 100 overlooked acres of economic blight into a bright, traditional neighborhood development where people actually want to live and work?
You start with a partnership. East Beach Company, LLC and the city of Norfolk, Virginia began redeveloping an area of Ocean View—one that had been known for high crime, low-income housing and a depressed economy. It was located on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay, but for years, it hadn’t lived up to its potential. Complete redevelopment was necessary if the new neighborhood was going to thrive.
Enter Otto
Otto created a refreshing new brand by combining marketing with a strong emphasis on public relations. We focused on the heritage of time-honored neighborhoods, crafting a story that evoked the spirit of community and the singular beauty of life on the Chesapeake Bay. Marketing materials educated potential buyers on the characteristics of traditional community design—the importance of architectural detail, as well as pride in craftsmanship. These integral messages were combined with a showcase of Tidewater housing styles.
Success
- Soaring sales. Since the neighborhood’s launch in 2003, Otto has provided direct marketing, Internet marketing, public relations, special event development and all other communications for East Beach. In that time, sales have exceeded original projections by 30 to 40%. Homes originally expected to sell for $400,000 entered the market at close to a million—and sold.
- Showcase selection. East Beach was the first Norfolk development featured during Hampton Roads’ regional parade of homes, Homerama. The 2005 event broke all previous attendance records, drawing 130,000 people and generating $1.5 million in public relations exposure.
- Amazing accolades. In 2006, the Tidewater Builders Association named East Beach the Community of the Year. It has also been named the site of the 2007 St. Jude’s Dream Home, which is projected to draw 8,000 visitors. And, this summer, East Beach was named one of the top restored beaches in America.
- Coastal Living’s featured property. East Beach was selected as the site of Coastal Living’s 2006 Idea House, and a 30-page editorial spread was dedicated to the home and community. This drew 25,000 visitors and we tracked more than $1.3 million in public relations exposure for the year.
- Positive name recognition. Otto has garnered measurable public relations exposure for East Beach including U.S Air, Professional Builder, Coastal Homes, Waterfront Homes & Designs, the Wall Street Journal, Virginia Living and numerous newspapers.
