Governor Youngkin announced last week that Highland County was one of four communities in the state to receive a Virginia Brownfield Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF) grant. The $341,586 award will support the revitalization of the Highland Inn.

Located on Main Street in Monterey, the Highland Inn is part of Highland County’s economic development strategy to increase tourism through retreat conferences and cultural events. In 2021, Phase 1 of the revitalization effort successfully stabilized and restored the Inn’s exterior. Phase II will restore the Inn’s interior, completing the final step necessary to reopen the County’s only hotel.

The VBAF program assists local governments to redevelop brownfield sites in an effort to attract new economic development prospects. Brownfields are properties in which redevelopment is complicated by the presence of hazardous materials, pollution, or contaminants. The VBAF grant will fund the removal and remediation of lead paint from the historic Inn’s interior.

The CSPDC is making progress on the Lewis Street Transit Hub Rehabilitation project. The Lewis Street Hub is located at 240 N. Lewis Street in Downtown Staunton and currently serves the BRITE Bus transit system as a central hub and transfer location for multiple BRITE Bus routes. The lot is also used by the City of Staunton to provide free parking to downtown visitors. Lot conditions have deteriorated over time due to regular wear and tear from daily bus traffic. In March of 2022, the CSPDC was awarded a 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities Grant from the Federal Transit Administration to rehabilitate the lot. This competitive grant funding will allow the CSPDC to improve lot conditions, create a designated bus boarding area, and improve the overall experience of those using the lot for transit and parking needs.

In September of 2022, the CSPDC released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Engineering and Design services for this project. After reviewing and scoring all proposals based on qualifications, the CSPDC awarded the engineering and design contract to Kimley-Horn and Associates. A notice-to-proceed was issued in January. CSPDC and City of Staunton staff will meet with consultants from Kimley-Horn and Associates in March to officially kick-off the project.

Geotechnical engineers working with Kimley-Horn have begun surveying and conducting field assessments in preparation for the kick-off meeting.  CSPDC staff will meet with their consulting team at Kimley-Horn regularly over the coming months as engineering and design plans are developed. Once designs and site plans have been finalized and approved, Kimley-Horn will assist the CSPDC in preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for construction.

The engineering and design phase is anticipated to take approximately six months. CSPDC hopes to issue a contract for construction by late summer, with construction to begin soon after.

The Town of Mount Crawford, Rockingham County’s smallest and oldest originally chartered town, adopted a new Comprehensive Plan on March 13. The Plan identifies goals, strategies, and action items to address community growth, improve existing infrastructure and historic resources, advance the development of new community spaces and parks, and maintain fiscal responsibility.

CSPDC staff assisted the Town’s staff and Planning Commission with developing the Plan, and facilitated two phases of public engagement. The first public survey yielded over 100 responses in a Town of 439 people.

A Comprehensive Plan is a guidance document that defines a community’s vision over a 25-year period. The Plan is not regulatory, and is intended to inform future Town decision-making on key Town issues.

Farm2Fork Affair is a one-day connector event between Shenandoah Valley farmers, producers and commercial buyers throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The event provides Shenandoah Valley producers an opportunity to directly promote their products, network, and increase sales. Producers, farmers, makers, wineries and distilleries take time to talk with buyers, offer samples, and educate buyers about their products. Through this event, buyers can taste the flavor of the Shenandoah Valley, experience the region firsthand, create new supplier partnerships, and discover its significant impact on local food systems.

Farm2Fork is a collaborative effort of economic development agencies, tourism departments, business development organizations, and local food initiatives. The event has been held since 2015 and in 2019 expanded to draw on the Shenandoah Valley’s reputation as a farm-to-table hub. Buyers at the event include restaurants, universities, hospitals, retailers, grocers, distribution centers, and full-service hotels and B&B’s. This year’s Farm2Fork Affair will be held on March 14 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds.