Roanoke plant still empty after FreightCar America exit
More than two years after FreightCar America left town, eliminating about 200 assembly jobs, the buildings once occupied by the railcar manufacturer in downtown Roanoke remain empty. Chicago-based FreightCar America opened its Roanoke plant in 2005, leasing space at the East End Shops, a locomotive workshop and maintenance complex of about 900,000 square feet of […]
A Roanoke reawakening
The Roanoke area is anything but sleepy when it comes to economic development these days. In fact, “the opportunity for Roanoke is greater now than it has been in quite some time,” says John Hull, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership, a public-private joint venture that works to attract new business to the region. […]
Roanoke accounting firm sells building for $2.27M
Roanoke accounting firm Brown Edwards has sold its building for $2.275 million, according to a news release. Brown Edwards, which is expanding into a larger space at a local office park, sold the building at 319 McClanahan Ave. to ETS Recruit, which places medical professionals in practices across the country. The accounting firm is one […]
The Hilb Group acquires Medicare-focused firm, six Va. companies
Henrico-County based insurance company The Hilb Group LLC finalized its acquisition of Health Quote of Rhode Island Inc. on July 1, it announced Tuesday. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Health Quote specializes in Medicare offerings, and its clientele will join THG’s Medicare practice. THG CEO Ricky Spiro said in a statement, “Our […]
Roanoke construction firm to renovate Homestead’s Warm Springs Pools
Roanoke-based Lionberger Construction Co. has been selected as the general contractor to renovate The Omni Homestead Resort’s historic Warm Springs Pools, Omni Hotels & Resorts announced Monday. The contractor will restore the men’s and ladies’ bath houses at the formerly named Jefferson Pools and the reception house of The Omni Homestead Resort to their 1925 […]
Northam appoints members to newly created cannabis boards
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has appointed members to three newly created oversight boards for the legalization of recreational marijuana, his office announced today. On July 1, Virginia’s adult-use cannabis legislation changes began going into effect. This year, the General Assembly legalized possession of up to one ounce in public and home cultivation of up to […]
Valley Wealth Group buys former Truist office in Roanoke
A Truist Bank office in Roanoke was sold for $1.9 million in late June, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced. VWG/RNK Properties LLC purchased the 6,715-square-foot office building at 3119 Chaparral Drive from Truist. The property will be the future location of Valley Wealth Group, a Roanoke-based financial management firm. Barry Ward and Price Gutshall […]
$257M Western Rail Initiative to bring NRV train service
Passenger train service will return to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday, announcing an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway. The $257.2 million deal is an addition to the $3.7 billion rail expansion package the governor hailed in March as part of the Transforming Rail in Virginia program. […]
Luna Innovations Inc. taps new COO
Roanoke-based Luna Innovations Inc. has named Brian J. Soller its new chief operating officer, effective immediately. He was previously senior vice president and general manager of Lightwave, Luna’s largest division. The fiber optic tech company, which manufactures products for the aerospace, automotive, communications, defense, energy, infrastructure, security and silicon photonics industri[...]
LewisGale to open standalone ER in Roanoke
On Monday, LewisGale Regional Health System held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new freestanding emergency room in Roanoke. Located at 1423 West Ruritan Road, the nearly 10,000-square-foot facility will be named LewisGale Medical Center Blue Hills ER and be staffed with board-certified emergency room physicians and nurses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. […]
Hollins University appoints new provost
Hollins University has named Laura A. McLary as its new provost effective July 1, the Roanoke-based university announced this week. McLary arrives from the University of Portland in Oregon, where she served on the faculty teaching German starting in 1999 and became academic associate dean for the university’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2016. […]
Branch Civil appoints new executive VP
Brian J. Quinlan has been appointed to serves as executive vice president of Roanoke-based Branch Civil Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Branch Group specializing in site development, civil construction and heavy highway infrastructure projects. In his new role, Quinlan will be responsible for Branch Civil’s overall financial and operational leadership, as well as […]