Berkley residents push back against Colonna’s Shipyard expansion

NORFOLK, Va. — Residents in Norfolk’s historic Berkley neighborhood are pushing back against plans to expand Colonna’s Shipyard, located just blocks from their homes.

They say the shipyard has disrupted daily life for years with loud noise, dust, bright lights, and other forms of pollution. Now, some are speaking out, concerned about what further expansion could mean for the future of their community.

“I have to change my air filter in my house probably once a month, whereas somebody else has to change theirs three times a quarter,” said Maurice Wiggins, a longtime Berkley resident.

The shipyard’s sandblasting operations — used to remove paint from old ships — are a major source of frustration for neighbors. Wiggins and others who live closest to the facility say their cars are regularl