Home
Syndicate content

community development

Prince William Population to top 400,000 in 2010

According to Prince William county's demographer, fourth quarter 2009 statistics indicate that the county will surpass 400,000 residents this year. The county is the third most populous region in Virginia, behind Fairfax and Loudoun.  The areas likely to see the most growth are Linton Hall, Montclair, Bull Run, and Gainesville. In addition, the numbers of those living in Prince William who were born outside of the United States has grown by double-digit percentages. A 2008 American Community Survey "indicated that 20 percent of Prince William County's population was foreign born in 2008, compared to 6.2 percent in 1990."

 

Read the full Inside Nova story...

Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 6:15pm

Officials Break Ground on Western State in Staunton

The groundbreaking ceremony for Western State Hospital was recently held, according to The News Leader.

The new mental health facility will bring new jobs to the area and boost the local economy.

Homeowners can appreciate this type of growth that will draw more professionals into the area.

"Mirroring reforms in the field of mental health, Western State Hospital will once again get a major overhaul.

State and local officials, including Gov. Tim Kaine, were on hand Tuesday morning for the official groundbreaking ceremony for a $125 million replacement hospital. The new 246-bed hospital will be constructed on a 66-acre site adjacent to the existing facility and is scheduled to open by spring 2013.

'It represents a real step forward in the way mental health issues are addressed and mental health is treated in Virginia,' Kaine said. 'This new facility really matches up with the right way to deal with mental health issues.'

The hospital, which opened in 1950, was built to house 1,800 patients and served more than 3,000 patients at its peak usage during the 1960s. Jack Barber, director of Western State Hospital, however, said recent changes to mental health care have made long-term hospitalization far less necessary."

Read the full story.

Posted on Thursday, December 3, 2009 - 11:43pm

Danville Approves Animal Chaining Ordinance

According to GoDanRiver.com, Danville City Council approve an ordinance that will limit the amount of time a pet can be chained outside, which pets can not be chained oustide, and the proper collars, halters or harnesess required.

The ordinance will go into effect on July 1, 2010.

"Danville City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that will strictly limit the amount of time a pet can be chained outside, effective July 1, 2010.

Chaining will be banned altogether for sick or injured animals, animals under four months of age or when the outside temperature reaches — or falls below — freezing.

When chained outside, animals must have proper collars, halters or harnesses, and it cannot be tethered to a fixed point — the animal will have to be chained to a runner or swivel that will allow it greater movement.

Animals can also be kept in dog lots, or kennels."

Read the full story.

Posted on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 - 3:42pm

Local Government Program Helps Families Escape Grip of Poverty

Two programs in Bristol and Abingdon are helping families escape poverty, according to the Bristol Herald Courier.

The efforts of Find a Way and People Inc. are helping to change the lives of families who want to move-up.

The work these programs are doing helps everyone in the region because as more families are able to escape the grips of poverty, the stronger and safer communities become. Homeowners can appreciate this type of work that adds great value to their community.

"Find a Way is a program of the Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority that assists public housing residents who want to move out and move up. With 35 families now enrolled, the program stresses goal-setting, employment and life-skills training.

People Incorporated, based in Abingdon, Va., provides a similar service: a Transitional Housing Program that requires participants to work or pursue education while living in assisted housing and progressing toward a stable living situation. The program has 22 families and 69 individuals enrolled.

'I absolutely believe that individuals can come from impoverished situations and limited educational skills and be able to come and use our resources' and improve their lives, said Ginger Henderson, transitional housing coordinator for People Inc.

Using financial support and grants from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, both programs work with a small number of the 62,000-plus Southwest Virginia residents who receive government assistance, mostly in the form of food stamps.

The two programs serve a region where the number of people living at poverty levels or below ranges from 15.7 percent in Washington County to 20.3 percent in Wise County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Henderson said the first step to moving those residents from welfare to self-sufficiency is helping them recognize the difference between wants and needs.

There’s a long waiting line for the nonprofit agency’s program, she said, including 104 families and 322 individuals, but all of its clients have found employment within two to three weeks of enrolling.

And last year, People Inc. reports, 75 percent of its clients were able to reduce their debt and meet savings goals.

