Details like pavers, paths, flowers and trees will shape Colonial Williamsburg visitors arrival area experience
New facility off Lafayette Street, expected to be completed later this year, will provide hundreds of parking spaces, tour bus drop-off loop and other services
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation recently presented updated plans to the Williamsburg Architectural Review Board for several aspects of its Lafayette Arrival Area, which is bounded by Lafayette Street, Franklin Street, and North Botetourt Street. The items presented to the board included elements that will shape first impressions, such as landscaping, paving, lighting and furniture.
A spokesperson for the foundation informed the Williamsburg Independent that the facility is expected to be completed later this year. Once finished, visitors will be able to access the historic area via a new pedestrian promenade connecting to the Colonial Williamsburg campus entry.
The arrival center layout is organized around a central plaza with a featured arrival building, information kiosk, several seating areas, and unique flagpole plazas, according to the plans submitted to the board for review. The site also includes space for 443 parking spaces total across four planned lots.
Colonial Williamsburg’s Lafayette Arrival Center
Renderings of Colonial Williamsburg’s new Lafayette Arrival Area which is currently under construction near the intersection of Lafayette Street and North Botetourt St., expected to open later this year. (Images by Timmons Group; included in ARB review packet.) View the complete packet on the city’s website
Materials and Features
Paving materials vary by use across the site, with different materials designated for pedestrian areas, parking areas, and vehicular circulation. Site furnishings and lighting follow a consistent palette throughout the project. The planned hardscape features brick with banding and bluestone in plaza and pedestrian areas, permeable pavers, as well as concrete aggregate and asphalt in high vehicle traffic areas.
Site Furnishings include benches along the promenade and plaza areas and bike racks. The site’s lighting plan includes 20-foot double-headed pole-mounted fixtures in parking areas, while plaza and walkway areas use shorter 12-to-15-foot fixtures.
Planting Plan
The planting plan divides the site into four zones, each with a distinct planting palette.
Formal Zone (Central Plaza)
Trees: American Elm, Redbud
Shrubs: Smooth Hydrangea, Summersweet, Yaupon Holly
Perennials: Blazing Star, Butterfly Weed, Coneflower, Turk’s Cap Lily
Park Zone (Pump House Park and Northern Areas)
Trees: Hornbeam, Sycamore, Bur Oak
Shrubs: Oakleaf Hydrangea, Sweetspire, Dwarf Wax Myrtle
Perennials: Milkweed, Cardinal Flower, Aster, Ironweed
Parking Zone (Lot Interiors and Drive Aisle Medians)
Trees: Black Gum, Elm, Redbud, Hawthorne
Shrubs: Gro-Low Sumac, Dwarf Chokeberry, Yaupon Holly
Perennials: Creeping Phlox, Black-Eyed Susan, Muhly Grass
Buffer Zone (Lines the site’s street frontages)
Dense screening plantings along street frontages
Green screen walls mounted to existing building facades along North Botetourt Street
Climbing vegetation on the screen walls
Low shrub massing in front of the walls
In other news …
Government
James City County Economic Development Authority meeting scheduled June 16
The James City County Economic Development Authority will hold a meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the James City County Government Complex located at 101 Mounts Bay Road, Building D, in Williamsburg. The Economic Development Authority is a seven-member volunteer board appointed by the Board of Supervisors with staggered four-year terms. According to the county, the board works to support James City County and the Office of Economic Development in building a diversified and healthy economic base of primary businesses and industry. As such, the Authority’s goals include balancing the tax base, creating job opportunities, and enhancing quality of life throughout James City County while fulfilling required statutory responsibilities. https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=56707
York County announces 2026 official holiday schedule for employees
York County has announced the official holidays that will be observed throughout 2026, providing employees and residents with the county’s holiday schedule for the year. The county will observe 14 holidays, including traditional federal holidays and Virginia-specific observances. The holiday schedule includes New Year’s Day on January 1, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, and President’s Day on February 16. Summer holidays include Memorial Day on May 25, Juneteenth on June 19, and Independence Day observed on July 3. The county will also observe Labor Day in September, Yorktown Day on October 19, Veterans Day in November, and Thanksgiving along with the day after the holiday. The year concludes with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as well as New Year’s Eve. https://www.yorkcounty.gov/4397
Business
IRS Expert to Lead Home Office Deduction Workshop June 18
The James City County Office of Economic Development announces a Home-Based Business Lunch and Learn Series session focused on home office deductions. Paul Sadler from the Internal Revenue Service will lead the workshop on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM via Zoom. The virtual event is designed to help entrepreneurs confidently navigate home office tax deduction rules and maximize their tax benefits. Registration is available through the Virginia Small Business Development Center. For more information, contact the James City County Office of Economic Development at 757-253-6607. https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=56705
Education
York County Schools Board Holds Special Meeting on June 8
York County School Division posted a video about a special board meeting held on June 8, 2026. The meeting took place at York Hall East, located at 301 Main Street in Yorktown. The full meeting video is available through the school division’s YouTube channel.
Public Safety
James City County Police Department offers free firearm safety class June 27
The James City County Police Department announced it is now accepting registrations for a free Firearm Safety Class scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Law Enforcement Center located at 4600 Opportunity Way. The classroom-based course is open to the public. The course covers essential firearm safety topics including basic firearm operation, safe handling and storage practices, and Virginia laws related to concealed handgun permits. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, a complimentary gun lock, and firearm safety materials. The class does not include hands-on training, and attendees should leave personal firearms at home in a secure location. Space is limited, and registration through SignUpGenius is required. https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=6796
Man Arrested After Armed Domestic Incident in James City County
The James City County Police Department reported the conclusion of an investigation into an armed domestic incident that occurred on June 8 in the 7700 block of Croaker Road in Norge. Officers responded after receiving a report of an armed subject, and located the victim who sustained minor injuries. Tyler Kwan Wallace, 23, of Toano was arrested on June 9 at approximately 6:51 p.m. in the 7500 block of Richmond Road in Norge. A search warrant executed at the residence recovered a firearm, ammunition, and narcotics. Wallace was charged with breaking and entering with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, domestic assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and felony drug possession. He is being held at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond. https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=6798
