2021 Annual Economic Development Report

Revolutionary Ideas. Historic Opportunities.

LEADERSHIP

Williamsburg City Council Members:

Douglas G. “Doug” Pons, Mayor

W. Pat Dent, Vice Mayor

Edward F. "Ted" Maslin

Barbara L. Ramsey

Caleb T. Rogers

City of Williamsburg Economic Development Authority (EDA) Members:

Rick Overy, Chair

Adria Vanhoozier, Vice Chair

John Cale

Andrew Crawford

Harold Philipsen

Adam Steely

Robert "Robby" Willey

EDA Attorney Joseph F. Phillips, Jr., Of Counsel

Secretary to the EDA Attorney, Marie Caulford

The Williamsburg Economic Development Authority (EDA) was chartered by Williamsburg City Council in 1975. The EDA's seven directors are appointed by City Council. It is a political subdivision, independent of the City. The EDA works to assist existing businesses, attract new businesses, and market the City as a premier business location. The EDA strives to be aware of the needs and concerns of City

MESSAGE FROM Interim Director Of Economic Development, Yuri Adams

As I look back on 2021, I feel honored to have been part of the City of Williamsburg’s team as we focused on embracing change, growing partnerships, and driving business. Internally, we transitioned to a new staff structure mid-year as our longtime Director of Economic Development Michele DeWitt became the assistant city manager. We are grateful for her dedication to building this department, developing our team, and assisting countless businesses. Her passion for Williamsburg and her economic development expertise continues to benefit the community in her new role.

We also found ourselves growing or building critical partnerships. As businesses were reeling from the effects of COVID-19 in one way or another, we found opportunities to partner with our neighboring localities to administer grant relief; to forge new collaborations with groups like the NAACP; and to realize new City investments from entrepreneurial efforts like Start Peninsula and LaunchPad.

All the while, we maintained our focus on driving business. With the support of appointed and elected City leaders, our team has been guiding, connecting, leading, and assisting new and existing businesses throughout the City. We serve our role as the community’s one-stop business concierge with pride, and we appreciate the opportunity to share this snapshot of collaborative results with you.

Yuri Adams INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT yadams@williamsburgva.gov

Joanna Skrabala TOURISM DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST jskrabala@williamsburgva.gov

“….a bustling community with a big roster of things to do and places to explore. Don't miss sandwiches at the Cheese Shop; the boutiques and taprooms at Merchants Square; and brews from Precarious Beer Project, Amber Ox Public House, and the Virginia Beer Co.” — SOUTHERN LIVING EDITORS, MARCH 2022

“By celebrating minority business owners, we are also exposing leadership from across the region to the diversity of our business communities.”

New Business Community Collaboration Series Supports Minority Business Engagement

The Business Community Collaboration Series is a partnership among the York-James CityWilliamsburg NAACP, City of Williamsburg, York County, James City County, and the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce to recognize, honor, and support minority-owned businesses in the Greater Williamsburg area. Senior staff, City Council members, Board of Supervisor representatives and members of the public gather monthly to recognize select businesses. Each honoree is presented with a certificate from the NAACP, the Chamber, and the appropriate locality and celebrated with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony. This opportunity allows leaders in our community to connect with our minority business owners and provide them readily available resources for growth.

Inaugural NAACP event held on Nov. 19, 2021

Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce

—

BARBARA RAMSEY Williamsburg City Council

The MAXIMUM Building at Work Nimbly

Why did you choose to locate your new business in the City of Williamsburg?

We feel that Williamsburg has a lot of potential for business development, growth and innovation. We want to be a part of a city and an environment open to growth.

How is the support from the City’s economic development office making a difference in your operation?

We are indebted to the City's EDA and, in particular, Yuri Adams for always having an opendoor policy and allowing for relationship-building with us as a small business.

It is because of Yuri that we knew of the opportunity to purchase Work Nimbly (the previous name of the business) and were able to bring that business under our umbrella of businesses.

It is imperative that small businesses know and have a relationship with their local economic development offices, and Williamsburg's office has been most helpful and open to supporting its small businesses.

What do you love about working and living in the greater Williamsburg area?

The rich history and the small-town atmosphere.

YEARS OF OPERATION: 2000 (22 years) — The Williamsburg location opened in 2021.

TYPE OF BUSINESS: The MAXIMUM Building at Work Nimbly, located in the City of Williamsburg, is a co-work office space company and sister company to The MAXIMUM Building in James City County.

We provide office space to the small-business owner who wishes to have an office presence without heavy overhead costs. This presence allows for professionalism, community networking and relationship-building with other small businesses.

Other services offered are coaching and mentoring, seminars and training, and networking meet-ups. The co-worker/member has the option of using space in both buildings.