'What we want to see is the client transition from the program to a stable living environment,' said Bryan Phipps, People Inc.’s vice president for development.

David Baldwin, executive director of the Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority, said his agency’s program and others like it, including People Inc., are based on one critical belief.

'There are a lot of folks who have been in difficult circumstances for a lot of their life that just don’t feel like they have the energy and the willpower to improve,' Baldwin said."

Read the full story.

Posted on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 - 11:42am

United Way Celebrates New Location in Danville

The United Way recently opened a new location in Danville's downtown Tobaccoa Warehouse District, according to GoDanRiver.com.

This is great for Danville homeowners because it brings stability and services to the area that can help improve the quality of life and strengthen communities, which can positively impact property values.

"The United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County celebrated its new location in Danville’s downtown Tobacco Warehouse District on Monday with a ribbon-cutting and open house.

Patrick Jinks, president of the local United Way, opened the festivities by thanking the various partnerships that made the move possible — and didn’t forget to thank Dan River Inc., who rented them space on West Main Street for almost 25 years at the price of one dollar per year.

'It helped your dollars stay where they needed to stay,' Jenks told a crowd of about 50.

As the afternoon wore on, the crowd doubled in size, with guests touring the portion of the Lindsay Lofts project at 308 Craghead St. that the United Way now owns. Bronx Boy Bagels provided an array of food that could be found in offices and meeting rooms throughout the site.

'We bought two condo spaces,' Jinks said, adding that the United Way and several tenants share the space. The tenants are Zinc Salon, which leases about half of the building next door, and four other non-profits — The Alzheimer’s Association, Dan River Center for Voluntarism, Big Brother/Big Sisters of Danville Area Inc. and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce — which share office and meeting space with the United Way."

Read the full story.

Posted on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - 6:14pm

South Boston's Proposed Comprehensive Plan is Presented

South Boston's Comprehensive Plan for the next 20 years was recently presented, and for the most part it was welcomedaccording to The News & Record.

Some business owners and their supporters voiced their displeasure with parts of the plan pertaining to Riverdale. But, there are several parts of the plan that would benefit homeowners by improving quality of life, increasing property values and increasing the tax base.

"Two-thirds of South Boston’s Comprehensive Plan the next 20 years drew mostly favorable reviews at a community meeting held Thursday at The Prizery, but with floodwaters only a day away from inundating Riverdale it was the future of the low-lying commercial district that dominated the proceedings.

Comprehensive Plan 2030, as the town’s vision for the next 20 years is dubbed, includes a proposal for South Boston to gradually buy up land in Riverdale for future use as a wetlands nature preserve, complete with walking trails and boat access for recreational use. Designed to create a more aesthetically pleasing gateway into town, the proposal would depend on South Boston having the funds — either generated within the budget or obtained from outside grant sources — to buy out commercial properties in the Riverdale corridor at fair market value."

Read the full story.

Posted on Monday, November 16, 2009 - 10:26pm

Louisa Residents Can Shop At a New Walmart

A new Walmart opened in Louisa County this week, according to the Culpeper Star-Exponent. The new supercenter will provide new jobs to the area and an increase in the tax base, both of which will be good for Louisa homeowners.

"A Walmart at Zion Crossroads in Louisa County opens to customers today at 8 a.m.

Located near the interchange of U.S. 15 and Interstate 64, the new Walmart will employ about 250 people, according to store manager Tommy Gordon.

Full-time Walmart associates in Virginia earn, on average, $11.46 per hour, according to the company.

The Zion Crossroads Walmart will feature wider aisles, according to a company release, along with a full line of groceries, deli, bakery, pharmacy, lawn and garden center and a Tire Lube & Express.
The 156,490-square feet store will be open 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Community and business leaders will gather at the new Walmart for a ribbon cutting ceremony today at 7:30 a.m.

A color guard from Fork Union Military Academy, about 17 miles from the new store south down U.S. 15, will present the colors at the grand opening."

Read the full story.

Posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 - 11:11pm

Community Events Can Give Condos an Edge Over Competition

Condo complexes are offering a variety of social activities for residents that might be the tipping point for drawing new residents, according to a recent article on NBCWashington.com.

