Recent Articles from Ryan McKinnon
Richmond casino sites are up for grabs
With a future casino at least temporarily off the table in Richmond, two of the three land parcels that hopeful developers had been eyeing as future casino sites are back on the market, while the third will remain a movie theater. In spring 2021, city officials selected Urban One Inc.’s proposal to build a $565 […]
In the big leagues
Central Virginia continues to attract pharmaceutical companies, advanced manufacturing sites and distribution centers, with 2021 seeing several major deals from companies that will bring large footprints to the region. Richmond was the leader in the clubhouse, with the city occupying half of the spots on the region’s list of the 10 biggest deals of 2021, […]
Complicated history
Rochester, New York-based supermarket chain Wegmans Food Markets Inc. is building a $175 million distribution center and regional headquarters near the intersection of Sliding Hill and Ashcake roads in Hanover County. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility is expected to create roughly 700 jobs, making it one of the most significant economic development projects in county history. […]
Revamping Vinton
Vinton has been reinventing itself over the past decade, using public-private partnerships to convert old, vacant buildings into bustling modern developments. Now that the small eastern Roanoke County town has attracted new residents and visitors, the town’s new focus is on improving its transportation, walkability and infrastructure. “We really had a renaissance the last five […]
UVA | NOVA plans signal major regional expansion
The University of Virginia has big plans for continued expansion in Northern Virginia, with more details to come early this year on where U.Va. will be developing new programs within the region. Negotiations with prospective partners were ongoing as of early December 2021, school officials said. The university’s expanded presence for both degree and non-degree […]
Dominion plans energy storage facility for Chesterfield
One of the state’s largest energy storage facilities is on track to open in Chesterfield County this year, as Dominion Energy Inc. works to achieve state-mandated clean energy goals. The Dry Bridge Energy Storage project will feature row after row of installations that resemble shipping containers, each housing batteries that collectively have the capacity to […]
Hot property
Richmond real estate developer Andrew Basham’s company, Spy Rock Real Estate, owns so many properties within Scott’s Addition that local business owners jokingly refer to the neighborhood as “Andrew’s Addition.” As the area has become Richmond’s hottest neighborhood — literally and figuratively — Basham and his business partners at Spy Rock appear to have been […]
NIL no longer nil for college players
Now that the NCAA is allowing student athletes to make sponsorship deals and capitalize on their fame, Virginia Tech is working to ensure its students don’t get left behind or taken advantage of. The NCAA rule change, which went into effect July 1, allows athletes to profit from the use of their names, images and […]
Industrial space gets boost in Amherst
Amherst County has received a $3 million federal grant to attract manufacturing firms with a new 45,000-square-foot, $4.6 million industrial facility. In September, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it awarded a $3 million grant to the county Economic Development Authority to build a new county-owned facility, with hopes that the project would create […]
Pentagon City plan aims for higher density
A major study that will shape the future of Pentagon City is entering its final stages. The Arlington County urban village has grown from empty fields and warehouses in the 1950s to become one of the Washington, D.C., area’s busiest neighborhoods. With construction plans now under community review for Amazon.com Inc.’s HQ2, Pentagon City is […]