Pinehurst: A Norfolk Neighborhood Near the Naval Base
Pinehurst is a small, established residential neighborhood in north central Norfolk, Virginia, set along North Shore Road within the greater Wards Corner area. Known for its solid homes from the 1930s and 1940s, its setting near the Lafayette River, and a location just minutes from Naval Station Norfolk, it is a quietly appealing pocket of the north side, and a practical choice for military families and professionals who want to be close to the base. This is the next post in our Wards Corner series.
A North Side Neighborhood
Pinehurst sits just off the Granby Street corridor within the Wards Corner area, the same historic district we explore in our overview of Wards Corner. Like most of the north side, this land was part of the rural fringe of Norfolk County until the city's major twentieth century growth swept over it. Historical records of Norfolk's neighborhoods list the area as Pinehurst and Academy Terrace, and its homes date largely to the 1930s and 1940s, placing its development in the same active period that built out much of the surrounding north side.
The result today is a compact, settled neighborhood of well built older homes on streets such as Burleigh Avenue, Maycox Avenue, and North Shore Road, many of them shaded by mature trees. It shares the unpretentious, lived in character of its neighbors, including Suburban Acres just nearby, and it benefits from the same ongoing revitalization of the Wards Corner commercial district at its doorstep.
On North Shore Road and the Lafayette
Pinehurst's most distinctive feature is its position along North Shore Road, one of Norfolk's loveliest riverside streets. This is the same road that carries the historic Hermitage Museum and Gardens and threads through the estate neighborhood of Lochaven, and it follows the shoreline of the Lafayette River as it winds through the north side.
For Pinehurst, that setting means the Lafayette River is close at hand, and homes with waterfront access can enjoy kayaking and fishing right from the neighborhood. The North Shore Road Playground offers a small green space, and the recreation of the broader Wards Corner area, including the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center under its iconic glass dome and the Sewells Point Golf Course about a mile away, is all within easy reach.
Built for Proximity to the Base
What makes Pinehurst especially worth knowing is its location relative to the region's military installations. Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, sits less than four miles north, an easy commute that is one of the shortest of any established residential neighborhood in the city.
That proximity has long made the greater Wards Corner area, and Pinehurst within it, a natural home for active duty service members, military families, and civilian defense professionals. For anyone reporting to Naval Station Norfolk, a neighborhood like this offers a rare combination: genuine character homes, a settled residential feel, a riverside setting, and a commute measured in minutes rather than tunnels and interstates. It is exactly the kind of practical, close to base neighborhood that a PCS move to Norfolk should have on its radar.
The Pinehurst Market
Pinehurst is a small and tightly held neighborhood, so relatively few homes trade in any given year, and its sales record is best read as a picture of a stable, in demand market.
Over the past year, the neighborhood's homes have sold largely from the high two hundred thousands into the low four hundred thousands, the solid, mid sized homes from the 1930s and 1940s that make up most of the neighborhood. Several sold quickly and at or above their asking prices, a sign of steady demand for well kept homes in this close to base location. The upper end of the neighborhood reaches higher for its largest and newest homes: a spacious four bedroom home on North Shore Road, built in 2001, recently sold for five hundred twenty four thousand nine hundred dollars, showing that Pinehurst's most substantial properties can command well into the five hundreds.
What This Means for Buyers and Sellers
For a buyer, especially one relocating to Naval Station Norfolk, Pinehurst offers strong value: character homes near the water, minutes from the base, in a neighborhood where homes hold steady demand. For a seller, that same appeal is the opportunity. Homes here do not come up often, and well kept, well priced ones draw quick interest, particularly from the steady stream of military and professional buyers the area attracts.
Because the neighborhood is small and its homes vary from compact 1930s houses to larger and newer properties, pricing depends on reading each home accurately against a limited set of comparables. Understanding the neighborhood, its market, and the buyers it draws, and presenting a home's character, setting, and location to them, is what produces a strong, timely sale. That is the work a knowledgeable local specialist brings to a Pinehurst listing, and with deep familiarity with both the north side and the needs of military buyers, it is a natural fit.
Key Facts: Pinehurst at a Glance
Location: A small established neighborhood in north central Norfolk, along North Shore Road within the greater Wards Corner area, near the Lafayette River
History: Recorded in Norfolk's neighborhood histories as Pinehurst and Academy Terrace, with homes dating largely to the 1930s and 1940s
Setting: On North Shore Road, the same riverside street as the Hermitage and Lochaven, with the Lafayette River close at hand and waterfront access for some homes
Proximity to base: Less than four miles from Naval Station Norfolk, one of the shortest commutes of any established Norfolk neighborhood
Recreation: The North Shore Road Playground, the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center, and the Sewells Point Golf Course nearby
Market as of 2026: A tightly held market with homes recently selling from the high two hundred thousands into the low four hundred thousands, and the largest and newest homes reaching into the five hundreds
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pinehurst in Norfolk?
Pinehurst is a small residential neighborhood in north central Norfolk, along North Shore Road within the greater Wards Corner area. It sits near the Lafayette River and is less than four miles from Naval Station Norfolk.
Is Pinehurst a good neighborhood for military families?
Pinehurst is one of the closer established neighborhoods to Naval Station Norfolk, less than four miles away, which makes for an unusually short commute. Its combination of character homes, a riverside setting, and proximity to the base has long made the greater Wards Corner area popular with military families and defense professionals.
When were the homes in Pinehurst built?
Most of Pinehurst's homes date to the 1930s and 1940s, with some newer construction mixed in. Norfolk's neighborhood histories record the area under the name Pinehurst and Academy Terrace.
How much do homes in Pinehurst cost?
Over the past year, homes in Pinehurst have sold largely from the high two hundred thousands into the low four hundred thousands, with the largest and newest homes reaching higher, including a recent sale near five hundred twenty five thousand dollars. A professional market analysis is the best way to value a specific home.
Is Pinehurst near the water?
Yes. Pinehurst sits along North Shore Road near the Lafayette River, the same riverside road as the Hermitage and the Lochaven neighborhood. Some homes in the area have waterfront access for kayaking and fishing on the Lafayette.
