Economic Development

Phase 3 of Harrowgate Park, airport paving contracts awarded

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 30, 2022 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

Tara Carroll, center, was thanked by the board of supervisors for filling in after Leslie Haley resigned to work for the state attorney general’s office. As part of the consent agenda, on Oct. 26 the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved construction contracts to repave the county airport and to begin the third and final phase at Harrowgate Park. The supervisors awarded a $1.14 million contract to Branscome Inc. to repave the airport terminal apron with 90 percent of the costs funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, 8 percent by the Virginia Department of Aviation and 2 percent by the…

Planning commission recommends approval of Bellwood Commons housing development

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 2, 2022 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Housing, Planning & Zoning

On Sept. 22, the Chesterfield County Planning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of a request to rezone about 40 acres from commercial C-5 to commercial C-4 with a conditional use permit to allow condominiums at Route 1 and Willis Road. The development, which is called Bellwood Commons, would be on land where an outdoor flea market has been and previously was a drive-in theater. There was some public opposition to the request, including from Rene Eldred and former county planning employee Jim Bowling, but Gib Sloan, the planning commissioner from the Bermuda District, held sway. Jeff Geiger, representative of…

Meadowville, Magnolia Green developments discussed; Planning Commission recommends park and ride

By Caleb M Soptelean on February 7, 2022 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

On Jan. 18, the Chesterfield County Planning Commission heard an update from county officials about the existing Meadowville commercial development and a proposed rezoning of the Magnolia Green residential/commercial development. In considering the pending Magnolia Green commercial development, Economic Development Director Garrett Hart noted that Meadowville has taken over 20 years to develop. The 1,300-acre Bermuda site has around 600 acres left to develop, he said. It was purchased by the county in 1994 for $15.5 million, but land sales to date have totaled $25.2 million with 3,500-plus employees and $3.3 million in taxes paid per year. The latter equates…

Planning commission recommends gas processing facility, commercial/residential development

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 3, 2021 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission on Sept. 21 recommended approval of a methane gas processing facility on the Shoosmith Bros., Inc. property and a commercial and residential development nearby on Ironbridge Road. The proposals were on the commission’s consent agenda and had no public opposition. The gas processing facility would be built on 10.3 acres south of Ironbridge Road and would process methane from Phase 1 of the landfill but not Phase 2. Two people spoke during public comment in favor of the proposal, but Renee Eldred said she preferred that the company — which is joining with Swift Creek…

Supervisors get update on economic development; A number of projects are underway or in planning

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 8, 2021 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors heard an update from the Economic Development Department during their July 28 meeting. Economic Development Director Garrett Hart noted that the county’s unemployment rate has fallen from a recent high of 10.7 percent in April 2020 to 3.7 percent this past April. There were 7,799 open employee positions advertised as of July 28, Hart said. Capital One is expanding by 200,000 square feet in the Meadowville development, Jake Elder, the department’s small business assistant, said. In addition, Red Rock Developments of Columbia, S.C., recently began building a 353,044-square-foot speculative building in Meadowville Technology Park,…

Renovations begin on blighted shopping center in Chester Village

By VN Staff on August 12, 2020 Development, Economic Development

A partnership between Hillside-Chester LLC and Hillside Developers LLC are giving Chester Village Shopping Center some desperately needed TLC. The project was slated to being in the spring but the developers tabled the plans as COVID-19 panned out. According to developers, most of the 23,000 square feet of retail space is pre-leased to a craft brewer, nail salon, and a breakfast restaurant. Pictured above is a rendering of the shopping center designed by Enteros Design of Richmond.

Mixed-use development lands near Courthouse

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 1, 2020 Board of Supervisors, Economic Development

By a vote of 4-1 with Jim Ingle dissenting, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for the Courthouse Landing mixed-use project last week. The June 24 meeting was the first one in months since the COVID-19 virus hit that allowed residents to speak in person during public comment. A number availed themselves of the opportunity. “This is an extremely solid project,” Dale District resident David Harris said. “It could fund schools and teacher raises” and add restaurants. “We need more jobs and tax money. We [have to] keep our teachers from leaving.” Mike Uzel said that, although…

Carvana pulls the plug on Woods Edge Road project

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 10, 2020 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

It looks as if Carvana may be a victim of the economic impact from COVID-19. The used auto reseller recently announced that it was backing away from its plans for a 184-acre site on Woods Edge Road in southeast Chesterfield County. In a June 3 email, company spokeswoman Amy O’Hara said: “After further examination of current business priorities, Carvana is no longer pursuing an auto inspection center and storage facility in Chesterfield. The company appreciates the support and partnership it has received throughout the site selection process and extends its gratitude to the Chesterfield community.” The Tempe, Ariz.-based company fought…

Courthouse Landing traffic improvements

Courthouse Landing gets approval recommendation

By Caleb M Soptelean on May 28, 2020 Chesterfield Government, Development, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

Five months after giving the project a denial recommendation, the Chesterfield County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of Courthouse Landing on May 19. Courthouse Landing traffic improvements The commission gave the project a denial recommendation Dec. 17. The Board of Supervisors remanded the case back to the Planning Commission on Jan. 22. The supervisors will now consider the case again. The developer of the project — which would be located on 124 acres on the northeast corner of Route 10 and Courthouse Road — made several revisions in order to gain approval of county staff. These include adding four turn…

It’s a package deal: Mexican company coming to Meadowville Technology Park

By Press release on November 5, 2019 Economic Development

Cartograf, a leading provider of packaging solutions across a wide range of industrial sectors, announced Oct. 23 that it will invest $65.3 million to establish its first folding and micro-corrugated package printing facility in the U.S. The 100-acre site will be located in the Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County. Alexandra Wilson, a spokeswoman from The Keith Corp of Charlotte, N.C., said construction on a 315,000-square-foot building was set to begin the first week of November. Target opening date is March 2020. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina and Georgia for the project, which will create 63 new jobs, according…

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