Economic Development

State approves emergency facility in Chester

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 9, 2019 Business, Economic Development, Health

Chris Accashian, Bon Secours St. Francis CEO It looks as if Chester may finally be getting an emergency room. Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center received notice that a Certificate of Public Need application it filed with the state last October was approved May 21. “We’re absolutely thrilled this was approved,” Bon Secours CEO Chris Accashian said last week. He thanked the Chesterfield County Fire and EMS and members of the public who helped by submitting public comments in favor of the application. Thirty-nine people submitted letters in support of the application, according to Bon Secours spokeswoman Jenna Green. “We’re…

County approves grant to build hotel/conference center

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 2, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

A housing development at the old Cloverleaf Mall site is pictured. The entrance to the Stonebridge development off Route 60 is pictured. In order to attract a builder for a hotel and conference center at the old Cloverleaf Mall, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors last week approved a grant for Shamin Hotels of Chester by a 4-1 vote with Steve Elswick dissenting. As part of the agreement, Shamin Hotels – which is owned by P.T. Amin and his son Neil Amin – would build a $30 million mixed-use development at the site on the southwest corner of routes 60…

Torch officials discuss megasite proposal

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 2, 2019 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

Sara Born and Jon Kilberg spoke at Ironbridge Church during a community meeting last week. Slightly more than 100 people gathered at Ironbridge Church last week to learn more about Torch Clean Energy’s proposal for the Shoosmith megasite in southern Chesterfield County. Torch would like to build a solar farm and entice a data center provider to the 1,677-acre property – 1,540 acres which are owned by the Shoosmith Family (Thomas Co.) – located south of the intersection of Bradley Bridge and Branders Bridge roads. The Boulder, Colo., company has requested to rezone the property from R-12 and C-4 to…

Funding approved for Ettrick train station

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 2, 2019 Economic Development

There may be hope that the Amtrak station remains in Ettrick after all. After the Federal Railroad Administration recently abandoned without explanation a study that recommended a future Amtrak station be located on the Boulevard in Colonial Heights, a representative of Virginians for Highspeed Rail notes that the Commonwealth Transportation Board has now approved upgrades to the Ettrick station. Danny Plaugher, executive director of Virginians for Highspeed Rail, said the state’s Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan that was approved by the CTB on June 19 includes $5.7 million to upgrade and modernize the Ettrick station. Also funded, Plaugher said, were $28.4…

Panda Express, Popeyes on the way

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 2, 2019 Business, Economic Development

Site plans have been approved for two fast food restaurants on Jefferson Davis Highway. Popeyes and Panda Express received site plan approvals on Dec. 20 and March 20, respectively. The two businesses would be located at 12131 and 12149 Jefferson Davis Highway south of a Dollar Tree store, which is located seven-tenths of a mile north of the Route 10 intersection. Bulldozers were seen on the Panda Express site last week. The site plans call for a 2,200-square-foot Panda Express with a 400-square-foot patio and a 3,185-square-foot Popeyes. Both businesses would be located on a 2.44-acre parcel. Ingenium Enterprises of…

Amin named Chester’s ‘Businessperson of the Year’

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 25, 2019 Business, Clubs, Economic Development

P.C. Amin, on right, is pictured with Jim Daniels. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) P.C. Amin was honored as the Chester Business Association’s Businessperson of the Year last week. In receiving the Snead-Stebbins Award for his efforts to promote business in the Chester area, Amin gave the area high praise. Amin, who immigrated to the U.S. from India, said locals have not given him any problems in his almost 50 years in Chester. “Whatever I have done, I could not have done without my wife (Purnima),” he said. Amin initially worked as an engineer with the Virginia Department of Transportation. “He…

Shamin Hotels plans to develop mixed-use site east of I-95

By Press release on June 18, 2019 Business, Economic Development

The empty field above is where Shamin Hotels plans to build. A proposed site plan is below. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Shamin Hotels, Inc., the largest hotelier in Virginia, last week announced that it plans to invest approximately $125 million in Chesterfield County through multiple projects. Shamin, which is currently developing a Residence Inn next to Johnston Willis Hospital, plans to develop a 12-acre site east of Interstate 95 adjacent to its Shamin Park, which currently houses three hotels. Plans call for a dual-branded Hampton Inn and Home2Suites, along with ancillary retail amenities that will serve its existing six Chester…

Carvana explains plans for Woods Edge Road site

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 11, 2019 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

Residents had plenty of questions. Carvana employee Todd Ward speaks. A graphic of a proposed layout of the Carvana site. Around 100 people gathered at Elizabeth Scott Elementary School last week to hear about a proposed Carvana inspection site that would be located off Woods Edge Road east of Interstate 95. Carvana development team manager Todd Ward, local attorney Andy Condlin and Timmons Group engineer Roger Rodriguez spoke and answered questions at the June 4 community meeting. Gib Sloan, a Chesterfield County Planning Commission member from the Bermuda District, said the proposal calls for an 180,000-square-foot building. Two residents who…

Coffee and breakfast/lunch?

By Caleb M Soptelean on May 21, 2019 Economic Development

It looks as if a Starbucks and First Watch restaurant may be coming to 9801 Lori Road. A real estate web site shows a site plan with those businesses at Ironwill Centre, which is described as “a new upscale retail development located at Beach Road and Iron Bridge Road.” The website says the delivery date is 2020. A First Watch is also located at 1402 W. Huguenot Road with business hours of 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Rural connections: Some Rhodes Lane residents waiting for broadband access

By Caleb M Soptelean on May 21, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

Rhodes Lane curves past a pond. (Caleb M. Soptelean photos) Tyler Moody stands next to some high-tech electrical wiring that was left at his home by the previous owner. Tyler Moody’s homemade computer. Hurry up and wait. That’s pretty much what some residents of Rhodes Lane have been doing for several years, according to Bonnie and Tyler Moody, a mother and son, who have been living at 16111 N. Rhodes Lane since March 2015. “We never thought there wouldn’t be Internet out there,” Bonnie said, noting that she and her husband, Thomas, purchased the home on a foreclosure sale in…

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