It’s been several years since The Boathouse Restaurant at Midway Marina closed. It was one of my favorite breakfast spots, and I wasn’t happy when they shut their doors. Now, it looks like the property is finally on track for a major transformation. The new owners have proposed a large-scale redevelopment of the 55-acre site, and the project is getting close to final approval.

The plan calls for a well designed mixed-use waterfront village in Sherrills Ford. The development includes 640 age-targeted homes for residents 55 and older, along with live-work town-homes, boutique shopping, and waterfront dining. This equates to nearly 28,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and dining, with residential units above. The marina is also set for major upgrades, including 240 wet slips and a new fuel dock.

The community will feature walkable streets, a scenic waterfront boardwalk, pocket parks, a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, and business center—designed to create a true live-work-play environment right on the water. This project is just one part of a broader wave of growth happening in Sherrills Ford, where more than 7,000 new residential units and over one million square feet of commercial space have been proposed.

Will it impact traffic? Sure. But like it or not, growth is inevitable—and this is the kind of growth I like to see.