STAUNTON – Staunton Crossing is getting a $9 million boost.
The Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) awarded the city a $9 million grant for improvements to Staunton Crossing. The infrastructure improvements include a million-gallon water tower and water lines throughout the 300-acre site.
“The development of this area will bring many more jobs to Staunton and continue smart growth for our beautiful city,” said Mayor Stephen Claffey in the city’s press release. “The less than 10 percent of Staunton Crossing that has been developed already brings in more than $1 million in tax revenue each year.”
“We are so excited to see Staunton Crossing recognized by the State as one of the top grant award recipients,” said Director of Economic Development Amanda DiMeo. “This grant award helps bring us to the site-development finish line and ready for business.”
The News Leader has been covering the development of Staunton Crossing for a decade, most recently a ribbon cutting for Crossing Way in late May.
Staunton’s City Council celebrated the award during its Aug. 8 meeting, City Manager Leslie Beauregard announcing the award just before council wrapped on an unusually short twenty-minute meeting before rain from Tropical Storm Debby’s remnants arrived.
“That is definitely worth talking about,” Beauregard said.
Staunton is receiving $9 million, but it is not the only city receiving funds. On Aug. 8, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced $126 million would go to business ready sites across Virginia.
“Business-ready sites drive and accelerate economic growth, and our continued investments in site development position the Commonwealth to compete to win transformative projects that will bring hundreds and thousands of jobs to Virginia,” Youngkin said in the press release. “A growing inventory of project-ready sites is a huge competitive advantage, and our investments in the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program were a big factor in Virginia being named America’s Top State for Business. Before we took office, Virginia was significantly behind our competitor states. We must continue the concerted effort we’ve made to invest in sites over the course of my administration and we’re looking forward to Virginians seeing the benefits of this work in the future.”
“Speed to market is a major consideration in site selection decisions, and the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program has helped Virginia increase its inventory of suitable sites for major projects,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “This round of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program will enhance 23 sites across the Commonwealth, ensuring all of Virginia is positioned to fully capture economic development and job creation opportunities for years to come.”
Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It’s welcome through email to lbordelon@gannett.com. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.