Hello Cardinal News readers. Welcome back to Cardinal Commerce Notes, our regular feature catching you up on various recent business news items.
If you missed last week’s edition, check it out here to learn more about a new restaurant operator for Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a Roanoke law firm expanding and more.
I’m always on the lookout for news tips. Please email me at matt@cardinalnews.org or connect with me on LinkedIn and message me there.
Transformer factory opens in Wytheville
JST Power Equipment has opened a transformer manufacturing facility in Wytheville, making it official with a May 19 ribbon-cutting.
The company anticipates initially employing 25 to 30 manufacturing professionals and 10 to 20 office and engineering staff, with more coming as production ramps up in the years to come, according to a news release.
The factory in Wytheville’s Fairview Industrial Park spans 45,000 square feet across two buildings. It is the 11th location for the Lake Mary, Florida-based company.
Transformers are a key part of the electrical grid, used to increase or decrease voltage as power moves from an electricity-generating plant to residential or commercial destinations, such as homes, data centers or hospitals.
“With demand for reliable power infrastructure accelerating due to electrification, grid modernization, and renewable integration, JST believes the Wytheville facility will play a critical role in helping customers deliver more resilient, efficient, and sustainable energy systems,” according to the news release.
Lynchburg upgrades GIS site
The city of Lynchburg has upgraded Parcel Viewer, its online geographic information system application.
The site is now faster, with voice search, an accessible PDF output for property reports, integrated Google Maps access and other features, according to a May 19 city news release.
GIS applications can be used to look up property assessments, changes in ownership, school zones, tax records and more.
The city said that although Parcel Viewer was upgraded in August, further updates were needed to meet upcoming federal requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Both the old and new Parcel Viewers will be available for a month. Users are asked to test the updated site and share feedback from within the application by emailing GISParcelViewerFeedback@lynchburgva.gov or by calling 434-455-3961.
Campbell County organizations to get $1M+ for projects
More than $1 million in grants from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission are headed to Campbell County to support agriculture, business development and tourism.
“The awards reflect Campbell County’s ongoing commitment to growing its economy, strengthening its agricultural sector and supporting community assets,” the county’s office of economic development said in a news release.
The grants were awarded at the tobacco commission’s May 12 meeting. The state commission invests in tobacco-dependent communities to help them diversify their economies.
- The Campbell County Training School Complex will get $400,000 for grounds and parking renovations to help convert its historic campus into a “vibrant, multi-purpose economic development asset,” according to the release. The complex has four circa-1920s buildings and is one of Virginia’s original 16 Rosenwald schools, which were designed to provide education to Black students during segregation.
- The Virginia Technical Institute will get $400,000 to renovate 30,000 square feet in the building to establish a small business manufacturing incubator. VTI, in Altavista, supports Liberty University’s Technical Studies program and small businesses by offering space rental, warehousing and training.
- The town of Brookneal will get $275,000 to support developing a location along the Staunton River into an outdoor tourism destination. The money will be used to prepare the property and install 12 RV sites with water, sewer and electrical hookups.
- Campbell County will receive $3,583 to launch six workshops to build business skills for local farm operators. The program is slated to start this fall.
That’s a wrap for this week. Do you know of a new business expanding or relocating in your town? Excited about a restaurant opening up soon? Maybe you’ve got an update on a story we’ve reported before. Please send me your tips and suggestions: matt@cardinalnews.org or connect with me on LinkedIn.
