Northern Virginia saw an increase in the number of housing units sold in July, according to the Long & Foster Real Estate Market Minute Report released Friday. The report includes data from Alexandria and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties.
Alexandria saw the largest increase in units sold at 15%, and also saw the largest increase in median sales prices, at a 27% incline. Arlington and Fairfax counties both saw a 3% increase in the number of units sold. Inventory varied, however, with a 38% increase in Arlington, but a 63% decrease in Prince William County.
“Homes are coming on and off the market very quickly in Northern Virginia,” Larry “Boomer” Foster, Long & Foster Real Estate president, said in a statement. “The demand for homes continues to be incredibly high, while purchasing power remains strong.”
Foster said that he anticipates the housing market recovery to continue through the fall while average fixed rates remain low and the risk of a foreclosure crisis is unlikely.
“There has been a flight from the urban core to the suburbs and exurbs,” Foster said in a statement. “With a higher percentage of people working from home, having a space that is larger and farther from others provides a sense of safety and privacy that city life does not. This is also evident in the emerging trend of people heading to vacation rentals for extended periods of time to get a change of scenery.”
But the trend of people moving from the cities to the suburbs is not expected to last forever, according to Long & Foster.
“In the short term, suburban areas are expected to benefit more as people long for extra space,” according to Long & Foster. “However urban areas offer conveniences, such as proximity to shopping, the arts and many entertainment options that are sure to lure people back in once the pandemic has ended.”
The number of initial claims filed during the Aug. 22 filing week fell to near the average weekly volume in 2009, according to the VEC. However, 249,745 people in Virginia remained unemployed last week. This is a 5.8% decrease from the previous week, but 230,488 higher than the 19,257 continued claims from the same period last year. People receiving unemployment benefits through the VEC must file weekly unemployment claims in order to continue receiving benefits.
“[Claims] had leveled off in mid-August before picking up recent months’ declining trend in the most recent filing week,” VEC Senior Economist Timothy Aylor said in a statement. “The continued claims total is mainly comprised of those recent initial claimants who continued to file for unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19pandemic.”
Since the pandemic began, more than 1.1 million Virginians have filed initial claims for unemployment.
The regions of the state that have been most impacted continue to be Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Below are the top 10 localities, listed by number of initial unemployment claims, for the week ending Aug. 22:
Nationwide, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims for last week was 1.006 million, a decrease of 98,000 from the previous week’s revised level, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. There were 176,867 initial claims during the same week last year.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that a DVD was produced for Washington Football Team executives containing lewd footage taken of then-Washington Redskins cheerleaders without their consent during the Ashburn-based NFL team’s 2008 cheerleader swimsuit calendar photo shoot. This report builds on a July 16 report from the publication that detailed the experiences of 15 former female employees who said they were sexually harassed and verbally abused during their time with the team.
Brad Baker told The Washington Post that Larry Michael (then the team’s lead broadcaster and a senior vice president) instructed staffers to make a video for team owner Dan Snyder that shows moments when women’s nipples were inadvertently exposed as they shifted positions or adjusted props during a 2008 cheerleader swimsuit calendar photo shoot. Michael called these moments captured on video the “the good bits” or “the good parts,” Baker, who was a producer in the team’s broadcast department from 2007 to 2009, told The Washington Post.
Snyder and the team did not respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment and Michael denied the allegations.
“I feel betrayed and violated,” former Washington Redskins cheerleader Heather Tran told The Washington Post after viewing the 2008 video of outtakes from the swimsuit calendar shoot. The unofficial video contains brief footage of her exposed nipples.
“Larry said something to the effect of, ‘We have a special project that we need to get done for the owner today: He needs us to get the good bits of the behind-the-scenes video from the cheerleader shoot onto a DVD for him,’” Baker told The Washington Post. The publication obtained a copy of the 2008 video from another former employee as well as footage from the 2010 calendar shoot in the Dominican Republic that included a close-up of one cheerleader’s pubic area, obscured only by gold body paint. The source told The Washington Post that Michael had ordered that the video be burned to a DVD titled “For Executive Meeting.”
In2018, The New York Times also reported that during a 2013 trip to Costa Rica, cheerleaders’ passports were collected upon arrival at the resort, leaving them without any formal identification. Some cheerleaders were also required to be topless during a photo shoot, to which spectators (all men) had been invited — which The New York Times had reported were team sponsors and FedExField suite holders.
After The Washington Post released its July 16 report, the Associated Press reported that Snyder had hired Washington, D.C.-based law firm Wilkinson Walsh LLP to review the team’s culture, policies and allegations of workplace misconduct. The announcement came amid rumors trending on social media and on sports news sites that The Washington Post was going to publish an exposé about Snyder (who purchased the NFL team in 1999 from Jack Kent Cooke’s estate for $800 million) and the team.
Snyder himself wasn’t directly accused of any misconduct in the original Washington Post report, but nearly all accounts from former female employees mentioned in the article happened during the time he has owned the team. Snyder, whom The Washington Post said declined to be interviewed for the story about alleged harassment, issued a statement on July 17 saying such behavior “has no place in our franchise or society,” adding that he was committed “to setting a new culture and standard for our team.”
