Halifax County, VA – The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission held its third and final scheduled meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 24th at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Halifax with committee meetings held the day prior. The Commission played a critical role in the revival of VIR, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and has continued that support in the years since. VIR now employs over 300 people and attracts over 350,000 visitors each year, many of whom are from out of state. It is one of the largest tourism destinations in Southern Virginia, generating millions of dollars of economic impact each year. For more information on VIR and its history, please take a look at their VIR Reborn documentary.
Among the funding requests in support of a variety of organizations and initiatives across Southern and Southwest Virginia, including agriculture, business development and tourism projects, the Commission supported three workforce housing projects that will create over 130 units targeting families earning between 80-120% of the area median income. A shortage of workforce housing in the Commission’s footprint has consistently been cited as a barrier to growth and these additional units will play a role in helping meet this demand.
The Commission also supported the development of an energy-focused unmanned aircraft system (UAS)/drone center in collaboration with the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Logistics Systems. This center will serve as a catalyst for energy-centric UAS research, innovation and training.
The Commission adopted a new strategic plan that will chart the Commission’s course through 2027. The strategic planning effort, led by a team from the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement, included multiple input sessions, interviews and more with stakeholders from across the Commission’s footprint to ensure that the Commission is meeting the needs of the communities it serves.
September ’25 TRRC Awards
Southern Virginia
Agribusiness
4407, Appomattox FFA Alumni Association, Inc.
Appomattox FFA Alumni Agricultural Complex – $400,000 Grant
This award will support the construction of the Appomattox FFA Alumni Agricultural
Complex (AFFAAC). The AFFAAC is a 96′ x 132′ pole barn designated for youth and
agricultural workforce development. The facility will provide youth space to raise market
and breed livestock under the mentorship and supervision of agricultural educators. There
is dedicated space for modern and industry-relevant large animal handling equipment. The
facility will be equipped with space to host regional 4-H, FFA, and producer events.
Additionally, students enrolled in the new dual-enrollment Central Virginia Community
College Veterinary Science course will utilize the space to foster hands-on experiences
with large animals. Funds from the Commission will be used to offset the cost of
construction and will go towards the purchase of supplies to equip the building for beef
cattle, sheep, goat, and swine production.
Business Development
4396, Cumberland County
Cumberland Court House Area Plan – $26,125 Grant
This award will support the Cumberland Court House Area Plan—a strategic, non
construction planning initiative aimed at guiding future land use, infrastructure
investments, economic development, and quality-of-life improvements within the County’s
historic civic core. This project will be implemented in partnership with the Commonwealth
Regional Council and will include data analysis, public engagement, and development of a
formal, actionable plan to revitalize the Courthouse Village area. TRRC funds will support
consultant services and administrative efforts that will ensure timely completion and
adoption of the plan, enabling Cumberland County to attract investment, enhance service
delivery, and lay the groundwork for implementation grants aligned with regional and state
level development goals
4395, Cumberland County
Cumberland Grocery Store – $100,000 Grant
This award will support Cumberland VA Grocery LLC (dba: Cumberland Grocery) which
seeks to create a trusted, community-focused grocery store that brings fresh, affordable,
and locally sourced foods and quality meats to the residents of Cumberland and nearby
rural areas, while supporting local agriculture and improving food access. Cumberland
Grocery will be a full-service grocery store serving the food access needs of Cumberland
County, a USDA-defined rural and low-access area. The store will offer fresh produce,
dairy, dry goods, household staples, and an in-house butcher counter that features local
meats and high protein staples—an underserved niche in the community. The business will
create 10 to 15 local jobs and will source products from regional farms and suppliers
whenever possible.
4402, SOVA Innovation Hub Corporation
RISE THRIVE – Entrepreneur Support and Ecosystem Building – $350,000 Grant
This award will support RISE THRIVE – Entrepreneur Support and Ecosystem Building, a
two-year initiative to strengthen rural entrepreneurship across Southern Virginia.
Commission funds will be used to support two full-time RISE Business Navigators,
development of the RISE THRIVE Accelerator curriculum, delivery of direct entrepreneur
support services, and cost-sharing for professional services. The accelerator will be a
twelve month, cohort-based virtual program delivered through a regional hub network,
offering training, mentorship, and subsidized access to resources that increase social,
knowledge, and financial capital. Entrepreneurs will receive support in areas such as IT, AI,
legal, marketing, accounting, and other eligible professional services.
4404, Town of Altavista
The Spark Initiative: Fostering Creativity and Community Entrepreneurship – $146,000
Grant
This award will support two entrepreneurial development programs at the Spark Innovation
Center: The Community Business Launch (CBL) and Create Small. Of the total request,
$106,000 will fund three years of the CBL program, which provides business training,
mentorship, and financial support to help entrepreneurs launch and grow small
businesses across the region. The remaining $40,000 will support three years of the Create
Small program, a creative entrepreneurship initiative that helps makers and product-based
business owners turn their skills into sustainable ventures using Spark’s makerspace.
