Loudoun County developments to watch in 2014

Loudoun County

“In the second part of a two-part series, the Times-Mirror looks at the mixed-use developments of Dulles Town Center, Loudoun Station, Moorefield Station and Village at Leesburg. Designed as urban walkable environments, these developments have aspects of commercial, residential, and retail real estate in one location.”

~Writes Ben Hancock of the Loudoun Times

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VSU Unveils New-Look Chesterfield Avenue

Chesterfield County

“Virginia State University has formally unveiled its first project aimed at transforming a long-depressed commercial corridor at the county’s southeast corner, and the Planning Commission has given the plan its immediate support. A company owned by the university’s real estate foundation, VSU Trojan Development, is proposing to build a four-story building almost a full block long on the east side of Chesterfield Avenue in Ettrick.

The project would be totally unlike anything that the quiet former mill village has previously seen on its main commercial street, which currently is lined by old houses and a scattering of storefronts, many of which are vacant. Robert Turner, the university’s top economic development official, said the plan presented to the commission last week was the result of a year-and-a-half of work between university and county officials.”

~Writes Michael Buettner of the Chesterfield Observer

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Owner of Flying Mouse Brewery in Daleville pulls rezoning request

Botetourt County

“DALEVILLE — The owner of Flying Mouse Brewery on Thursday withdrew a rezoning request hours before the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors planned to vote on whether to accept a new round of proffers. Frank Moeller can resubmit his application after waiting 90 days, a process that upsets at least one of his neighbors. An unidentified woman spoke out from the audience that she was seeking the finality that a “no” vote by the supervisors would have brought.

The craft brewery is on 15 acres off Valley Road near Daleville on the former Architectural Concrete Products property. Most of it is zoned industrial, but a 6-acre piece that runs behind the building and into the woods is zoned agricultural, though Moeller has said artifacts left by the previous owner suggest it was commandeered for industrial purposes.”

~Writes Luanne Rife of the Roanoke Times

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Decision on Beleaguered Alwington Development Could Come Soon

Fauquier County

“A Warrenton-area residential developer's land use lawsuit against Fauquier County is still up in the air— for now. After an hour-and-a-half demurrer hearing Monday morning, Fauquier County Circuit Court judge Jeffrey Parker said he would issue an opinion on the matter in four of the five counts brought forth by The Alwington Farms Developers LLC. Parker said he would like to issue that opinion by the end of the year.

A demurrer hearing asks a judge to consider if there is a legally sufficient claim for a lawsuit to continue. The end result of Monday's legal proceedings means that four of the counts can still go to trial at a yet-to-be-determined date.”

~Writes Kipp Hanley of Fauquier.com

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Hotel, Restaurant Proposed For Golf Course

City of Buena Vista

“A Courtyard by Marriott and restaurant are being proposed for a site adjacent to The Vista Links golf course in Buena Vista. If it happens, it would be the first commercial development associated with the municipal golf course and could go a long way toward helping the city pay down the debt on the golf course.

In another sign that the economy may be turning around in Buena Vista, Southern Virginia University is embarking on a dormitory building spree. Several homes on Seminary Hill have been razed in recent weeks to make way for the dormitories, the first of which is to be under construction shortly after the first of the year.”

~Writes Ed Smith of the News-Gazette

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Commission Postpones Action on Dahlgren Rezoning Request

King George County

“The King George Planning Commission was last week persuaded by objections from four people to postpone action on making a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding a rezoning request in Dahlgren on 6.75 acres abutting US 301 (James Madison Pkwy). Planning Commissioner Bill Robie’s motion at the Dec. 10 meeting to postpone action unanimously passed following a public hearing on the case and discussion by the members of the Planning Commission.

The case could be back at the commission’s meeting on Jan. 14 or the following month in February. JPI Walnut Hill LLC represented by Jay Jarrell is requesting to rezone from Rural Agricultural (A-2) to General Trade (C-2) with proffers a small portion of a 128.95-acre parcel, identified as Tax Map 9 Parcel 34. The property location is on the west side of US 301 about .2 miles south of the intersection with Danube Drive (Route 1101).”

~Writes Phyllis Cook of the Journal

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Land Agreement OK’d

City of Suffolk

“A couple of big steps forward in the development of land on North Suffolk’s College Drive have taken place recently, including clearing the way for a variety of uses on the site. A land use agreement for about 444 acres owned by the city’s Economic Development Authority and the Tidewater Community College Real Estate Foundation contains language that restricts its development to defense uses supporting U.S. Joint Forces Command. Since that command no longer exists, and other changes have taken place in economic conditions in the region, more flexibility was needed, city Economic Development Director Kevin Hughes said.”

