Fillagreen, a new shop in downtown Fredericksburg, is set to offer refills on household and bathroom supplies, with a mission to reduce plastic waste. Owners John and Beverly Hicks were inspired to start Fillagreen by their 11-year-old twins, who had been learning about environmental issues and pollution. "We saw an opportunity to make a difference in the world while also teaching our children about the hard work that goes into running a small business," said Beverly.
The Hicks first test-marketed their concept at the Manassas Farmer's Market before opening their first brick-and-mortar location at 9029 Center St. in Manassas. They noticed a substantial gap in refillable product locations along the I-95 corridor between Manassas and Richmond and felt Fredericksburg was an ideal place to bridge that gap. John, who helped found the University of Mary Washington’s Mother’s Rugby team and remains active in its foundation, said that moving into downtown Fredericksburg was made easier through their partnership with Main Street America. Both Manassas and Fredericksburg are part of the Main Street program, which focuses on revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhoods nationwide.
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Adam, the valet parking coordinator, stands out front on opening day on Friday, July 19, overlooking a newly paved lot, driveway, and entrance to the new hotel. “It’s fully open,” he said. There are a few parking spots out front, but the hotel has more parking in the parking garage across the street.
The Publisher is part of Marriott International’s Tribute Portfolio, managed locally by Ragland at Greenwood Hospitality. The 98-room hotel features penthouse suites, guest rooms, 2,000 square feet of event space, and dining facilities in the Five Chophouse restaurant. The hotel rooms are called “upscale,” the lowest-priced room on the website is a Traditional King Room at the Member Rate, which is flexible for $246 a night. The rates topped out at $409 per night for a King Suite.
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In July, Fredericksburg City Mayor Kerry Devine encouraged the City Council to explore the possibility of data centers in Fredericksburg, suggesting the Celebrate Virginia South area near the Fredericksburg Nationals Stadium and the Rappahannock River.
“However, it appears that the city’s first serious, server-laden suitor wishes to put down fiberoptic roots in a different location — 83.5 acres straddling the Cowan Boulevard corridor near Interstate 95. On Thursday morning, city staff from several different departments will consider a pre-application from southern Maryland-based developer Penzance to construct a data center campus on four parcels that were once under consideration for a Veteran’s Affairs clinic,” reports the Fredericksburg Free Press.
Penzance is a Washington, D.C.-based real estate developer, and recently partnered with EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure to expand its presence in Northern Virginia. EdgeCore plans to build data centers in Ashburn and Culpeper in Virginia. The company has already built data centers in Phoenix, Arizona; Reno, Nevada; and California’s Silicon Valley.
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Stafford’s Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning request for 133 acres from Residential to Industrial at their July 2 meeting.
Belmont Park, LLC requested to rezone 133 acres from R-1 (Residential) and A-1 (Agriculture) to M-1 (Light Industrial) and M-2 (Heavy Industrial). The proposed site layout includes light industrial warehouses in the northeast near the VDOT parking lot and a large, heavy industrial distribution warehouse with smaller warehouses in the southwest.
The property is in the George Washington District.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting, several residents of Sanford Drive said they had sold their lane for the project seven years ago. They supported the project and noted the developer had been working with the county for many years. Opposing speakers protested additional traffic, loss of natural space, and more warehousing instead of business or parks appealing to local residents.
Access will be from Powell Lane, with an extension for the M-2 zoned area and a gated emergency access off Paul Lane. No access is planned from Sanford Drive. Enhanced setbacks and vegetative buffers are proposed in response to concerns from Sanford Drive residents. The mostly undeveloped, wooded site features two perennial streams and wetlands. Surrounding areas include industrial, commercial, residential, and undeveloped land.
New proffers will include reducing building heights from 50 to 45 feet in some locations, increasing cash contribution for future improvements to Powell Lane to $75,000, and dedicating five usable acres to the County for public recreation use.
The Board of Supervisors voted to pass the ordinance 4-3. Supervisors Monica Gary, Crystal Vanuch, and Pamela Yeung voted against it. Detailed plans are available online.
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Josh Summits has been appointed as the new Director of Fredericksburg’s Economic Development and Tourism Team, starting mid-August. Summits has fifteen years of experience in urban redevelopment, community revitalization, and economic development. He joined Stafford County's government in 2019 and most recently served as Business Development Manager.
Summit said he has "spent the past five years working with Stafford to bring transformative economic development projects to the Fredericksburg Region. Each locality offers diverse and unique attributes and opportunities. The City of Fredericksburg has a robust list of amazing amenities and a thriving historical downtown. My core focus and energies will target corridor redevelopment, and expanded business attraction and retention efforts."
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On June 25, Stafford County hosted a groundbreaking for NorthPoint Development's new Austin Ridge Logistics Center. The ceremony at 2125 Austin Ridge Drive featured speakers Meg Bohmke, Chairwoman of the Stafford Board of Supervisors, and Ryan Marshall, Development Manager at NorthPoint Development.Â
The Austin Ridge Logistics Center will include five to seven buildings, totaling 2,078,015 square feet. Positioned along Interstate 95, the development will accommodate large-scale users, including last-mile logistics facilities, regional distribution warehouses, and data centers. This project aims to provide business and economic opportunities for Stafford County.
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The Town Council of Dumfries received details of a new housing project presented by Reginald Tabor, the town's planning director.
The project, Harbor at Quantico Creek, will provide 125 age—and income-restricted housing units. The plan also includes a separate structure housing a daycare and cultural arts centers.
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Manassas is set to purchase the Manassas Shopping Center on Mathis Avenue for $16 million to bolster local economic development. The transaction, anticipated to close in July or August 2024, was detailed during a recent joint meeting with the economic development authority on Monday, May 20, 2024, to discuss the terms of the sale.
The city aims to buy the 14-acre shopping center, home to 21 commercial tenants, including Advance Auto Parts and Pitkins Hardware stores. The city agreed to pay owners Four Taylor's LLC $16 million for the property and will become the landlord of the businesses.
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A permit application for a 1,000-foot pier extending through marshland into Potomac Creek at a contested campground has been withdrawn from a review by the Virginia Marine Resource Commission.
The pier was proposed by Mark McLeod, owner of Crow’s Nest Outdoor Adventures, who plans to build a 150-site campground on the banks of Potomac Creek in the White Oak area of Stafford County. So far, the project has faced opposition from neighbors and the Patawomeck Tribe due to safety, privacy, and environmental protection concerns.
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