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Recent Articles from Joan Tupponce
A ‘golden unicorn’
Chesterfield County Economic Development Director Garrett Hart and Managing Director Matt McLaren had no idea which global client a site selection consultant was representing when the county was approached in November 2021 to discuss a potential major economic development megaproject. “All we knew is that they were in manufacturing, and it was around a $700 […]
Lynchburg area needs more industrial sites
Megan Lucas knows all too well that no product means no project in economic development, especially when it comes to pad-ready sites and move-in-ready buildings. The lack of pad-ready sites and industrial spec buildings in the Lynchburg region is the major reason the area has missed 65 economic development opportunities that could have brought as […]
New hangars, terminal in Winchester airport’s sights
This month, the Winchester Regional Airport will open the first group of hangars for midsize private aircraft, a public-private project that could end with 32 new units, bringing the airport’s total number of hangars to 100. The multiphase, potentially $20 million project is a partnership between the Winchester Regional Airport Authority and Purcellville-based TMG Construction […]
White Mill project closer to getting off the ground
Danville’s highly anticipated $100 million White Mill redevelopment is starting to see positive movement. In August, Danville City Council unanimously approved a resolution to apply for a $5 million state grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Industrial Revitalization Fund, a move to help with gap financing of the renovation. Danville has already […]
Under construction
Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Hampton and Norfolk Construction is underway along 10 miles of the Interstate 64 corridor from Hampton to Norfolk on the $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project. In June, crews on the South Island began reassembling Mary, the 430-foot, $70 million tunnel boring machine (TBM) that was delivered to the Port of […]
Valley views attract scenic train tours
The views Steve Powell and his employees at Buckingham Branch Railroad see daily while riding the rails inspired him to launch the Virginia Scenic Railway. “There are a lot of people that love railroads, and we love sharing our railroad. It’s a unique way of seeing the Virginia scenery instead of riding on the interstate,” […]
Counties collaborating on industrial park
In the coming months, the rubble of a demolished furniture factory on a roughly 70-acre property in Chilhowie will be hauled away to make room for an industrial park. Smyth County is teaming up with Bland and Washington counties, forming the Pathway Regional Industrial Facilities Authority to create Pathway Park, which will feature rail service […]
Reclaiming glory
Mark Spadoni took on the role of managing director at The Omni Homestead Resort to help restore the iconic hotel, which turns 256 years old this year. “It’s a great responsibility,” he says. “We want to maintain the past but make it relevant to moving forward. The goal is to set it up for the […]
Return to form
In terms of business activity and economic development wins, 2021 turned out to be a stellar year for the Shenandoah Valley. “We have exceeded what we anticipated from a business activity perspective,” says Jay Langston, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, which promotes economic development from Shenandoah County to Rockbridge County. “When government shut […]
Big bird
In August 2021, Tyson Foods Inc., one of the world’s largest food companies, announced it will invest $300 million to establish a 325,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Pittsylvania County, creating 376 full-time jobs. Just two months later, Tyson broke ground on the project at Cane Creek Centre, an industrial park just outside Danville that’s jointly owned […]
