The NorVa

The NorVa is a performing venue in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Its name is a syllabic contraction of Norfolk and Virginia, reflecting the venue’s local identity. The building first opened in 1922 as a roughly 2,000-seat theater for motion pictures and live entertainment, including vaudeville. It was constructed by The Johnson Construction Co. and operated by the W.W.V. Company, Inc., an entertainment business associated with the Wells group, which also included Norfolk’s Granby Theatre and Wells Theatre. During its early movie-theater period, the venue presented both films and live attractions. Contemporary accounts used the spellings “theater” and “theatre” interchangeably. The original facility included a pipe organ manufactured by the Robert Morton Company, with Jack Griffith identified as its original organist and Professor Charles Borjes serving as concert-orchestra director. The opening program in November 1922 included the films Bright Eyes and The Man Who Saw Tomorrow on November 27, followed by The Sin Flood on November 30. William S. Wilder was the first manager; he later became associated with the Colley Theater, now known as Naro Expanded Cinema, and the Commodore Theater. The NorVa continued operating as a movie theater into the 1970s. From 1980 through 1998, the building was used as the home of the Downtown Athletic Club, marking a substantial departure from its original entertainment role. The property was subsequently restored and repositioned as a live-music venue. It reopened on April 28, 2000, with James Brown performing the inaugural concert. This reopening established the modern NorVa as a dedicated concert venue rather than a conventional cinema. The venue’s modern development was associated with Norfolk music-venue entrepreneurs Bill Reid and Rick Mersel. The two were also involved in developing the Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion and had ties to the development of Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater. Their work helped connect The NorVa to the broader network of concert facilities serving Hampton Roads and southeastern Virginia. In 2014, The NorVa was acquired by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the global entertainment company commonly known as AEG. The acquisition placed the venue within a larger live-entertainment portfolio while preserving its identity as a Norfolk concert institution. The NorVa is principally positioned as an intimate-to-medium-sized live-music room, hosting touring artists and other stage events for audiences in the Hampton Roads region. Its historical architecture, downtown location, and transition from cinema and vaudeville house to concert venue are central to its brand identity.

The building now known as The NorVa was opened in 1922 in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, as a theater accommodating approximately 2,000 people. Its original purpose combined motion pictures with live entertainment, particularly vaudeville. The Johnson Construction Co. built the facility, while the W.W.V. Company, Inc.—identified with the Wells entertainment group—operated it. That group also had interests in the Granby Theatre and Wells Theatre, linking the venue to Norfolk’s early commercial theater network. The opening period reflects the hybrid character of early twentieth-century theaters. The venue showed films while also supporting live musical and theatrical presentation. The first documented films were Bright Eyes and The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, screened on November 27, 1922, followed by The Sin Flood on November 30. The theater contained a Robert Morton pipe organ. Jack Griffith served as the original organist, and Professor Charles Borjes was identified as director of the Norva Concert Orchestra. William S. Wilder was the first manager. Wilder later became associated with other Virginia cinemas, including the Colley Theater, later known as Naro Expanded Cinema, and the Commodore Theater. The venue remained a movie theater into the 1970s. In 1980, it changed functions and became home to the Downtown Athletic Club. That use continued until 1998. The subsequent redevelopment returned the building to public entertainment, but with a modern live-music focus rather than its earlier emphasis on film exhibition and vaudeville. The NorVa reopened as a concert venue on April 28, 2000. James Brown performed the first show in the venue’s modern era. The reopening created a dedicated Norfolk stop for touring performers and made the renovated historic building part of the Hampton Roads live-entertainment circuit. The venue was developed by local music-venue entrepreneurs Bill Reid and Rick Mersel, who were also associated with the Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion and the development of Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater. In 2014, Anschutz Entertainment Group acquired The NorVa. The transaction integrated the venue into AEG’s broader live-event network. Despite the ownership change, the venue continued to operate under its established local name and retained the historic building as a central part of its identity. The NorVa’s modern significance rests on the combination of adaptive reuse, downtown accessibility, historic theater architecture, and a continuing schedule of live music and other stage events.

• 2014

  Acquisition by Anschutz Entertainment Group

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  Anschutz Entertainment Group acquires The NorVa and adds it to its live-entertainment portfolio.

• 2000

  The NorVa reopens as a concert venue

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  The venue reopens on April 28 as a live-music facility, with James Brown performing the inaugural concert.

• 1998

  Athletic-club use ends

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  The Downtown Athletic Club’s use of the building ends, preceding its conversion back to an entertainment venue.

• 1980

  Building becomes Downtown Athletic Club

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  The building begins a period of use as the Downtown Athletic Club, a role it retains until 1998.

• 1970

  End of the primary movie-theater era

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  The venue continued as a movie theater into the 1970s before later changing uses.

• 1922

  Original theater opens

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  A roughly 2,000-seat movie and live-entertainment theater opens in Norfolk. The building includes a Robert Morton pipe organ and is operated by the W.W.V. Company, Inc.

• 1922

  First documented film programs

  [1]The NorVaen.wikipedia.org

  Bright Eyes and The Man Who Saw Tomorrow are shown on November 27, followed by The Sin Flood on November 30.

A historic, centrally located Norfolk music venue combining the character of an early twentieth-century theater with the programming model of a modern touring-concert room.

• Live entertainment · 2000

  Live concert programming

  The NorVa’s principal offering is a program of live music performances by touring and regional artists. The venue’s modern identity dates from its 2000 reopening, when it transitioned from a historic theater building into a dedicated concert room.

• Venue · 1922

  Historic theater venue

  The NorVa provides an event setting within a theater building originally opened in 1922. Its historic architecture and earlier cinema and vaudeville functions distinguish it from purpose-built contemporary concert facilities.

• 2014

  Acquisition by Anschutz Entertainment GroupM&A

  Background

  The NorVa had been developed by local venue entrepreneurs Bill Reid and Rick Mersel, who were also connected with other Hampton Roads entertainment facilities.

  Action taken

  Anschutz Entertainment Group acquired The NorVa.

  Aftermath

  The venue became part of AEG’s larger live-entertainment portfolio while continuing to operate under The NorVa name.

  Source

• 2000

  Conversion from former theater and athletic club to concert venueStrategy

  Background

  After movie-theater operations ended and the building served as the Downtown Athletic Club from 1980 to 1998, the property was repositioned for live entertainment.

  Action taken

  The venue reopened on April 28, 2000, as a concert facility with James Brown as the inaugural performer.

  Aftermath

  The reopening established The NorVa’s current identity as a Norfolk live-music venue.

  Source

1. 1The NorVaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The NorVa official websitethenorva.com