VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – August 31, 2021 – Lawson, Samaritan House, and Hope House Foundation are proud to participate in the fourth annual ViBe Mural Festival with a new mural at Seaside Harbor Apartments, one of ten new murals added to the Virginia Beach ViBe District for the festival.
Marly McFly, a Northern Virginia-based artist with roots in Hampton Roads, developed the pop art inspired mural. With a theme of inclusiveness, the design features bold patterns and pieces of disability icons with abstract pop art faces in bright, unnatural skin tones representing the likeness of all people despite differences in color or ability. In further support of an inclusive environment, McFly invited Seaside Harbor residents, Lawson team members, and business partners to paint with him – many of whom accepted the invitation.
“We appreciate the opportunity for residents of Seaside, including people with developmental disabilities, to participate in this project. Seaside represents what’s possible in the creation of truly inclusive and accessible housing. This incredible project represents the opportunities and outcomes that occur when all people are invited to participate in inclusive and accessible communities.”, said Hope House Foundation Community Outreach and Legislative Liaison, Grey Persons.
Seaside Harbor, a 100% affordable workforce housing community in the Virginia Beach resort area, has been nationally recognized as an inclusive community and for unique partnerships with local nonprofits Samaritan House and Hope House Foundation. Twenty-five percent of the apartments at Seaside Harbor meet fully, permanently-accessible unit requirements as set by the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard (USAF) for residents with mobility impairments, and 15 percent of the apartments are reserved for residents with developmental disabilities who have chosen to live independently with support. Hope House Foundation provides supportive services to Seaside Harbor residents with developmental disabilities.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with Samaritan House (Lawson’s co-General Partner) and our team for what we’ve created together – a truly affordable inclusive community three blocks from the oceanfront in an area of town that needs affordable housing so much. The result is stunning, and Marly is here making it even more beautiful with the help of our residents.”, said Lawson Chairman, Steve Lawson.
This year’s ViBe Mural Festival brings 10 new murals to the district’s impressive collection of public art projects which are free and open to the public. An online map and mural guide is available to tour ViBe District art installations. “This community-building project is our largest and most popular event each year,” said Kate Pittman, Executive Director of the ViBe Creative District nonprofit. “Creative ventures like this elevate our great city and offer new opportunities for local businesses to grow or expand locally.”
About Lawson
At Lawson, we understand that what we do – and how we do it – affects the everyday lives of people we care about. Since 1972 we’ve focused on positively impacting the communities we serve, from team members and residents to investors and business partners. We manage and own nearly 6,000 apartment units and continue to grow with approximately 1,200 units in development. Our business model provides vertical integration of development, construction, property management and asset management which enables our team of experts to add value at every stage for our partners. When you act with integrity and focus on quality and work to find creative solutions, great things are possible. It’s how we’ve done business at Lawson for over 45 years. For more information, please visit www.lawsoncompanies.com.
About Samaritan House
Since 1984, Samaritan House has provided emergency and permanent housing, support services and community outreach to victims of violence and homeless families in the Hampton Roads region. We own and operate 12 emergency shelters for individuals and families fleeing violence and those at risk of losing their homes. Samaritan House utilizes a holistic approach to meet the needs of victims and their children. Our clients receive support through case management, counseling, victim advocacy, nutrition assistance, transportation, access to medical care and vocational training. We assist children and youth to establish healthy relationships so they can ultimately break the cycles of violence. For more information, visit www.samaritanhouseva.org.
About Hope House Foundation
Since 1964, Hope House Foundation has worked on the frontlines of the battle for independence, community inclusion and true citizenship for people with developmental disabilities. The organization provides services for adults exclusively in their own homes or apartments. Currently, Hope House Foundations serve more than 125 people in Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Hope House is known as an innovator and leader in the field, and in 2008, it received the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities national award for full community inclusion. In 2012, it was named ANCOR Foundation’s Service Provider of the Year. For more information, visit www.hope-house.org.
About Marly McFly
Marly McFly is a self-taught artist working out of Northern Virginia. McFly draws influence from cartoons, comics, action figures, athletes, and pop art nostalgia. His work examines impacts of advertising and consumerism on contemporary society, expressed through bold colors and patterns. McFly’s work has been exhibited internationally including New York, Paris, and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.marlymcfly.com.
About ViBe Creative District
The ViBe Creative District non-profit is a 501c3 that exists to promote, support, connect, and inspire the creative industries to boost our local economy, grow jobs, and enhance our quality of life. It works to create and revive economic vibrancy in our neighborhood with a remarkable local vibe. Additionally, ViBe strives to enhance a place of discovery for locals and visitors along with economic vitality to meet the City of Virginia Beach’s vision for a quality resort destination. For more information on please visit www.ViBeCreativeDistrict.org