Welcome back to Lynchburg Field Notes, a column that arrives in your inbox on Wednesdays with quick news updates from the past week and previews of what’s coming up next in the Hill City and surrounding communities.
In this edition, it’s out with the old and in with the new. An Appomattox developer began demolitions on a former garment factory to clear space for new workforce housing, Peaks View Park replaced old lighting systems with energy-efficient ones, and Framatome is piloting a new way to provide healthcare to employees.
Are there other new initiatives or developments you’re curious about in the Lynchburg region? Let me know at emma@cardinalnews.org.
Demolition of Appomattox factory underway to make room for housing
A developer broke ground — or walls, more precisely — on new townhomes Monday in the town of Appomattox.
A building that was once a garment factory is being demolished to make space for 34 units of workforce housing, said Michael Campbell, the town manager, at a redevelopment kickoff ceremony on Monday. The town was awarded a $400,000 grant from Virginia Housing to support the redevelopment of the former factory on Confederate Boulevard, which has been vacant for nearly 20 years, according to a December town news release.
The rental townhomes will be priced affordably around $900 to $1,200 per month, Campbell said.
Demolition of the factory should be complete by the end of the summer, Campbell said, and the first townhomes should be completed in about a year. The townhomes will be built a few units at a time, with the entire project lasting about two to four years, he added.
The town is partnering with developer Phillip Jamerson and Jamerson Real Estate to clear the site and build the townhomes.
“The transformation of this site represents a turning point for our community,” Campbell said in the news release. “For two decades, this property has been a symbol of stagnation. Through this partnership, it will become a source of stability, opportunity, and attainable housing for Appomattox residents.”
Framatome opens new health center for employees
Last week, Framatome opened its new health center, which is set to provide employees with easy access to primary and preventive healthcare under an affordable copay structure.
The Framatome Health Center is operated by Collaborative Health Partners and located at the Collaborative Healthplex on Graves Mill Road.
Lynchburg is the first Framatome location in North America to offer such healthcare to its employees and their dependents, said Kellea Hogan, vice president and chief human resources officer for Framatome.
“Getting the care that we need should be easy, affordable and close to home — so that’s our vision behind the Framatome Health Center,” Hogan said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the center on Aug. 5. “Supporting the health and well-being of our employees is one of the most important investments that we can make. When we invest in the health and well-being of our people, we strengthen our future.”
The nuclear products and services company has about 2,000 employees in the Lynchburg region, Hogan said, and that number continues to grow. The company made a commitment to create 500 jobs over a five-year span — and three years into that goal, 360 employees have already been added, Hogan said.
The health center is a benefit that should help attract more employees to the Lynchburg region, Hogan said. Current employees have cited access to primary healthcare as a challenge of relocating to the area, she said, and Framatome wanted to “envision something different” to make finding a doctor easy.
New systems light up Peaks View Park
A central athletic complex in Lynchburg just got a lighting upgrade, according to a city news release.
Many of the old lighting systems at Peaks View Park had been in place for more than 40 years, and the recent improvements are set to “significantly enhance the experience for athletes and visitors while supporting sustainable infrastructure investments,” according to the news release.
The new LED systems are in place at the park’s softball fields, tennis courts and basketball court.
The modern tech enhances visibility for players while decreasing glare for spectators and light pollution for neighbors. The new systems allow facilities to reduce energy consumption by more than 50%, with some facilities reducing usage by up to 80%, according to the news release. And they’re equipped with a control system that allows staff to remotely schedule and operate the lights, further aiding efficiency.
A map and guide to Peaks View Park is available on the city’s website for residents who want to check out the improvements before the summer wraps up.
