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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 […]
Youngkin appoints agriculture secretary, department commissioner
Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday that he had selected Matthew “Matt” Lohr as state secretary of agriculture and forestry and Joseph “Joe” Guthrie as commissioner of the Virginia Agriculture and Consumer Services Department. “Agriculture … plays a crucial role in Virginia’s economy and communities. Matt and Joseph bring decades worth of hands-on experience that will[...]
Daikin dojos offer workforce training
In the U.S., the Japanese word “dojo” generally refers to a martial arts training space, but in recent years, the term’s also been adopted in business for workforce development. In October 2021, Daikin Applied, a Minneapolis-based commercial HVAC equipment manufacturer, expanded the training dojo program at its Verona production facility, doubling the number of welding […]
The Meridian Group buys 277 acres in Winchester for industrial park
Bethesda, Maryland-based real estate investment firm The Meridian Group has purchased 277 acres of land in Winchester along Insterstate 81 and has plans to develop an industrial park on it. The purchase price of the land was not disclosed and is not yet available from public land records. The Meridian Group acquired the property this week […]
Winchester industrial property sells for $12.2M
A 244,500-square-foot industrial property in Winchester sold for $12.2 million, Marcus & Milichap announced Wednesday. The property is located at 310 Tyson Drive and was sold by Harrisonburg-based InterChange Group Inc. to Washington, D.C.-based Ritz Banc Group. Christopher C. Dale, Robert Filley and Randall Heilig, with Marcus & Milichap’s Washington, D.C., office, worked for the [&[...]
Shenandoah Valley races to develop industrial sites
A flurry of recent industrial investment in the Shenandoah Valley has regional economic development officials eager to make new sites shovel-ready as companies put a premium on locations that will enable them to stand up operations as fast as possible. Fast-casual restaurant chain Cava’s September announcement that it will build a $30 million, 57,000-square-foot processing […]
Shenandoah Community Capital Fund to get $1M as part of federal program
The Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF) will receive $1 million in American Rescue Plan funding as part of the Community Navigator Pilot Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced Thursday. The program is an initiative meant to reduce barriers that small businesses, especially those owned by veterans, women, people from rural communities and communities of […]
Inspiration strikes in coworking space
It’s ironic that the Staunton Innovation Hub, a coworking center, opened its largest phase amid a global pandemic that sent many workers home, away from shared workspaces. “The pandemic certainly created its own set of challenges in terms of opening a coworking space,” says Peter Denbigh, who founded the hub with his ex-wife, Alison Denbigh. […]
Six Staunton apartment properties sell for $6.3M
Staunton Portfolio LLC has purchased a six-property multifamily portfolio, which includes 88 apartments for $6.3 million, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced Wednesday. The portfolio was sold with assumable long-term fixed-rate debt in place. The seller was LSK Properties LLC. The properties are located in Staunton at 1020 Rockaway St., 2407 Bare St., 2501 Hickory […]
Virginia Industrial Plastics to grow in Rockingham, adding 92 jobs
Virginia Industrial Plastics Inc. will invest more than $6.5 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Rockingham County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The plastic thermoforming and fabrication company will add 92 jobs with the expansion. Virginia Industrial Plastics makes products designed to serve markets such as meat processing, leisure, medical, commercial, transportation, indus[...]
Harrisonburg’s Farmer Focus hires CFO, R&D head
Harrisonburg-based Farmer Focus has hired Debarshi Sengupta as chief financial officer and Sean McLendon as head of research and development, it announced on Aug. 26 and Sept. 9. “Debarshi is an instrumental hire to guide our future, creating a strategic path forward to plan and resource our tremendous growth,” Farmer Focus president and Chief Operating […]
