For Immediate Release: March 18, 2021
Contacts:
Jay Langston, PhD
Executive Director, Shenandoah Valley Partnership
JLangston@theShenandoahValley.com
540.568.3259
Ashley Shickle
Program Coordinator, GO Virginia Region 8
Coordinator@GOVirginiaRegion8.org
540.209.5107
SHENANDOAH VALLEY – The Virginia Initiative for Growth & Opportunity (GO Virginia) Board awarded the Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP) $821,000 to improve six sites in GO Virginia Region 8 totaling 1,112 acres.
The work to be performed will include Phase I environmental reviews, wetlands surveys, Geotechnical Subsurface evaluation, and characterization of each site for the Virginia Business Ready Sites Tier program. Four of the sites (446 acres) will be elevated to a Tier 4, receiving a Virginia Business Ready Site certification meaning is it ready for new and expanding businesses and the remaining two will be elevated to a Tier 3 level.
“Receiving this GO Virginia grant is critical for improving the inventory of sites in the Shenandoah Valley region. It enhances our available product portfolio for business development and site selection,” said Jay A. Langston, SVP Executive Director.
The sites proposed for this Program are those that were identified in the region that have the greatest return on investment made possible by both the public and private sector investments and commitments to the market. Partners included Augusta County, Frederick County, Rockingham County, Shenandoah County and Warren County. The total budget for the Site Enhancement Program is $1,916,359 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.
“I am excited to see this transformative project get underway in the Shenandoah Valley. These six sites are our highest priority for private sector investment, and I’m glad the State supported the GO Virginia Region 8 Council in recognizing the significant collaboration throughout the Valley, including those outside of the SVP footprint,” said Chris Kyle, SVP Chair and Region 8 Chair.
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GO Virginia is an economic development initiative to foster private-sector growth and job creation through state incentives for regional collaboration by business, education, and government. Region 8 consists of the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, Winchester; and the counties of Augusta, Bath, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren.