Photo courtesy Dominion Energy
New Kent County
PROJECT: Solar-power farm
A 20-megawatt solar-power farm opened in late 2017 on 300 acres at New Kent Highway and Mount Nebo Road. The facility features 67,000 panels and will generate enough power to meet the needs of 5,000 homes at peak use. The farm was acquired in November 2016 by Dominion Energy from Correctional Solar, a subsidiary of Virginia Solar. The acquisition was part of Dominion’s power purchase agreements with Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud computing operation, according to a Dominion release.
Size/Scale: 20-megawatt solar power farm on 300 acres
Type: New construction
Completion Date: Late 2017
Cost: Unavailable
Chesterfield County
PROJECT: Niagara Bottling
This family-owned, California-based business opened a plant in Meadowville Technology Park next to the Amazon distribution center in 2017 that employs more than 100. The 557,000-square-foot bottled-water facility has contracted with Chesterfield County for its water.
Size/Scale: 557,000 square feet
Type: New construction
Completion Date: March 2017
Cost: $100 million
Image courtesy Sheltering Arms
Goochland County
PROJECT: Sheltering Arms Rehab Institute
Groundbreaking was held in the West Creek Medical Park in fall 2017 for this 114-bed rehabilitation facility set to open in fall 2020. The inpatient facility will have a 25-acre, park-like campus. “We looked at many different areas for [the hospital] with VCU Health,” says Stephanie Sulmer, a marketing representative for Sheltering Arms. “We wanted a location that had a lot of natural green space. That kind of holistic environment helps patients to a great degree.”
Size/Scale: 114-bed, inpatient rehabilitation hospital
Type: New construction
Completion Date: Fall 2020
Cost: $119 million
Photo courtesy Fine Creek Brewing
Powhatan County
PROJECT: Fine Creek Brewing
The wedding and event venue The Mill at Fine Creek in Powhatan has been expanded to include 13 cottages, ranging in size from 500 to 1,330 square feet, and a brewery, Fine Creek Brewing. The Mill portion is exclusive for wedding guests, but the cottages are available to be rented by anyone. The 3,500-square-foot brewery serves beers brewed on site and offers a menu with seasonal items and changes weekly.
“We’re different from other breweries in that we set ourselves up as a destination, and we want people to feel like they can meet their friends and family and spend hours just relaxing and enjoying some limited-release, hand-crafted beers with some outstanding house-made, seasonal food to go with it,” says owner Mark Benusa. The company has added approximately 20 employees since the expansion to bring its workforce to 55.
Size/Scale: 5-acre lot with three guest cottages and a brewery, 20 new employees
Type: Expansion
Completion Date: 2017
Cost: Unavailable
Image courtesy NOVI
Charles City County
PROJECT: C4GT Gas-Fired Electric Plant
With management from the Michigan-based energy company NOVI, the independent power producer C4GT wants to build a 1,100-megawatt, natural-gas-fired power plant on 88 acres off Roxbury Road in Charles City County. The facility will be operated as an independent merchant power plant, selling its power generation wholesale on the electric market in Virginia and adjoining states, according to the State Corporation Commission, which in June 2017 approved a certificate of convenience and public necessity for the plant. “Developing the new C4GT merchant power plant in Charles City County means new jobs and additional revenue for our community, as well as many other new opportunities for Charles City and surrounding areas,” says Michelle Johnson, Charles City County administrator.
Size/Scale: 1,100 megawatt power plant on 88 acres off Roxbury Road
Type: New construction
Completion Date: Ongoing
Cost: Unavailable
Photo courtesy Pryor Technology
Hanover County
PROJECT: Pryor Technology Inc.
Pryor Technology has opened an office in Hanover County. The Ashland facility for the United Kingdom-based business will employ 10. Pryor is known for its manufacturing and designs in computers and electronics. “The Pryor Group has been selling its products in the U.S. for over 40 years but has now taken the significant step of opening its own subsidiary there for the first time,” says Alistair Morris, vice president of Pryor Technology. “Hanover was chosen as an excellent base for our operations, strategically located close to a seaport and well connected to the national road network, while also offering high quality, good value premises and access to a skilled workforce in the greater Richmond area.”
Size/Scale: 5,000 square feet
Type: New construction
Completion Date: 2017
Cost: Unavailable
Image courtesy Panattoni Development Co. Inc.
City of Richmond
PROJECT: Panattoni Development Co. Inc.
The California-based Panattoni Development Co. is aiming for a summer 2018 opening for its 833,400-square-foot facility on 62 acres across from the Richmond Marine Terminal on Commerce Road. Panattoni specializes in warehouse real estate and management. The deal also involves West Coast real estate firm Pacific Coast Capital Partners. Matt Anderson, a broker with CBRE | Richmond, which represented Panattoni, says the project was a practical choice for the companies based on location. “Over the last five years, Richmond has seen steady demand for distribution centers ranging from 200,000 square feet to over 1 million square feet,” Anderson says in an email. “With the vacancy as low as it is and the demand as healthy as it is, there is a real need for a development like this.” The company purchased the site in August 2017 from Philip Morris.
Size/Scale: 833,400 million square feet
Type: New construction
Completion Date: July 2018
Cost: $3.98 million
Illustration by Rachel Lee
Henrico County
PROJECT: Dominion Packaging
As a part of a new contract with Anheuser-Busch, Dominion Packaging expanded its operations and facility in Henrico County. Built in 2014, the $45 million facility received a $25.1 million expansion in late 2017. The facility increased its workforce from 280to 340 with the expansion.
Size/Scale: 317,000 square feet
Type: Expansion
Completion Date: Late 2017
Cost: $25.1 million
Economic Development Contacts
Charles City County Rachel Chieppa, director of planning. 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, 804-652-4707.
Chesterfield County Garrett Hart, director of economic development. 9401 Courthouse Road, Suite B, Chesterfield, 804-318-8550.
City of Richmond Lee Downey, director of economic and community development. 1500 E. Main St., Suite 400, Richmond, 804-646-5633.
Goochland County Matthew Ryan, director of economic development. 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Suite 280, Goochland, 804-556-5862.
Hanover County E. Linwood Thomas IV, director of economic development. 8200 Center Path Lane, Suite E, Mechanicsville,804-365-6464.
Henrico County Gary McLaren, executive director, Henrico County Economic Development Authority. 4300 E. Parham Road, Henrico, 804-501-7654.
New Kent County Rodney Hathaway, county administrator. 7324 Vineyards Parkway, New Kent, 804-966-9629.
Powhatan County March Altman, director of community development and economic development. 3834 Old Buckingham Road, Suite A, Powhatan, 804-598-5605.
Greater Richmond Partnership Inc. Barry Matherly, president and chief executive officer. 901 E. Byrd St., Suite 801, West Tower, Richmond, 804-643-3227.
