At the regularly scheduled Southside Economic Development Committee meeting of the Virginia Tobacco Commission, several Halifax County agencies and one business cleared a major hurdle in their march toward funding.
The Southside Economic Development Committee recommended unanimous support for applications from the Halifax County Department of Tourism, the Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County and the Halifax County Service Authority. The Committee also recommended approval for the application by Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative that is region wide in scope, with committee member Connie Nyholm abstaining from the vote.
“This represents a huge step forward for Halifax County and our efforts to secure funding for these critical projects,” said Mike Sexton, IDA executive director. “Without the support of the Tobacco Commission staff and the vote of support by the committee, it would be impossible to move these projects from the idea phase to the planning phase and on to the completion phase.”
The Department of Tourism is seeking funds for building and land acquisition and building up-fit to establish a South Boston/Halifax County Visitor Center at the intersection of US Highways 360 and 58. The 12,000 square foot building, of which the front 4,000 square feet would be designated for the visitor center, is currently under negotiations for purchase. The project, supported by the Industrial Development Authorities of South Boston and Halifax County and with resolutions from both elected bodies, is the first visitors center to receive a recommendation of funding in the history of the Tobacco Commission and hailed as a model for possible future visitor center applications.
The IDA of Halifax County requested funds to purchase and rehabilitate the former Daystrom Furniture Plant and funds for the design and engineering of a 60,000 square foot industrial shell building in Riverstone Technology Park. The IDA has interest in the Daystrom building and has placed the property under contract. The 34 acre site, located on a rail line and served by water and sewer, will make available a publicly-owned building for attracting general manufacturing and distribution/warehousing companies.
The Riverstone shell building will be designed to provide for easy modification to meet needs of targeted industries – technical manufacturing, energy or data storage – with immediate expandability to 120,000 square feet.
The Halifax County Service Authority requested funds toward expansion of the Maple Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant and upgrades and improvements to the wastewater system and related facilities to improve operation efficiencies and address deficiencies and capacity needs for 20 year project flows. The Maple Avenue WWTP will be converted into a regional facility with estimated reserve capacity of 1.7 MGC at start-up. Forty-six percent of the existing capacity is already directed to commercial customers, and the expanded facility will reduce future limitations and allow economic growth across key targeted areas in the county.
In separate action the Committee recommended approval of a request by Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative for Economic Development funds that were budgeted in FY 11 ($2.5 million each in the Southwest and the Southside regions to continue broadband deployment following the retirement of the Commission’s Technology program). MBC requested support for three aspects of the project:
- continuation of 50/50 member matching grants program for capital investments for last-mile broadband service;
- construction of 12 towers to enhance viability of extending wireless broadband services and
- electronics and fiber to serve two critical economic development projects – the Microsoft facility at Boydton Plank Road GigaPark in Mecklenburg County and the installation of electronics to support the Goodyear Tire Research Center under development at the VIRginia International Raceway in Halifax County.
In total the Commission received 18 applications for unobligated FY2011 balances of Southside Economic Development grant funds by the published deadline of August 16, 2010. Two additional proposals were referred to the Committee during the FY2011 Special Project competition. Funds budgeted in FY2011 and local allocations carried forward from previous fiscal years are available. The full commission will meet in South Hill to consider all committee recommendations at their meeting on October 28, 2010.