FIND US ONLINE: worknimbly.com

maximizedlifecoaching.com/coaching coworkwilliamsburg worknimbly

Gholson & Associates, LLC DBA

Lawrence and Ti’Juana Gholson

CULTIVATE NEW JOBS AND INVESTMENTS

2021 Discretionary Incentives Awarded

Total Taxes Collected: $1,219,656

Incentives Awarded to Businesses: $423,495

Net New Taxes to City: $796,160*

The City of Williamsburg EDA voted unanimously at its meeting on March 10, 2021, to award incentive grants to two new restaurants. The awarded incentives grant a percentage of the taxes the restaurants pay to the City over a fiveyear period, which is a revenue sharing agreement that is performance-based.

*Represents net new direct tax revenue to the City. Economic impact is larger.

“These incentives are a win-win because they draw new businesses and new revenue to the city, and the businesses earn back some of the taxes paid based on their own success. It’s important to remember that the City retains a percentage of the taxes, which is new revenue the City would not have collected without these restaurants opening here.”

— RICK OVERY Economic Development Authority Chairman

● The revenue sharing incentive for Another Broken Egg Cafe supported exterior improvements to modernize the building at 1006 Richmond Road.

● The company has more than 70 cafes located in 13 states and is continuing to grow in new and existing markets across the United States.

● The Williamsburg location will headquarter all Virginia back-office staff and be used as the South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware training facility for cafe management.

● The EDA will award revenue grants over time, after the business pays local sales and meals tax.

Another Broken Egg Cafe expands to Williamsburg, Virginia with the opening of its first location in the state.

Midtown Row GRAND OPENING

On Sept. 24, 2021, Midtown Row hosted its grand opening. This $120 million mixed-use redevelopment project is on 25 acres with 237,520 square feet of commercial product and 240 fully leased residential units.

» midtownrowwilliamsburg.com

(left to right) – Broad Street CEO Mike Jacoby, City Council Member Barbara Ramsey, Mayor Douglas Pons, City Manager Andrew O. Trivette

Brass Wind (band) playing at the opening

(left to right) – EDA Chair Rick Overy, Commissioner of the Revenue Lara Overy, Interim Economic Development Director Yuri Adams, City Engineer Aaron Small, City Manager Andrew O. Trivette, Principal Planner Erin Burke, Assistant City Manager Michele Mixner DeWitt

Juicing Life Bar, which will be opening a storefront at Midtown in 2022, set up a tasting table at the event.

To assist businesses during the pandemic, the City of Williamsburg, in partnership with York County and the City of Poquoson, applied for and received funding from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

Businesses open prior to the pandemic that employed fewer than 20 fulltime employees at any point during the pandemic, were eligible for up to six months of business rent or mortgage expenses at a max award of $15,000. Of the awards made to City of Williamsburg businesses in 2021, approximately 40.5% went to woman-owned businesses and approximately 26% of awards went to minority-owned businesses.

WE ARE YOUR BUSINESS CONCIERGE

The City of Williamsburg offers targeted incentives to existing and new businesses located in the City. Additionally, the Commonwealth of Virginia provides business incentives, and parts of the City are located within federal government incentive areas.

Bicycle Rack Grant Program

Arts District

Tax incentives and fee waivers over a five-year period for qualified arts businesses in properties within the Williamsburg Arts District.

Made possible by an original grant from the Williamsburg Health Foundation in honor of then Planning Director Reed Nester, this grant allows businesses to install bicycle racks for customers with a significant offset in costs - up to three bike racks at $25/rack.

Commonwealth Incentives

The Commonwealth of Virginia provides an array of incentive and grant programs through multiple economic development partners to reduce the costs of opening or expanding a business facility, developing a talented workforce, and building critical infrastructure.

Business Appreciation Award

Annually, the EDA recognizes a City business for its work and dedication to make the City of Williamsburg a better place to live, work, and visit.

Business Roundtables

On the second Tuesday of each month, the EDA hosts a lunch roundtable where City businesses discuss varying topics, concerns, and ideas with local, regional, and state experts.

eCommerce Grant

Small businesses in the City eligible for this grant receive support to directly enhance website traffic and drive online commerce with features like updated web design and development, online shopping systems, and search engine optimization.

Grant

Google Street View Virtual Tour for Business

This grant is an opportunity for small businesses to secure professional photography to contribute to a 360° interior tour showcase of their business on Google.

Greater Williamsburg Partnership

The City of Williamsburg is an active participant in the Greater Williamsburg Partnership, a dynamic regional economic development organization that facilitates new business investment and markets the communities of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County.

This regional program provided

more than $3.5 MILLION to 352 BUSINESSES in our three localities.

$1.5 MILLION in relief funds to 143 BUSINESSES in the City of Williamsburg.

