LEBANON, VA – OCTOBER 13, 2020 — An up to $950,000 grant to the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to be used to finance the costs associated with the development of two new economic development sites in that county was recently approved by the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA).
“The IDA approached VCEDA with its interest in adding additional sites to its inventory, which they indicated to us they feel would make the county more attractive to prospects,” said VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher. “Having an inventory of sites available assists greatly as we meet with economic development prospects and have sites to show them where they might consider locating their business.”
The Dickenson County IDA requested the funds to be used for the demolition of the old Haysi High School and Clintwood High School and Annex, site development, site grading and other improvements, and costs associated with the project to create the two new economic development sites in Dickenson County.
The IDA currently has only one industrial site of any significant size to market in Dickenson County — the Red Onion industrial site located between Pound and Clintwood, which has also received VCEDA funding for development in the past.
“These two strategic sites located in the towns of Clintwood and Haysi have served Dickenson County for many years as a place of education,” said Dickenson County IDA Chairman Larry Yates. “Now, with most of our county’s schools located on a consolidated campus and the properties unused, the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority has been granted ownership of the two properties from the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors with the hope of repurposing and redeveloping both sites into two much needed marketable mixed use properties.”
Yates noted the Industrial Development Authority will work with its partners “to ensure any future use of both properties will benefit the communities in which they are located, as well as the entire county.”
About Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and Southwest Virginia’s e-Region: The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.