Waterside bars vs. City of Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. - Representatives for Bar Norfolk and Have a Nice day Cafe met Friday morning with representatives for the City of Norfolk, for a mediation meeting, according to one City Attorney. The meeting, which started at 9 a.m., was closed to the public.

Both establishments have been shut down for several weeks .

Norfolk City Council's decision to close two bars at Waterside by taking away their alcohol permits has drawn praise and criticism in recent weeks. During a court battle last month, a judge sided with the city. Now, the nightclubs are suing the city for millions of dollars in damages. So, what's the future of the once festival marketplace?

Well, this is definitely not the Waterside that opened back in the 1980's. Retail shops, eateries and fish markets have since been replaced by several bars. Two of which are now padlocked shut.

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim backs Council's action, saying the clubs drew violent patrons, and didn't follow the rules. The city wants to make Waterside family friendly in the future, but ALSO wants a community consensus on what to do next.

"The council will be discussing how to put in place a process for making a decision about the future of Waterside. We're certainly going to make sure there's a lot of community input. It's a valuable community asset," Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim told WAVY.com. He says Council is looking at a process of discussion and public input over the next eight to nine months.