Through hard work and commitment, much can be achieved, even that which seems unlikely or, perhaps, impossible. In 1973, William “Bill” Hamner discovered just how much could be accomplished by looking for opportunities and working hard to make those opportunities reality.
Through a series of events, some of which Hamner specifically sought and solicited, a career that began as general store ownership in Rockfish, Virginia, transformed into a commercial real estate company in 1974 and, in 1985, into the Hamner Development Company, which has been a staple of Oyster Point ever since.
In fact, “Hamner and a group of gentlemen decided there were great opportunities to create a City Center in the middle of Newport News — a hub for businesses, medical practitioners and the like. So, they found land where a former ammunition bunker had been and constructed much of what is now known as Oyster Point,” says Hamner’s son, William “Bill” Hamner Jr., president of Hamner Development Company.
Having grown up around the business, Hamner Jr. learned a great deal about his father’s company but, upon his father’s recommendation, he decided to study Anglican church music while in college and ultimately obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees in performance of organ and church music. He subsequently worked as a tonal director for one of the largest pipe organ builders near St. Louis, Missouri.
Learning that his dad needed help, Hamner Jr. moved back to Virginia, and he and his dad founded another company, Hamner Pipe Organs of Williamsburg, which introduced the idea of joint venture partnerships between Hamner Development Company and Hamner Pipe Organs.
Under Hamner Jr.’s leadership, Hamner Development Company “shifted into development of offices, industrial properties and medical buildings,” says Hamner Jr. The partnership extended that focus to also include “development and construction management of new and rebuilt pipe organs,” according to facebook.com/HamnerPipeOrgans.
“We develop property if there is a need — and, when there is a need, we join with the end user of the property as partners. We develop the property for them, and they occupy a large portion of it,” says Hamner Jr. A recent development was one completed in Port Warwick in which Hamner Development Company partnered with Invictus Healthcare, a pain management and sports medicine practice. The company took over and gutted an old office building at 1030 Loftis Boulevard and converted it into a medical center. The principal physician, Dr. Ché Torry, and Hamner Development Company now work together as business partners, with Invictus occupying half of the building and Hamner leasing 50 percent to other healthcare practices.
“I find fulfillment in working with someone like Dr. Torry, helping people solve their problems, whether it’s pipe organ musical problems or helping someone find a place to run a business,” says Hamner Jr.
Hamner Jr. clearly has a passion for both pipe organ and commercial property development. His greatest joys in life, though, he says “are my wife and two daughters. I’m glad my wife and I really like each other because, with one daughter at Rollins College in Florida and the other having just graduated from high school and headed to University of Kentucky, we’re about to be empty nesters.”
Whether it’s time spent “adjusting every single pipe on the organ so it sounds exactly as it’s supposed to sound, putting all the pieces of a project together or enjoying activities centered around boating and water sports,” Hamner Jr. misses no opportunity to seize the moment and face whatever challenge awaits.
TO THE POINT:
Hamner Development Company
Address: 703 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Ste A-1, Newport News, VA 23606
Contacts: William “Bill” Hamner, Jr., president; Max Miller, vice president, property management
Phone: 757-873-1777
Website: hamnerdevco.com