Condo owners will likely choose their new residence based on a number of qualities like location, size and price - but some area condo complexes have interesting social activities for residents that could be an extra incentive for new condo owners.

"In many condo complexes, socializing among owners is resigned to breezy chitchat by the mail slots, and maybe eggnog in the lobby come December. But at some DC-area resident communities, a built-in social calendar goes hand-in-hand with condo fees and board meetings.

We checked in with a few likely suspects and were struck by the variety of offerings — on-site yoga classes, hobby-based clubs, and the standard festive outings and parties.

At The Lacey, for instance, the end of summer meant a couple weeks of rooftop yoga for residents. Now that it’s a little too chilly for al fresco Downward-Facing Dog poses, yoga is being offered in one of the development’s vacant units. We would be remiss if we did not talk about the “breakfast-in-bed” service (admittedly not necessarily social but too unique not to mention), a service where Lacey residents can order room service from the next-door Florida Avenue Grill.

Shirlington Village in Arlington hosts an annual holiday Condo Crawl, when residents volunteer to host neighbors for 20-minute blocks of time, resident Ginger Harden told UrbanTurf. Residents have also organized a food drive for the nearby Arlington Food Assistance, plus fundraisers for various charities including a poker night to raise money for leukemia research. The community also hosts an Academy Awards party in the common TV room.

At the Clarendon 1021 high-rise, residents mingle at social events like pumpkin-carving for the kids, wine and cheese nights, and a large annual rooftop pool party that attracts about 100-200 revelers each year.

Carlyle Towers in Old Town, Alexandria organizes many activities to engage its residents, from clubs for knitting, investing, and poker to dinner events, huge holiday parties, weekly yoga classes in the entertainment room, and summer water aerobics classes in the pool. Informally, a dog-walking club meets daily for convivial strolls and neighborly pooch bonding.

Obviously your new home choice will depend much more on the type of unit rather than the community-building events that are available at different developments. However, the idea that you could do yoga on the roof or play poker with fellow residents may tip the scales in favor of one unit over another."

Read the full story.

Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 6:14pm

Feds Seizing Second Norfolk Property for Courthouse Expansion

Another Norfolk developer has received a letter from federal officials stating that the government will be seizing his land, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

The land that was going to be used to build a 15-story Hampton Inn on Brambleton Avenue, will now be used to build an expansion for the Walter E. Hoffman Courthouse. If the developer does not accept the offer from the government to purchase his land, then it will be condemed under eminent domain law. Federal law allows the government to take land for a public purpose, such as a highway or courthouse.

The concern for homeowners in Norfolk is that these are two huge properties that will no longer be providing tax money to the city, meaning that the city will have to find other ways to make up for that lost money - such as raising property taxes.

"The site of the failed Granby Tower condominium project isn't the only land the federal government covets.

Raj Randeria, a Norfolk hotel developer who had planned to build a 15-story Hampton Inn on Brambleton Avenue adjacent to the Granby Tower site, said federal officials have told him they're going to seize his land, too.

As was the case with Granby Tower developer Buddy Gadams, federal officials told Randeria they will use his land to build an expansion for the Walter E. Hoffman Courthouse."

Read the full story.

Posted on Monday, November 2, 2009 - 12:14am

Franklin County Awards Grants to Help Promote Tourism

Several events in Franklin County, like the Franklin County Youth Center fall festival, received extra funds from a microgrant program, according to The Franklin News Post.

The microgran program is designed to increase the local tourism industry and attract new visitors. Hopefully the boost will encourage more hospitatlity-related investments that will improve the quality of living for all county residents.

This is good news for homeowners because as the tourism industry gets a boost, the additional tax money from visitors will help lessen the burden of residents.

"Almost $30,000 in microgrants were awarded by the Franklin County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

The program is primarily for non-profit organizations, and the grants are used for projects that promote tourism.

The money has already been set aside in this year's budget in the tourism enterprise fund.

Funding for the program is raised through the occupancy or 'lodging' tax, which applies to motels and bed and breakfasts in the county.

Requests for funding totaled more than $45,000, but staff recommended to the board that $28,775 be approved."

Read the original story, including a list of organizations and events that will receive money.

Posted on Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 10:27am