New Market Tax Credits

Businesses, including nonprofits, located in a qualifying census tract in the City may qualify for the federal New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, which primarily provides lower interest rate loans.

Tax-Exempt Bonds

The Williamsburg Economic Development Authority (EDA) is authorized to issue taxexempt industrial revenue bonds to fund certain facilityrelated improvements for nonprofit, 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organizations, accredited educational institutions, museums, and medical facilities.

Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone

The HUB Zone Empowerment Contracting program provides federal contracting opportunities for qualified small businesses located in these areas, one of which is designated within the City. The program’s goal is to award at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZonecertified companies.

Revenue Sharing Incentives

Gap financing, loans, and grants equal up to 60 months of associated tax impact are offered in flexible, performancebased structures to businesses within the City’s target industries.

Launchpad: Greater Williamsburg Business Incubator

Launchpad is an entrepreneurial ecosystem partnership among the City of Williamsburg, James City County, York County, and William & Mary to help startup businesses in our region grow through customer-centric programming, activities, and coaching.

Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit

Qualifying businesses are eligible for this state-administered tax credit if they create at least 25 new full-time jobs in the City in a non-retail trade industry. The benefit is a $1,000 corporate income tax credit for each new full-time job created over the 25-job threshold.

Small Business Investment Grant

Existing businesses and commercial property owners may access this grant to invest in their properties through exterior façade improvements, landscape enhancements, and other capital improvements.

Tourism Financing Opportunities

The Virginia Tourism Corporation administers two notable tourism programs focused on gap financing for tourism development projects – the Tourism Development Financing Program and the Virginia Tourism Growth Fund – focused on offsetting debt service and project financing at certain levels.

Small Business Jobs Grant Fund

For qualifying businesses creating at least five new jobs through expansion or start-up, grants are available ranging from $500 to $2,000 per job if certain criteria are met.

Manufacturers, distributors, inbound call centers, certain IT companies, manufacturers, and headquarters relocating to Virginia are all eligible.

Williamsburg

Tourism Zone

For qualifying new or expanding tourism-based businesses within the Northeast Triangle area of the City, certain taxes and fees may be refunded or waived for a period of up to five years.

Minimum capital investments include $50,000 for existing tourism businesses and $250,000 for new tourism businesses.

The CDBG Small Business Grant was one of the many ways that the City went above and beyond to respond and support our business community struggling with the impacts of COVID-19.

At one point last year, we were told that our three localities had assisted more than half of the total number of businesses assisted by the program in the entire state — something we’re very proud of!

— YURI ADAMS

Interim Director of Economic Development

FOSTER ENTREPRENEURIAL & CREATIVE GROWTH

Start Peninsula helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses through mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. The pitch competition, hosted by the city of Newport News, in partnership with the cities of Hampton, Williamsburg, Poquoson, and James City and York counties, has been held annually since 2012.

1-year memberships to the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, the York County Chamber of Commerce, and the Retail Alliance

20 hours of consulting from the Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center

10 hours of project management assistance and consulting with the Crim Dell Small Business Network

"Economic development in our community goes beyond attracting something new — it often means growing and celebrating what we already have."

— MICHELE MIXNER DEWITT, Assistant City Manager

Bonilla Pet Studio

Bonilla Pet Studio became a Launchpad member in 2021. They have a pet photography studio in Norfolk and wanted to open a second location in Williamsburg. They became a Launchpad member to benefit from mentorship opportunities and to get assistance with the process of scaling up and growing. They heard about Start Peninsula through Launchpad, competed in the September Start Peninsula Micro Pitch, earned a spot as a finalist, and then won the Championship Pitch Event in November 2021.

They celebrated the grand opening of their second location on Dec. 4, 2021.

What is attractive about current entrepreneurial growth in the City?

We were determined to open a studio because the demand was high. We talked to a lot of businesses, and they were all happy to be in the City and had been open for many years.

What tools are available to you within the City that you found unique or compelling for your business vision?

We have participated in many educational opportunities... also in Start Peninsula, initially in the micro pitch competition, and then as the first place winner in 2021. Erin was also a member of BNI and participated in William & Mary's LaunchPad program. She is now participating and volunteering her time with W&M's MBA students on one of their research programs.

BUSINESS FOCUS: Families with pets. We capture the bond between families and their love for their fur babies.

FIND US ONLINE: bonillapetstudio.com

What do you love about working and living in the greater Williamsburg area?