~Writes Tracy Agnew of the Suffolk News-Herald

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Martinsville's Henry Hotel gets $600,000 from State for Revitalization Project

City of Martinsville

“City leaders wanted the old Henry Hotel building to continue to serve Martinsville, but needed extra money to make it ready for builders. Local schools recognized by Virginia Board of Education

This week the governor announced a 600 thousand dollar state grant to help fix up the old Henry Hotel.

About six years ago the city bought the building for nearly a half-million dollars. The project was put on hold while city leaders looked for grants and a redevelopment firm that agreed to do the remodeling.  City leaders chose a firm from Petersburg, Virginia that plans to convert it to an apartment building.”

~Reports Justin Ward of WDBJ 7

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Council Approves Fast-Food Eatery

City of Fredericksburg

“Fredericksburg City Council on Tuesday approved construction of a Burger King restaurant as part of the Cowan Crossings development that backs to the Westwood subdivision. The approval of a special use permit by a 4–3 vote includes conditions that must be met after several residents expressed concern about fumes from the restaurant’s charbroiled food. The council discussed the issue for nearly an hour and voted on a proposal by Councilman Brad Ellis to restrict the hours by requiring a 10 p.m. closure. That motion failed after only Ellis and Councilwoman Kerry Devine supported it.”

~Writes Pamela Gould of the Free Lance-Star

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Development Near Route 28 Metro Station Advances

Fairfax County

“The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors signed off on two measures Tuesday that aim to usher in new development around the planned Innovation Center Metro station. The station is located near the interchange of Va. 28 and the Dulles Toll Road. A new rail station is planned there as part of the second phase of the Silver Line construction.

The board approved a rezoning on the south side of the station that will allow construction of a six-story apartment building within walking distance of the new station. The building will have more than 400 apartments, along with about 10,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage.”

~Writes Kali Schumitz with the Fairfax Times

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Mechanicsville Movie Theater Proposal Withdrawn

Hanover County

“A proposal for a 12-screen movie theater in Mechanicsville was withdrawn on Monday, though the proposal might be brought back later. The proposed cinema had been the most promising prospect in decades for what would have been Hanover County’s only first-run movie theater. The developer’s pullout comes amid county officials’ lingering questions about how it would affect traffic. Supervisors were reluctant to defer a public hearing on the proposal, scheduled for Dec. 11, considering there have already been three deferrals.”

~Writes Brandon Shulleeta of the Richmond Times Dispatch

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Projected Subsidies Needed for Aquatics Center

Arlington County

“Arlington taxpayers could be on the hook for significantly higher annual subsidies for the planned Long Bridge Park aquatics center and fitness facility, based on new projections from the county government. What had been an expected annual operating deficit of $1 million to $1.3 million has now ballooned to more than $4 million, according to projections included in County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s updated budget forecast. Factoring in the cost of paying off debt to build the facility, taxpayers could be spending upward of $10 million a year over the next decade even if they never set foot in the Crystal City complex.

Critics were quick to pounce on the new figures.”

~Writes Scott McCaffrey of the Sun Gazette

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Potomac Nationals Stadium Closer to Being Built

Prince William County

“Prince William County’s minor league baseball team is getting closer to a deal to bring a new ballpark to Woodbridge, its owner told the Board of County Supervisors recently. Potomac Nationals’ owner Art Silber also said the stadium’s financing and other details must be finalized next year for the team to stay in Prince William.

In July, Silber and state and local officials announced a deal for a $25 million, 6,000-seat ballpark as part of Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. The proposal would expand Stonebridge, which is anchored by a Wegmans grocery store. Officials hope the $70 million public-private partnership will serve as a commuter hub and major retail and housing development just off Interstate 95.”

~Writes Jeremy Borden of the Washington Post

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New Northside Library Passes Design Review

Albemarle County

“Plans for a new library on West Rio Road received the conditional approval of the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board on Monday. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library elected to renovate the former warehouse for an expanded Northside Library. In April, supervisors authorized $3 million to buy the building.”

~Writes Sean Tubbs of Charlottesville Tomorrow

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Talking Turkey on Mixed Use Developments

City of Falls Church

“It was only supposed to be a quick update to the big project proposed for the busy corner of Broad and West. But Times readers took it and ran with it, posting 39 comments as of this writing, showing that the project has inspired a very high and intense level of interest and concern.

The comment thread has focused on some of the usual issues — concerns about traffic and congestion, as well as the impacts on the City’s small schools. Yet commenters also have gone beyond that, and expressed a fear of loss — a loss of some favorite businesses, yes, but also a loss of the virtues of smallness.”

~Writes Stephen Siegel of the Falls Church Times

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