NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Harvey L. Lindsay Jr. chairman and former president of Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate, and the developer behind Norfolk’s Military Circle Mall and numerous other properties, died Thursday. He was 93.
“Harvey was an eternal optimist and a true servant leader who believed in empowering individuals to take care of their neighbors,” said Robert M. King, one of Lindsay’s sons and current president of Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate in a statement. “Throughout his career, my dad believed that what was good for people was good for business. His solid unyielding values are embedded in the culture of our company. All of us at Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate are committed to honoring his legacy of leadership and community service in the Hampton Roads region.”
Described as a man of faith, family and philanthropy, Lindsay had a vast impact on the Hampton Roads commercial landscape and was a big supporter of numerous community initiatives.
Union Mission Ministries of Norfolk said that “we here at the Union Mission share your heartfelt sentiments about Harvey L. Lindsay Jr. He was such a compassionate, wise and generous friend, and an instrumental force for good across our community. Our ministry joins you in remembering a remarkable man and the legacy he has left for us all.”
Lindsay Jr. spent nearly 70 years with the company founded by his father, Harvey Lindsay Sr., and was key in developing and transforming the Hampton Roads and Peninsula regions with projects including the Dominion Tower, the original Waterside Festival Marketplace, City Center at Oyster Point in Newport News and the Village Shops at Kingsmill in Williamsburg, among others.
In his lifetime, he served as president of the Norfolk Community Concert Association, director of the U.S. Naval Base Little League, director of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, was a board member of the Access College Foundation and was a fundraiser for the Southside Boys and Girls Club, the United Way, and the Union Mission ministry’s new $30 million campus.
Lindsay Jr. was also a longtime member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Norfolk and taught Sunday school, chaired Christian Education and served as junior warden.
He also mentored HLCRE associates and was involved in the Harvey Lindsay School of Commercial Real Estate at Old Dominion University.
Lindsay Jr., who graduated the University of Virginia and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, helped create growth areas on Little Creek Road and on Military Highway, and at 29, was named realtor of the year by the Norfolk Real Estate Board.
He was promoted to president in 1969 and expanded the company’s footprint through developments across the Hampton Roads region, including in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and the Peninsula, and he was also passionate about downtown Norfolk revitalization and creating a commercial hub along the waterfront.
He also, according to his biography, fought to reopen schools closed by Massive Resistance and was actively involved with the Citizens Advisory Committee, and helped form and served as chairman of a temporary committee called the Urban Coalition, which is now the Urban League of Hampton Roads.
“At a time when taking a bold stance on race relations in Southern Virginia was risky, Mr. Lindsay stood for what was right, demonstrating uncommon courage,” said Gilbert Bland, President and CEO of the Urban League of Hampton Roads. “He continued to be an ally throughout his whole life in support of the Urban League and our mission as well as support of other like-minded organizations. And, he was a personal friend. Hampton Roads is a stronger, more inclusive community because of his efforts.”
Lindsay Jr. received numerous awards and recognitions over his career, including the Darden Award in 2018 from the CIVIC Leadership Institute in Norfolk, the First Citizen of Hampton Roads designation from LEAD Hampton Roads in 2014, the First Citizen Award from the Cosmopolitan Club of Norfolk in 1991 and the Distinguished Service Award in 1964 from the Norfolk Jaycees.
“My grandfather’s passing is a tremendous loss to our family, the region and the commercial real estate industry,” said Bobby Beasley III, vice president at HLCRE. “He always treated people with kindness and understanding, often working behind the scenes to make a significant difference in the lives of those most vulnerable.”
