Central Virginia Training Center Presents Rare Opportunity for Economic Development
Central Virginia Training Center Presents Rare Opportunity for Economic Development
The term “rare opportunity” is sometimes overused in economic development, but it’s entirely appropriate when applied to one dynamic property in Amherst County. How often does a 340-acre site come available, adjacent to both Virginia’s largest river and the urban center of the Commonwealth’s fifth largest metropolitan area, with direct access to a major east-coast highway and pre-existing utility infrastructure? While the closing of the former Central Virginia Training Center in Madison Heights this year represented a loss of both employment for healthcare workers and skilled care for the disabled, leaders at the regional level are working to bring new development to the property that will benefit every facet of Central Virginia’s economy.
While proactive efforts to plot a future for the training center property have been underway for several years, the process is entering a crucial new phase of public engagement. Earlier this month the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and the Central Virginia Planning District Commission announced the launch of a website, TrainingCenterMasterPlan.com, where progress on the redevelopment effort can be tracked and feedback can be shared by the public.
Input from community stakeholders will play a major role in shaping a vision for the former training center’s future. A Target Advisory Group (TAG) made up of local, regional, and state stakeholders will craft a redevelopment plan that emphasizes shared goals for the site. Members of the public are encouraged to complete an analysis of the property’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) on the newly launched website. An online survey will be available through October 26. Feedback will then be solicited through a collaborative, in-person charrette at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance during the week of November 9 - 13.While proactive efforts to plot a future for the training center property have been underway for several years, the process is entering a crucial new phase of public engagement. Earlier this month the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and the Central Virginia Planning District Commission announced the launch of a website, TrainingCenterMasterPlan.com, where progress on the redevelopment effort can be tracked and feedback can be shared by the public.
Deliberate action to revitalize the former training center site is a top priority of local business and government leaders. At one time the medical facility was a source of more than 1,600 full-time jobs and roughly $87 million in economic development activity. There is reason to believe the former training center’s home can once again supply the region with jobs and tax revenue, among other benefits that enhance our quality of life. While the process of attracting new uses to the now-vacant property will likely take years to fully play out, the time is now to weigh in and help shape the future of this important regional project.
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Tim Saunders is the Business Engagement and Outreach Coordinator for the Central Virginia Workforce Development Board and Central Virginia Planning District Commission. He works to share information about workforce development programs and services for employers, local governments, media, and the public. Tim previously spent 20 years in the television news industry and has experience as a reporter, anchor, and newsroom manager.
