REGIONAL VIEW


southern virginia Danville, Pittsylvania land


on top ‘micropolitan’ list by Kate Andrews


the nation by Site Selection Magazine in April. It’s the third time the region has landed in the top 10 list, which is based on economic development deals in small communities. Although the localities are partners in six industrial parks,


A


much of their collaboration is informal, says Pittsylvania County Administrator David Smitherman. “We have a very clear vision of what we want to do with our partner Danville without politics, without bureaucracy,” he says. “We don’t have turf wars. It works because we have a shared vision. We are targeted as to what we want.” The COVID-19 outbreak has affected the region just like


everywhere else, including the indefinite closing of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. tire plant, Danville’s largest employer, but other plans are moving forward. Morgan Olson LLC, the Michigan-based delivery van manufacturer, is still renovating the former Ikea plant in the county, Smitherman says, with the first vans to roll off the lot in July as scheduled. Ken Larking, Danville’s city manager, also cites collaboration


as a source of the localities’ success; in 2019, the region made deals on seven projects that brought in $453 million in capital invest- ment and 1,315 jobs. While it’s tough to predict what will happen in 2020 due to the coronavirus, Larking says the region’s strong manufacturing presence is “a good sign for us. We have seen a lot of activity in that area. If we have a [renewed] manufacturing base here in the United States, that will be helpful to Danville.”


FOR THE RECORD


Danville ranked near the top of a list of the hardest hit localities in Virginia for jobless claims amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus. The city was third highest per capita, with 68 unemployment claims per 1,000 residents in early April. The num- ber largely can be attributed to its service, accommodation and retail industries, which make up more than 22% of the city’s total businesses and provide more than 7,000 jobs. Also, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, the region’s larg- est employer, with roughly 1,900 employees, has shut down until further notice as market condi- tions remain poor. (Danville Register & Bee)


Danville City Council adopted a resolution in April supporting the Danville Braves Minor League Baseball team, which is on the chopping block after Major


20 |


League Baseball proposed cutting ties with 42 minor league teams. City Manager Ken Lark- ing wrote a letter to councilors, saying that minor league teams “employ thousands of individuals, help strengthen local businesses and support charitable organiza- tions.” In March, the Atlanta Braves announced it would provide relief assistance for ball- park workers for its farm teams, including the Danville Braves. (Danville Register & Bee)


Groundbreaking on the Foxhound Solar LLC facility in Mount Lau- rel, originally planned for spring, was pushed back to September. Longroad Energy, the project’s Boston-based developer, said in April it was forced to delay con- struction due to a combination of factors related to Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and the spread of the corona-virus. Lon- groad Energy officials say that Foxhound Solar is still planning


MAY/JUNE 2020


yin-and-yang approach has led to business success in the city of Danville and Pittsylvania County, which were collectively named the No. 6 micropolitan area in


Gov. Ralph Northam (center) announced last October that Morgan Olson LLC was locating its $57.89 million step-van assembly factory in Pittsylvania County.


Improving the region’s quality of life — investing in the


downtown River District, outdoor spaces, education and public safety — is similarly important in drawing potential residents and workers, Larking says. The White Mill, a 650,000-square-foot industrial building


on the south bank of the Dan River, is under development. It could be home to a casino — depending on which proposal Danville City Council supports, and whether the city’s resi- dents pass a referendum this November — or something else important to the city, Larking says. Also, the city is redeveloping Schoolfield, a former textile


mill village, 90 acres of which is owned by Danville’s Industrial Development Authority. It’s expected to be a commercial and residential neighborhood similar to the River District. “There are a lot of reasons for people to want to live in Danville,” Larking says.


to build an 83-megawatt facility on 1,125 acres near the Clover Power Station. Panels will spread across nearly 600 acres, and the rest of the land will be set aside as a protective buffer and possibly for farm use. (SoVaNow)


Construction continued in March on two South Boston projects — the Southern Virginia Innova- tion Hub and the South Boston Fire Department — despite the COVID-19 outbreak. The innovation hub, developed by Mid-Atlantic Broadband Com- munities Corp. in partnership with Microsoft, is set to be completed in November. The virus has slowed some processes, includ- ing permits and materials, but in general, most projects in Halifax County are on course, managers said. (SoVaNow)


Danville-based Supply Resources Inc. purchased a


152,379-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility formerly used by Ikea in Pittsylvania County for $3.85 million in April. Ikea closed its Pittsylvania plant about two miles away from the warehouse in late December, and Morgan Olson LLC, a delivery van manufacturer based in Michigan, has been finishing renovations there this spring, with its first vans expected to be manufactured at the plant by July. Supply Resources will distribute packaging, corrugated and paper products from the for- mer Ikea warehouse, which was previously owned by Cruciger LP. (VirginiaBusiness.com)


Virginia Legal Aid Society recently set up an office in Martinsville, providing free legal advice. As financial fallout from the pandemic continues to spread, attorney Rebecca Brown is helping clients navigate issues related to safe and secure hous-


ing. Funding for the Martinsville legal aid office came from The Harvest Foundation, which awarded the society a three-year, $300,000 grant in December. Before, clients were served in the Danville office. (Martinsville Bulletin)


PEOPLE


Don Aungst has been hired as Averett University’s new vice president and chief financial and operating officer. He started at the Danville university in April and came from Susquehanna University in Penn- sylvania, where he was CFO. Aungst has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership, including stints at Capital University, Upper Iowa University and Mercy College. (VirginiaBusiness.com)


Photo by Kenn Kline/Morgan Olson


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64