Campbell County officials are proceeding with plans to build an $11 million, 100,000-square-foot industrial building in Rustburg, with a goal of having it ready for tenants in spring 2026.
The project includes clearing, grading and site preparation of more than 7.5 acres in the 71-acre Seneca Commerce Park on U.S. 29 near U.S. 460. Campbell County’s economic development department said in a news release Tuesday that the project is the largest it has taken on in more than a decade.
The county will use multiple funding sources, including some of the low-interest financing that was originally secured for a $25 million Brookville High School renovation but was freed up for other projects after the school system received a $15 million grant. Officials have received a $404,918 grant from the state tobacco commission and have applied for a $202,459 grant from the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that promotes economic development.
“The momentum of this project continues to build as we enter the procurement phase,” Nina Rezai, Campbell County’s director of economic development, said in the release. “For over a year, the Economic Development department has aggressively pursued grant funding to reduce the county’s share of the site development phase of the project and now we can put that funding to use.”
The Seneca Commerce Park’s current tenants are Shentel, a telecommunications provider; Ceramic Tubular Products, a composites manufacturer; and Pinnacle Trailer Sales, a tractor-trailer sales and service firm. The county also owns a 136-acre neighboring property.
Officials are currently seeking architectural and engineering companies to design the park’s new building and expect to begin advertising this fall for bids to develop the site.
“Site development and industrial projects like this are crucial as they serve as magnets for businesses looking to expand or relocate,” Megan Lucas, CEO and chief economic development officer at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, said in the release. “By providing ready-to-go facilities, we significantly reduce the lead time for companies to begin operations, making our region more attractive to site selectors and setting the stage for future economic growth and job creation.”