Michael, who for 16 years was the team’s play-by-play radio announcer, retired in mid-July. Director of Pro Personnel Alex Santos and Assistant Director of Pro Personnel Richard Mann II were fired the weekend of July 11. In December and early January, longtime team president Bruce Allen was fired and head athletic trainer Larry Hess, who had been with the organization for 17 years, was also let go.
Among the men accused of harassment and verbal abuse in the July 16 Washington Post article are Michael, Santos and Mann, each of whom reporters say were “members of Snyder’s inner circle and two longtime members of the personnel department.”
Amid the workplace controversy, the team is also undergoing a name change after extensive discussion on what many see as a discriminatory and derogatory name against Native Americans. The team on July 13 announced the retirement of the Redskins team name and logo and is accepting input for branding suggestions through its new website Washington Journey.
Despite a losing streak and name controversy, the team in 2019 had the seventh-highest NFL team valuation at $3.4 billion, according to Forbes.
An apartment complex developer has purchased a 13-acre site in Chesterfield County for $4.025 million, Commonwealth Commercial Partners LLC announced Friday.
Located at 6767 Iron Bridge Road, the complex will include 230 apartment units, a clubhouse and a pool. Austin Woods Development Co. sold the property to Waverton Development Inc. in a transaction that closed on Aug. 20.
Construction has begun and pre-leasing for the apartment units will begin early next year, with first move-ins scheduled for the second quarter of 2021. Waverton Development Inc. in 2010 also purchased land in Watermark, which is located across the street from the new development, where the company developed the Meridian at Watermark, a 300-unit community.
Following the development at 6767 Iron Bridge Road, Ryan Homes will build a 207-unit town home community on the 58 acres surrounding the property. A 4.5-acre site is also being reserved for commercial space.
The Virginia Housing Development Authority provided financing for the development and Keith Wells with Northmarq Capital was the mortgage broker. Sam Worley, Ryan Fanelli and Craige Pelouze of Commonwealth Commercial Partners represented the seller.
CORRECTION:An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the location of the shopping center. It is being built in Hanover County.
Construction began last week on a 22,000-square-foot shopping center in Hanover County on U.S. Route 1 near Virginia Center Commons, Richmond-based asset disposition group Motleys announced Friday.
Wigwam Crossing is being built on the site of the Wigwam, a log-cabin building that was a landmark restaurant and dance hall from the 1920s into the 1960s. The development is being built in two phases, with the first including up to 12,000 square feet of retail space divided among several shops, offices and restaurants.
“I’m excited to revitalize this property, which has been in my family for decades,” Motleys President Mark Motley, owner and developer of the project, said in a statement. “I was just waiting for the right time to develop it into something special. Despite the pandemic, I am optimistic about the future of the economy, and believe this project will be good for the area.”
Located at 10392 Washington Highway, the Wigwam will be remodeled to include a 5,000-square-foot ballroom, which will be used for events including weddings, receptions and meetings. The original log cabin interior will remain intact.
“I look forward to giving the Wigwam new life as an upscale event center,” Motley said in a statement.
NASA selected Dynetics, along with Blue Origin and SpaceX, in April for the program. The spacecraft, equipped with eight rocket engines, will carry up to four astronauts to the lunar surface.
“We’ve chosen eight because it allows us to simplify the engine design somewhat and also gives us the ability to abort in every case all the way down to when we land on the surface,” Andy Crocker, Dynetics HLS deputy program manager, told CNBC.
Dynetics will use United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket to launch the spacecraft as well as two other modular propellant spacecraft that will eventually link in lunar orbit.
“It can be part of a broader lunar economy, that carries things back and forth from lunar orbit,” Crocker told CNBC.
Dynetics will work with Maxar Technologies, Astrobotic, L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Nevada to develop the spacecraft.
Located in Huntsville, Alabama, Dynetics’ work focuses on engineering, information technology, national security, cyberspace, space and critical infrastructures. With annual revenues of $11.09 billion last year and 37,000 employees, Leidos is a Fortune 500 company that specializes in technology and engineering services for federal defense agencies.
The National Association of Corporate Directors, based in Arlington, announced Thursday that it has tapped Tracy Gee as it first chief people officer.
With more than 25 years of experience, Gee most recently served as vice president of human resources for global development business functions at Raytheon Co. In her new role, she will oversee talent acquisition, talent management, compensation and benefits, and diversity and inclusion. She will report directly to CEO Peter Gleason.
Before her time with Raytheon, Gee worked with Fidelity Investments and Liberty Mutual Co. She began her career with The First National Bank of Boston after earning her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College. She also earned an advanced certificate in organization development and human resources management from Columbia University.
The National Association of Corporate Directors is the authority on boardroom practices and represents more than 21,000 board members.
The former chief operating officer for Volvo Trucks North and South America, Patrick Collignon, announced Wednesday that he has launched Trova Commercial Vehicles (TrovaCV), located in Pulaski County‘s Fairlawn area.
The company will focus on the engineering, design and production of fully electric commercial vehicles, with a goal to achieve cost-effective mass production.
