Prince William to give developer more time on bio science center

The developer of a new 30,000 square-foot wet lab space is expected to get some more time time to secure its permits, allowing it to quality for grant funding.

The new development, to be located at 11225 Assett Loop, near a Target store in Sowder Village Square, was supposed to have its permits, and building plans submitted to Prince William County by October 30. However, the project was delayed due to the coronavirus, according to county documents.

The delays have put some $600,000 in county funds that are supposed to go to the property developer, Holladay Properties — the same developer that recently opened a new Tru by Hilton Hotel in nearby Manassas — at risk.

The county entered into the private agreement with Holladay Properties, without the consent of the Board of County Supervisors, on April 23. An emergency declaration made by County Executive Christopher Martino, authorized on March 31 due to the coronavirus, was cited as the reason for the agreement.

The county agreed to lease 8,000 square feet of the new facility in order for Holladay to win bank financing for the deal. The county’s economic development department will spend the next year working to fill the space, which will include 13 lab spaces, with bio-science firms.

Some of them could be graduates from the nearby Science Accelerator, a county-operated co-working space for bio-science firms. As it stands, there are not enough companies at the accelerator ready to graduate that would fill the new 8,000-space center, said Trevor Johnson, the county’s economic development department spokesman.

Per the signed lease, the county has agreed to pay Holladay Properties up to $32o,000 per year, for two years, starting December 21, 2021, if new tenants are not signed. The deal with Holladay was inked on December 10, 2019, and, at the time, Austin Haynes, who is listed as a landlord on the signed lease, was also an appointed member of the Prince William County Planning Commission.

Plans for the new wet lab space were submitted to the county on November 11, and Holladay received its permit on October 29. Holladay purchased the property for $784,000, about $137,000 less than its assessed value.

The wet lab, dubbed Northern Virginia BioScience Center, and first of its kind for the region, will provide space for life science companies graduating from the Science Accelerator and other life science companies seeking wet lab space in Prince William County.