Eastern Va. home sales increased by 31% in June compared to 2019
The number of Eastern Virginia homes that went under contract in June rose by more than 31% compared to June 2019, according to statistics released by Virginia Beach-based Real Estate Information Network Inc. (REIN), a regional real estate listing service. “The market is robust despite the initial worries of COVID-19, and we will continue to […]
Va. Beach manufacturing company investing $15.8M in expansion
Virginia Beach-based Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. (ASC) will invest $15.8 million to expand its operations, adding a 100,000- square-foot facility and creating 200 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. ASC manufactures sound-reducing and weather-protective enclosures for onsite power generation equipment, such as control rooms, house generators, pumps, compressors, switchgear and HVAC equipment. “Advanced manufacturing contin[...]
Virginia Space launches rocket for first U.S. Space Force mission
The Minotaur IV rocket, carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), launched its first U.S. Space Force (USSF) mission from the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority’s (Virginia Space) Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Eastern Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. “The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport continues to serve the […][...]
Va. Lottery Board advances Portsmouth casino
The city of Portsmouth announced Wednesday that its preferred casino gaming partner, Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, has been pre-certified by the Virginia Lottery Board to operate a Virginia casino. The pre-certification is necessary to move forward with a local gaming referendum in November. “We are grateful for the Lottery Board’s diligence on this matter and […]
Bon Secours seeks to expand Suffolk hospital
Bon Secours Mercy Health announced on Monday it has filed a certificate of public need (COPN) to expand its Suffolk hospital by 67,000 square feet and add up to 36 beds. The proposed expansion stems from the increased need for inpatient beds, resulting from findings from the COVID-19 pandemic and population growth in the area. [[...]
Colonial Williamsburg names chief development officer
William & Mary’s associate vice president for development has been named chief development officer at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Earl T. Granger III will start his new position Aug. 2, the foundation announced Thursday. His hiring comes after a national search. A 1992 William & Mary graduate, Granger has[...]
Troutman Sanders completes merger with Pepper Hamilton
After postponing its original April 1 merger date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Atlanta-based law firm Troutman Sanders LLP and Philadelphia-based Pepper Hamilton LLP announced Wednesday they have merged to become Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP (Troutman Pepper). Among Troutman Pepper’s 23 nationwide offices, the Richm[...]
Colonial Williamsburg begins gradually reopening
After a rough spring, Colonial Williamsburg reopened June 14 on a limited basis, although visitors may notice modern reality intruding in the form of face masks and Plexiglas barriers. With nearly 2,000 workers, Colonial Williamsburg is one of the Peninsula region’s largest employers, but it was especially hard hit by the cor[...]
Making a difference
As health care systems raced to locate new sources of personal protective equipment during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia’s engineering schools stepped up with innovative plans for manufacturing in-demand PPE. In Roanoke, where the number of COVID-19 cases has remained much lower than Northern, Eastern and[...]
Dominion debuts first offshore wind farm in U.S. federal waters
After nearly a decade of planning, Richmond-based Dominion Energy Inc. is on the verge of harnessing offshore wind power following the installation this month of two turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach. Standing approximately 600 feet tall, the 12-megawatt turbines are the cornerstone of Dominion’s $300 million Coastal Vi[...]
City of Suffolk names HR director
Suffolk City Manager Patrick Roberts announced Thursday that Robin Wynn will be the city’s new director of human resources, effective July 1. Wynn was most recently the human resources director for the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority in Richmond. With more than 28 years of experience, she has also served in hum[...]
TowneBank and CHKD buy Norfolk Southern Tower for $30M
UPDATED JULY 2 | Suffolk-based TowneBank and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) have jointly purchased the 22-story Norfolk Southern Tower in downtown Norfolk from the Fortune 500 railroad corporation, which is in the process of migrating its corporate headquarters to Atlanta. The building sold for $30 mill[...]