The Virginia Department of Transportation celebrated the move of its Hampton Roads District headquarters from downtown to North Suffolk with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday that was attended by VDOT, city and state officials.

Approximately 250 VDOT staff members officially finished the move on Aug. 13 from their offices at 1700 N. Main St. to the Lakeview Technology Center 2 at 7511 Burbage Drive in Harbour View, VDOT Senior Communications Specialist Dave Forster said in a phone interview on Friday. According to the press release, the move will not affect the district’s size and organizational structure.

“The demand on our transportation network never stops, and neither do we,” VDOT Hampton Roads District Engineer Chris Hall stated in the press release. “Yes, we have a new home, which I truly believe will help us do things better, smarter and faster. However, it is the people inside this place — along with our team across the residences and outlying facilities — who ultimately determine how we will rise to the daily challenge of keeping people and commerce moving.”

The North Main Street site is more than 60 years old and consists of “a hodgepodge of scattered buildings and trailers that can no longer accommodate district needs,” according to the press release. The state purchased the 85,000-square-foot, three-story brick and concrete structure on Burbage Drive for roughly $16.3 million to bring district personnel under one roof and closer to population centers in Hampton Roads and the Peninsula, Forster said.

VDOT hopes to attract and retain experienced engineers and other professionals that are interested in living near urban centers, according to the press release.

“As we continue to add capacity and increase multi-modal transportation options in this region, it is vital to ensure our facilities are modern and ready to accommodate the workload that the VDOT mission demands,” VDOT Commissioner Stephen Brich stated in the press release. “This new facility shows VDOT is committed to supporting its most valuable resource — its people — and ensures each employee can focus and be productive in a modern work environment.”

The Hampton Roads District encompasses nine counties and 11 cities and provides operation oversight for water tunnels, special facilities and moveable bridges in addition to services through the Accomac, Franklin, and Williamsburg residencies. The district also provides oversight of contracted maintenance services through the Interstate Management Office.

The North Main Street location will eventually be sold, according to the press release. Shop facilities could not relocate to the Burbage Drive location due to city zoning regulations, so they will remain at the downtown site until a suitable location is found, Forster confirmed on Friday.