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 Old Dominion Power’s rate increase request, Orvis relocating in Roanoke, new rules for job postings and more.
Please send news tips to matt@cardinalnews.org or connect with me on LinkedIn and message me there.
How to comment on Columbia Gas’ rate increase request
Want to share your thoughts about Columbia Gas of Virginia’s proposed two-part rate increase?
The natural gas utility serves 293,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 98 cities, towns and counties throughout Virginia, including in the Lynchburg region, Southside, and Alleghany and Giles counties.
Columbia Gas wants approval to raise the average residential customer’s monthly bill by $10.81, or 11%, for natural gas service rendered on or after Oct. 4 of this year and another $3.03, or 3%, for service rendered on or after Oct. 4, 2027.
The company says an average residential customer uses 5.1 dekatherms of gas per month. The average residential monthly bill today is $97.28 and would rise to $111.12 under the company’s proposal.
Virginia’s State Corporation Commission will hold a public hearing at 10 a.m. Dec. 15. Members of the public who wish to speak during it should either sign up by Dec. 9 with the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s online form, referring to case PUR-2026-00014, or call the SCC at 804-371-9141. The hearing will be webcast.
The SCC will also accept comments through its website or by mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, VA 23218-2118. Comments should refer to case PUR-2026-00014.
The company filed for the increase in non-gas revenues in May. It said it seeks to earn $64.3 million more during the year beginning Oct. 1 and $14.6 million during the following year to pay for ongoing capital investments in pipeline and facility safety and modernization and to handle an increased demand for natural gas.
Columbia Gas finishes Covington facility
In other Columbia Gas news, the utility has completed the construction of its new Covington facility, which will accommodate about a dozen employees and serve as a warehouse and storage space.
The building is a satellite office of the natural gas utility’s Buena Vista Operations Center.
The company has about 2,100 customers in the Alleghany County area. In February, the company announced a new round of infrastructure upgrade work in Covington that’s expected to be complete in March.
“This new building reflects our company’s dedication to growth and investment in Covington and nearby localities, as well as our ongoing, strong partnership with city leaders and other local leaders,” Columbia Gas of Virginia President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Montague said in a news release.
Ringana property sale tops $9 million
The Roanoke industrial property that will become the U.S. headquarters of Ringana, an Austrian cosmetics manufacturer, sold for $9.075 million, according to Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group.
The sale of the approximately 147,000-square-foot building on 30 acres at 2797 Frontage Road N.W. closed on June 22 after a nearly 10-month process. It marks “one of the region’s most important industrial transactions,” according to Poe & Cronk.
“This transaction demonstrates the continued demand for well-positioned industrial properties in Southwest Virginia,” Jacob Quesinberry, the senior vice president and partner with Poe & Cronk who handled the sale, said in an announcement.
The buyer was Ringana Real Estate LLC. Officials announced on June 12 that Ringana would invest $85 million there over five years, creating 435 jobs and establishing its American distribution, manufacturing and research hub.
Are you a commercial/industrial real estate broker with a recent notable sale to share? Send your tips my way: matt@cardinalnews.org.
Botetourt supervisors OK grocery store
Botetourt County supervisors have approved permits needed for a 51,000-square-foot grocery store and drive-thru pharmacy at the Daleville Town Center. Public documents do not name the store.
Documents say that the 5.9-acre site is one of the last undeveloped properties in the Daleville Town Center, which is a “traditional neighborhood development” that mixes residential and commercial uses.
“A grocery store use on this parcel was included in the original Daleville Town Center master plan nearly two decades ago,” the county said in a social media post. “The Board’s approval allows the project to proceed through the next stages of the development process.”
The county has said that a traffic analysis recommended several improvements, including a traffic signal at the intersection of Roanoke Road and Glebe Road, near where the store would be located. The store would be of a similar size to others in Botetourt, according to a report prepared for the county.
Bookstore opens in Collinsville
A new independent bookstore, Chapter & Hearth, opened June 19 in the Collinsville Plaza at 3408 Virginia Ave. in Collinsville.
Owner Ed Williams says the Henry County store sells new, used, out-of-print and rare books alongside puzzles, greeting cards and gifts.
“We aimed to create a welcoming and warm environment where individuals can take their time, browse without feeling rushed, and leave feeling inspired,” Williams said in an email.
Hours and more info are on the store’s website or Facebook page.
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.