Together, these programs aim to drive rural economic growth, support job creation, and
foster long-term business success.
4405, Town of Crewe
Town of Crewe Food Hub & Microenterprise Hub – $298,000 Grant
This award will support the establishment of the Crewe Food & Microenterprise Hub, a
publicly owned facility serving as a rural food aggregation center, retail anchor, and small
business incubator. Commission funds will support building acquisition and infrastructure
improvements to create a multi-use downtown space that addresses food desert
conditions while supporting regional agricultural producers and microenterprise
development. The project’s mission is to create a sustainable hub that serves as a retail
anchor, rural food aggregator, and platform for microenterprise and mobile food vendors,
driving economic development and enhancing community health.
Sites and Infrastructure
4397, Campbell County
Seneca Commerce Park Sewer and Water Extension Project – $439,275 Grant
This award will support the extension of sewer and water lines at Seneca Commerce Park.
This infrastructure project will provide water and sewer services to 27.4-, 18.2-, and 136
acre parcels. As a result of the infrastructure update, these 181.6 acres will be upgraded
from Tier 2 to Tier 4 site readiness characterization. The 136-acre parcel is one of the
largest continuous undeveloped industrial parcels in the region. In furtherance of
marketability, the Seneca Commerce Park is in a federally designated opportunity zone.
4398, Greensville County
Characterization of New Sites – $25,000 Grant
This award will assist the County in becoming more competitive by evaluating and helping
select potential industrial sites that will show best in the marketplace while having a
reasonable cost of development to maximize the locality’s return on investment. This
information is necessary to make an educated decision on future development of the
County.
4406, Patrick County EDA
Patrick County Strategic Site Readiness Initiative – $91,000 Grant
This award will support engineering design analysis for an onsite water storage solution
intended for the Rich Creek Corporate Park, as well as a future sites evaluation of
properties along the US-58 corridor stretching from the Town of Stuart to Henry County. The
aim of this initiative is to explore the feasibility of adding a water storage tank that future
tenants at the park can utilize in their fire suppression systems. Completing the
engineering design now will enable the County to pursue construction funding and move
the site toward occupancy. As for the site evaluation, the US-58 corridor east of the Town of
Stuart stands as a strategic economic artery for future business activity and growth, but it
is hindered by a lack of appropriate infrastructure and ready-to-develop sites. The site
study will enable the County to determine, using GIS-based screening, which sites will be
most suitable for development projects, and provide the County with infrastructure
recommendations, concept plans, and cost estimates.
Tourism
4394, Avoca Museum and Historical Society
Avoca Museum Expansion Project – Up to $15,000 Grant
Commission funds will be in the form of a planning grant of up to $15,000 for no more than
50% of the contractual services for a feasibility assessment and a business/operating plan.
The Avoca Museum and Historical Society have plans for development of an event center. A
new center is envisioned for expanding the museum facilities to transform the site into a
year-round destination for education, tourism, and community engagement. Additional
planning will provide a clearer concept of the financial feasibility and ultimate use of the
facility and sustainability.
4403, Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County Trailblazing – $74,800 Grant
This award will support Phase II of Prince Edward’s comprehensive Wayfinding Signage
Program, which focuses on fabrication and installation of eight vehicular Trailblazer signs.
The signs will direct travelers to key tourism destinations: Hampden-Sydney College, Sandy
River Reservoir, Briery Creek Lake, and the Manor Golf Club, thus enhancing regional
connectivity, improving visitor navigation, and reinforcing the County’s strategic investment
in tourism infrastructure. Developed in partnership with Frazier Associates and aligned with
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) standards, this project advances a cohesive
signage system that strengthens Prince Edward County’s identity as a destination for
recreation, culture, and economic opportunity.
Housing
4400, Martinsville EDA
Predevelopment for American Furniture Plant 10 Adaptive Reuse, Uptown Martinsville – $1,000,000 Grant
This award will support predevelopment work including building stabilization and
additional studies on American Furniture Plant 10. Completion of the work will encourage
prospective proposals and accelerate redevelopment with a keen focus on addressing the
housing priority needs of the region, part of a standing strategy to restore vibrancy in
Martinsville’s downtown commercial district. The American Furniture Plant 10 (51 Lester
Street), one of the Martinsville’s largest properties at approximately 98,000 square feet on a
2.8-acre site, represents an ideal opportunity for community and economic revitalization.
