Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday announced $90 million in state grants to develop 21 business-ready building sites, including $22.2 million for the Commonwealth Crossing Business Park in Henry County.
The award was the second-biggest on the list, topped only by $25 million for a site in Chesterfield County. Youngkin has made developing business-ready building sites a priority. Last year, the Southern Virginia Mega Site in Pittsylvania County lost out to Georgia for a 8,100-job Hyundai electric vehicle battery factory because the Georgia site was closer to being ready for construction.
Other grants went to Alleghany County for the Alleghany Regional Commerce Center ($3.2 million), Pittsylvania County for the Southern Virginia Mega Site ($1.5 million), Wise County for the Lonesome Pine Business and Technology Park ($750,000), Roanoke County for Wood Haven ($504,000) and smaller amounts to Amherst County, Bedford County, Giles County, Lynchburg and Roanoke (see full list below).
“This grant is spectacular news for our community,” said Jim Adams, Chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors in a statement. “I’d like to thank the Governor, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, County staff and the team at the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation. We’ve had tremendous success attracting industries to Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre and the funds from this grant will help us build on that momentum.”
“These funds will allow us to grade an additional 93-acres on Lot #2 at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre, which will give us a 150-acre pad to market to industries,” said County Administrator Dale Wagoner in a statement. “This pad will make Henry County very appealing to economic development prospects. It’ll be the only site in Virginia more than 100-acres with rail access and all utilities in place.”
The full list of awards:
