NNS aims to grow workforce
Virginia’s largest industrial employer, Newport News Shipbuilding, hopes to grow its 26,000-person workforce by 3,000 this year to tackle its backlog of projects. NNS, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is building modular components for 12 Columbia-class subs and then handing them off to partner General Dynamics[...]
Catch a wave
Updated July 26: Chuck Rigney resigned as economic development director after six months on the job. After three decades recruiting businesses to Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, Charles E. “Chuck” Rigney is tackling a new challenge: leading Virginia Beach’s economic development. Rigney was named the Resort City’[...]
Liebherr to expand Newport News-Hampton facility
Newport News-based Liebherr Mining Equipment will invest $72.3 million to expand a plant at the border of Newport News and Hampton, creating an estimated 175 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. “We thank Liebherr, an international leader in mining equipment manufacturing, for its commitment to the commonwealth of Virg[...]
Firefly Aerospace to launch at Wallops Island
Cedar Park, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace has picked Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport located on Accomack County’s Wallops Island as a new launch site for its two-stage orbital Alpha rocket, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. A small launch vehicle, the Alpha serves commercial, civi[...]
ODU hires new engineering dean
Old Dominion University announced Tuesday it has hired Jeffrey Fergus to be the next dean of the Batten College of Engineering and Technology, starting Aug. 10. Fergus is currently the associate dean for undergraduate studies and program assessment in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University in Alabama, where [...]
Va. casinos report $62.7M in May gaming revenues
May gaming revenues for Virginia’s three casinos totaled $62.7 million, according to Virginia Lottery data released June 14. Last month, the Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock temporary casino reported about $15.46 million in adjusted gaming revenues (wagers minus winnings), of which about $12.4 million came from its[...]
400-unit apartment complex sells for $84M in Norfolk
A 400-unit apartment community in Norfolk sold for $84 million, according to a late May news release from Croatan Investments. Originally built in 1991, the garden-style apartment community, Park Crescent, had 454,735 rentable square feet at the time of sale, according to Croatan. FPA Multifamily purchased the property from a jo[...]
Dollar Tree, a Virginia corporate success, faces new pressures over history of violations
Virginia inspectors have levied $1.9 million in fines against Dollar Tree and Family Dollar in the past 10 years for health and safety violations, according to a VCIJ at WHRO analysis. Federal inspectors have forced the stores’ parent company to pay millions more. Now, worker advocates and activist investors have increased[...]
Hampton Roads home sales steady, inventory rises in May
Hampton Roads home sales in May remained steady year-over-year, but inventory climbed, breaching 4,000 homes for sale, according to Real Estate Information Network (REIN) data released Monday. Last month, 2,498 homes sold in Hampton Roads, up from 2,189 in April and equal to homes sold in May 2023. Pending sales totaled 2,546, d[...]
Lester Group acquires Williamsburg building supply company
The Lester Group, a Martinsville-based company with a diverse portfolio including lumber products and real estate development, acquired Williamsburg-based Custom Builder Supply on June 3, the company announced earlier in June. Lester Group CEO Jay Dickens declined to release financial terms of the deal. Randy Cooper founded Cust[...]
Carry-On Trailer expands Westmoreland operation
Georgia-based Carry-On Trailer, a leading manufacturer of steel and utility trailers, will invest $9.2 million to increase capacity at its facility in Westmoreland County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. The project is expected to create 60 jobs. To meet increasing customer demand in the northeast, Carry-On Trailer plans [...]
Dollar Tree considers selling or spinning off Family Dollar
Chesapeake-based Fortune 500 discount retailer Dollar Tree is considering selling or spinning off its Family Dollar brand, which it acquired in 2015 for $8.5 billion. “Dollar Tree has been on a multiyear journey to help the company fully achieve its potential,” CEO and Chairman Rick Dreiling said in a statement Wednesday. �[...]