Development

Defending the Shoosmith name: Grandson of Chester couple talks about his grandfather, love for the land

By Caleb M Soptelean on May 29, 2018 Community, Development

Jack T. Shoosmith II was named after his grandfather. Shoosmith, 29, remembers his “Poppa” as someone who worked “extremely hard,” drove a logging truck, welded and then drove a bulldozer. A project manager for a local construction company, Shoosmith said his grandparents grew up poor in Chester. “When they got married, there was no running water in their house,” said Jack, the oldest grandson of Jack and Nina Shoosmith. “Grandpa dropped out of high school and went to work for his two older brothers [Dick and Etzel],” Jack said. “He was driving a logging truck at age 14.” The brothers…

Route 10 widening project to include gas line relocation

By Press release on May 8, 2018 Development

A Route 10 widening project slated to run from May through mid-October will include relocation of some natural gas lines. A press release from Columbia Gas notes that the widening will run east of Interstate 95 from Bermuda Triangle Road to Meadowville Road. Columbia Gas work crews will be on site between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In some instances, overnight work may be conducted to minimize traffic impacts. The utility company plans to install 17,000 feet of new natural gas lines along both sides of Route 10 in the right-of-way.

Facelift coming to Chester campus of John Tyler Community College

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 24, 2018 Development

A $34 million renovation and expansion is coming to John Tyler Community College’s Chester campus. Construction is scheduled to begin in early June with a target completion date of August 2019. Plans started in 2015, said Greg Dunaway, director of facilities and safety for the college. The Nicholas Center will be renovated and expanded from 26,000 square feet to 50,500 square feet, while the Bird Hall classroom building will be renovated. Holly Walker, the college’s public relations manager, said an emphasis on preparing students for high-tech jobs is driving the expansion. The focus is on health sciences along with manufacturing…

A little something for all of us

By Mark Fausz on January 31, 2018 Community, Development

Industrial development Willis Road, with easy access from Interstate 95, has been welcoming industrial business for many years. Plans have been submitted to Chesterfield County planning calling for an additional 200,000 square feet of warehouse space on Willis Road. A developer from Hampton Roads has a plan in the works to add another Virginia Beach-based According to county records, “Armada Hoffler Inc. submitted plans last week to Chesterfield County to construct a distribution warehouse at 1608 Willis Road.” The Economic Development Authority names its big projects with a code name, and this project is no different. Called “Project River City,”…

It’s like deja vu all over again for some Stoney Glen residents

By Danielle Ozbat on September 27, 2017 Development, Economic Development

Last month, the Economic Development Authority of Chesterfield announced its acquisition of 1,675 acres in south Chester (originally meant for residential use), which will be used to attract a large industrial manufacturing company that could bring 5,000 to 10,000 jobs and billions of dollars in investments to the county. Local residents, however, have been bristling at the construction of the proposed development and making their voices heard online and at the first of four open houses held to discuss the mega site. Robert Latino has been a resident of the Stoney Glen subdivision for 25 years and said the county…

A townhome project proposed for Lee Street in Chester sits on property that has been in a family that has been a part of the little town that has grown into the suburbs with developments sprouting like weeds around it.b,

New Town Home Proposed

By Mark Fausz on May 26, 2017 Community, Development, Planning & Zoning

Barney McLaughlin, has proposed a 16-unit townhome development that would be located at 4513 Lee Street and is currently owned by William “Bill” Graves. McLaughlin plans to build 17 units, which will be for sale. He says maintenance and landscaping will be part of a maintenance fee that homeowners would pay to keep their homes looking new and fresh into the future. It is always a concern that these types of units can be sold in the future and that the next owner may not pay attention to the unit as the original buyer did. McLaughlin said that it is…

Community meeting set to share draft of Northern Jefferson Davis Special Area Plan

By Press release on May 11, 2017 Chesterfield Government, Development, Events, Planning & Zoning

The Chesterfield County Planning Department will host a meeting May 10, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., for citizens to learn about the Northern Jefferson Davis Special Area Plan and comment on the draft of the plan. The workshop-style meeting, to be held at the Bensley Community Building, 2900 Drewry’s Bluff Road, will offer stations on major parts of the plan. Area residents are invited to learn more about the plan and offer their thoughts. County planners will be on hand to answer questions. The special area plan covers the stretch of land along U.S. Route 1, between the James River…

MOORES LAKE PROJECT GIVES JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY ANOTHER BEAUTY MARK

By Mark Fausz on March 14, 2017 Community, Development, Housing, Uncategorized

It’s been almost 10 years since the Americana Mobile Home Park’s last resident pulled up stakes to find a new home in another park of the county. A developer was to build a shopping center and apartments there. After much talk, and applications, made at the Chesterfield planning office and publishing elevations and site plans, the owners Trollingwood Land LLC have owned the property for 20 years and now George Emerson and Phil Roper are ready to close on the 66-acre tract. Initially the development will consist of 385 urban style apartments units in three buildings along the west side…

Lowered cash proffers could mean more building or souped up amenities

By Mark Fausz on January 6, 2017 Development, Uncategorized

Home, condominium and apartment builders have been fussing about cash proffers, (a fee added to each living unit to cover county infrastructure costs such as transportation, parks, schools, libraries and public safety.) Now the cash proffers have been cut in half. Until July 2016 the cash proffer greenbacks stacked to a maximum of $18,966 per dwelling. The roll of dough now that a builder now needs to offer Chesterfield is $9,400 maximum. The Richmond Times Dispatch quoted Bermuda District Supervisor Dorothy A. Jaeckle as saying the new policy was overdue and brings more fairness to the process. “We’re going to…

OCTOBER – Year in Review

By VN Staff on December 28, 2016 Development, Uncategorized

MEGA PROJECT MOVES AHEAD IN CHESTERFIELD Tranlin Inc. announced recently it has awarded a contract to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. to design the site work for possibly the largest business in Chesterfield. The award was issued to further develop VASTLY’s (Shandong Tranlin Paper Co. Ltd.) greenfield construction mega-project in Chesterfield County. CASH PROFFERS REDUCED In a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield County will reduce the maximum cash proffer fee from $18,966 per dwelling to $9,400. The board voted on the issue last Wednesday on the recommendation by the newly appointed county administrator, Joseph Casey. This is the…

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