This former industrial structure sits immediately adjacent to the Uptown spur of the Dick &
Willie Passage Trail and the property selected for a future municipal amphitheater. The site
is a block away from the popular cultural and commercial Courthouse Square. The
Martinsville Economic Development Authority (EDA) recently purchased the site from the
City of Martinsville and is actively engaged in discussions with development teams to
advance adaptive reuse of the property.
Energy Ingenuity
Energy Execution – Implementation Grants
4408, Commonwealth Center for Advanced Logistics Systems (CCALS)
Establishing and Energy-Centric UAS Center for Critical Infrastructure – $490,000 Grant
This award builds on the success and findings of TRRC planning grants #4311 and #4322.
CCALS is requesting TRRC Energy Implementation funding to support the creation of an
Energy-Centric Unmanned Systems Innovation and Training Center for Critical
Infrastructure (“the Center”) – a regional anchor for research, training, testing, and
commercialization of advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) technologies supporting
energy and critical infrastructure applications. Led by the Commonwealth Center for
Advanced Logistics Systems in partnership with the UAS Center at SBD and supported by
four demonstration sites/field operations in the TRRC footprint, the Center will serve as a
catalyst for energy-centric UAS research, innovation, and training.
Incentives and Loans Committee
Project Valore, Pittsylvania County
$5,700,000 Grant
Motion adopted after closed session:
I move that the Committee recommend that the Commission request Pittsylvania County
work with staff in the Southern Virginia office to submit an application for $5.7 million of
restricted grant funds to aid in site development costs in support of Project Valore, and to
allow the Executive Director to enter into a grant award for this amount, contingent on the
prospect’s commitment to the site.
Project Titan, Pittsylvania County
$1,000,000 Grant
Motion adopted after closed session:
I move that the Committee recommend that the Commission request Pittsylvania County
work with staff in the Southern Virginia office to submit an application for $1 million of grant
funds to aid in the construction of new acceleration and deceleration lanes to improve
access to the project site in support of Project Titan, and to allow the Executive Director to
enter into a grant award for this amount, contingent on the prospect’s commitment to the
site.
Economic Development Workforce Housing Incentive Pilot Program
Project Safe, Scott County
$1,000,000 Grant
This award will support development of a new community with units reserved for
households earning between 80 and 150% of the AMI. For this project, Scott County is
requesting the maximum award amount of $1M for needed off-site infrastructure
improvements to enable this development to proceed. The project will include
commitments for at least 50 new workforce housing units, as well as major grant and
financing support from Virginia Housing.
Westlake Area Improvement, Franklin County
$500,000 Grant
This award will support a unique proposal through which the County, Commission, and
private developers split the cost of approximately $1.5M, three-phased signalized
intersection improvement at the intersection of Route 122 and Parkcrest Drive in the
county’s growing Westlake area. These improvements will allow major new commercial
and housing development to occur on nearby parcels, leading to the construction of
approximately 100 new apartments, 100 new single-family homes, and 160 owner
occupied townhouses and condos, approximately 50% of which are expected to be
owned/rented by families earning between 100 and 150% of AMI. Additionally, it is
expected that at least 24 of the new apartments will be funded through Virginia Housing’s
Workforce Housing Incentive program, which, as part of its grant award, will monitor usage
of the units, ensuring that they are rented to families earning between 80 and 120% of AMI
for a period of at least ten years. These developments will also support the new employees
of Traditional Medicinals, an herbal tea production facility that just broke ground on a new
$47M, 57 job facility in Franklin County’s Summit View Business Park.
Chase City Lofts, Town of Chase City
Up to $4,000,000 Loan Through TRRC Partnership With VSBFA
This award will assist the redevelopment of the former Lee Elementary School in downtown
Chase City, a town in Mecklenburg County, that has been sitting largely vacant in recent
years and is at risk of further decay and becoming a burden to the community. Recently,
the Town of Chase City began working with an experienced redeveloper of historic
properties, Edwin Gaskin of Echelon Resources, to whom they are planning to sell the
building for a nominal fee. Gaskin has a long history of successful projects throughout the
Commonwealth, including several in the Commission footprint: Henry Uptown in
Martinsville (25 apartments and 6,000 sf of commercial space), Imperial Lofts in South
Boston (71 apartments and 40,000+ sf of commercial space), Halifax Lofts in Halifax (37
apartments), and Chatham Lofts in Chatham (31 apartments) Gaskin proposes
repurposing the school into 17 new apartments at a cost of just under $4M, benefiting from
approximately $1.25M in equity from the sale and state and Federal historic tax credits
soon after the completion of construction.
About The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission
The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission is a 28-member body created by the 1999 General Assembly. Its mission is the promotion of economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities, using proceeds of the national tobacco settlement. To date, the Commission has awarded over 2000 grants totaling more than $1.1 billion across the tobacco region of the Commonwealth, and has provided $309 million in indemnification payments to tobacco growers and quota holders.
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