Ballentine Place Historic District is a significant planned community in the city of Norfolk that was a direct result of the commuter railroad industry and was begun in 1909 by the Ballentine Realty Corporation. This community was laid out in a grid plan that was uncharacteristic of previous developments in the city. These streets were long and narrow, divided into small lots, and punctuated with a large, central open park. The open park was landscaped as part of a Works Progress Administration program circa 1935. This quaint community was designed to appeal to working-class citizens with homes constructed in a variety of styles popular at the time, including Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Cape Cod, and American Foursquare. In addition to the homes built, this community also features a school building, four churches, and one business.