Patrick Collignon. Photo courtesy Collignon
“This is an exciting time as the electric commercial vehicle market is being reshaped,” Collignon said in a statement. “While technology and innovation have made it possible to convert fuel-powered commercial vehicles into electric vehicles, we haven’t seen a production model capable of producing the required volume of fully electric commercial vehicles to meet the demand.”
With more than 30 years of experience in the commercial vehicle industry, Collignon has worked with both the Volvo Group and General Motors. He was most recently the senior vice president of operations for the Americas for Volvo Trucks, where he led the initiative to develop and manufacture the new Mack medium duty truck platform.
TrovaCV has received support from the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, the Economic Development Authority and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), according to the company.
As of yet, Pulaski County has not put any direct incentives into the Trova startup, says Jonathan D. Sweet, county administrator of Pulaski County. Trova’s location decision was predicated on the talent pools and “advanced manufacturing heritage in the county,” which has more than 5,000 manufacturing jobs, he says.
“The county is excited to support Trova’s next steps and will work closely with the company in the future to facilitate access to available resources necessary to progress their industrialization plans,” Sweet says. “Consistent with all of our industry partners, we will work diligently and creatively to enable and foster their success with the end goal of creating new opportunities for our citizens and a meaningful return on investment for Pulaski County.”
“VEDP helps businesses find the resources they need to make location and expansion successful endeavors, and we are pleased to assist Trova Commercial Vehicles with its launch in Pulaski County,” VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret said in a statement. “Virginia champions the innovation of entrepreneurs like Patrick Collignon, and we are committed to working with our economic development partners at the state, regional, and local levels to facilitate TrovaCV’s success in the commonwealth.”
On Wednesday, McAuliffe filed paperwork with the Virginia State Board of Elections, listing himself as a Democratic candidate for the 2021 gubernatorial race. He registered under his political action committee, Virginians for Common Good, which is based in Alexandria.
McAuliffe’s spokesman, Brennan Bilberry, told The Associated Press that McAuliffe won’t make an official decision to run until after the Nov. 3 General Election.
The former Virginia governor, who told The Washington Post in May that it was “a strong possibility” that he will run for governor in 2021, reported raising $1.7 million in April and May, far more than other Democrats running for governor in 2021. State Del. Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, raised $776,000 during the same period and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, raised $275,000 in a week after announcing her run in late June. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring are also circling 2021 gubernatorial runs.
On the GOP side, only state Sen. Amanda Chase, R- Chesterfield, has formerly announced as a gubernatorial candidate. The former House speaker, Del. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, and retired state Sen. Bill Carrico and entrepreneur Pete Snyder are among the Republican candidates who have expressed interest in running.
“McAuliffe has been toying with a possible run for months while raising money through his old political action committee,” Bilberry told the AP. In May and June, McAuliffe raised $1.7 million in political cash, which his PAC said it would use to help the Democratic Party of Virginia’s 2020 campaign efforts.
The moderate Democrat was the 72nd governor of Virginia. A former Democratic National Committee chair, he is a close friend of President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During his time as governor, McAuliffe brought in more than $20 billion in capital investment and promoted Virginia on more than 35 trade and marketing missions to five continents.
In October 2019, McAuliffe started working with Richmond-based law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as a global strategy advisor and in January of this year he hired Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director Chris Bolling to oversee his PAC.
Virginia Commonwealth University announced Tuesday that two faculty members have been named as senior members of the National Academy of Inventors, an organization for inventors in academia.
Srirama Rao, VCU‘s vice president for research and innovation, and Everett Carpenter, a chemistry professor in the College of Humanities and Sciences, were two of 38 academic inventors who were named on the academy’s August 2020 list of senior members — and the only two from Virginia tapped this year by the National Academy of Inventors. Senior members are those who are active faculty, scientists and administrators from member institutions who have demonstrated innovation-producing technologies that have an impact on the welfare of society, according to the academy.
Rao (no relation to VCU President Michael Rao) heads VCU’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and is a professor in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology. He is the inventor for eight U.S. patents that are being commercialized by medical device company Mardill and cardiovascular drug development company Diakron Pharmaceuticals — both of which he founded.
Carpenter is the inventor on seven U.S. patents, and has pending applications and international filings. Some of his inventions were licensed to Nanofoundry LLC, a company he co-founded to develop low-cost permanent magnets that do not require the use of rare earth elements.
“We are very proud of the election of Vice President Srirama Rao and Dr. Everett Carpenter as senior members of the academy,” Ivelina Metcheva, VCU Innovation Gateway senior executive director, said in a statement. “Such an honor is bestowed on members of the academy who have demonstrated a drive to see their research translated into commercial products.”
Senior members are elected biannually by the National Academy of Inventors. This year, 24 research universities, government and nonprofit research institutes were represented.
“NAI member institutions support some of the most elite innovators on the horizon,” National Academy of Inventors President Paul R. Sanberg said in a statement. “With the NAI senior member award distinction, we are recognizing innovators who are rising stars in their fields and the innovative ecosystems that support their work. This new class is joining a prolific group of academic visionaries already defining tomorrow.”
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