We absolutely love the City and love to call Williamsburg our new home. We feel that everyone was happy to have us, and our business is doing well due to the support of the local community and, of course, from our beloved customers.

one of three winners in the 2021 Start Peninsula competition

EBonillaPhoto

Erin and Oswaldo Bonilla

Collaborative, Innovative Williamsburg Public Art Council Formed

In February 2021, Williamsburg City Council adopted an ordinance and resolution to create the Williamsburg Public Art Council (WPAC) with a purpose to:

● Celebrate the City’s past, present, and future with public art;

● Enhance the City’s identity and economic vitality by encouraging people to spend more time in the City engaged with public art; and

● Highlight and enhance the beauty and unique character of the City.

In 2021, the WPAC took inventory of existing public art in the City; developed an application process for public art on private property; created a list of potential public art locations of City property; and conducted a public input survey. The WPAC is currently overseeing the approval and installation of several new murals in Midtown Row.

Fraga Magna Rotabila (latin for Large Strawberry with Wheels) by Williamsburg artist Merrilee Cleveland was approved for placement in Bicentennial Park by the WPAC in August 2021. The sculpture was donated to the City by the Triangle Arts & Culture League and stands as a symbol of love, nurturing, and protection.

"The vibrant culture of our community is one of the many drivers supporting our economic development efforts. Public art has been a City Council priority for many years, and I am personally excited to see it now celebrated across the entire city footprint."

— BARBARA

In 2021, the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission distributed 25 grants totaling $157,000 to the following arts organizations for their continued events and programming efforts:

Accordion Renaissance

An Occasion for the Arts

Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble

Flute Frenzy

Global Film Festival at William & Mary

Institute for Dance

Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Open Door Concert Series

Opera in Williamsburg

Panglossian Productions

StageLights

Tidewater Classical Guitar

Virginia Arts Festival

Virginia Opera

Virginia Regional Ballet

Virginia Stage Company

WPAC is made up of members of City Council, the Architectural Review Board, Planning Commission, Economic Development Authority, Tourism Development Grant Review Committee, and citizens. WPAC will highlight existing cultural assets and bring new art to the forefront to draw people living, working, and visiting in the community together.

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

WHRO

Williamsburg Choral Guild

Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center

Williamsburg Music Club

RAMSEY Williamsburg City Council

Global Film Festival at William & Mary

Tourism Development Investments

The City's Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has been investing in the community since 2019 to increase patronage to restaurants, hotels, and events in the City of Williamsburg through financial assistance and reinvestments in tourism products, place-making projects, special events, and public-private partnerships. The following community partner organizations received allocations this year from the City's Tourism Development Fund.

Ampersand International Arts Festival* $25,000

An Occasion for the Arts $25,000

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation $1,300,000

Culturefix $340,000

Williamsburg Hotel Motel Association $11,000

Williamsburg Live (Virginia Arts Festival) $125,000

*Formerly the William & Mary Global Film Festival

The Edge District

The Edge District — a foodie destination at the convergence of James City County, York County, and the City of Williamsburg — was formally launched in July 2021 with an event called “Running with Scissors”. These back-to-back ribbon cuttings celebrated all participating businesses in the district spanning all three localities in Greater Williamsburg.

Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority (EVRIFA)

The Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority (EVRIFA) successfully acquired a 432-acre former Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Fuel Farm in December 2021. Simultaneous with the acquisition, the authority leased 250 acres of the property to CI Renewables for a 20-megawatt facility. EVRIFA plans to develop the remaining acreage as a light industrial park. Six of EVRIFA’s 10 member jurisdictions — York, Isle of Wight, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Hampton and Newport News — funded the costs associated with this initiative and have agreed to revenue sharing on the entire property. EVRIFA currently includes James City County, Williamsburg, Gloucester County, York County, Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Franklin, Chesapeake, and Isle of Wight County.

Williamsburg Downtown

Williamsburg Downtown is a new nonprofit organization created in partnership with the City of Williamsburg in 2021 to enhance the awareness and economic vitality of the downtown business district. This new effort is one of the resulting recommendations of a Downtown Vibrancy Study from 2018. To launch their inaugural fundraising event, Photos with Santa, Williamsburg Downtown was awarded a $30,000 grant from the City’s Tourism Promotion Contingency Fund.

In 2021, the City of Williamsburg rejoined the Hampton Roads Alliance, the leading regional economic development organization for the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Alongside 13 locality partners, Williamsburg will benefit from this publicprivate partnership’s focus on attracting, growing, and retaining companies and talent across the region.

PHOTOS BY CONSOCIATE MEDIA

For the second time in three years, Williamsburg was voted one of “The South’s Best Small Towns” by Southern Living magazine.

“Colonial Williamsburg draws in over 6 million visitors a year spending more than $1.3 billion. The history of Williamsburg is leveraged by restaurants, retail shops, and tourism services. We invite you to come and be a part of the history and magic that is Colonial Williamsburg.”

— SHAUN COLEMAN Executive Director of Sales & Marketing for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Hospitality Division