TABLE OF CONTENTS
02 - Introduction
03 - By the Numbers
04 - Community Accolades
05 - Five-Year Project Summary
06 - Falling Branch Corporate Park
08 - Existing Industry & Workforce
Introduction
To the Honorable Chair, members of the Board of Supervisors, and the citizens of Montgomery County:
12 - Business Attraction & Marketing
14 - Community Outreach
15 - Virginia Economic Development Partnership
16 - County Broadband Initiatives
18 - Real Estate & Infrastructure
22 - Boards & Commissions
23 - Commemorating 25 Years
DEPARTMENT STAFF
Brian Hamilton, CEcD
Economic Development Director hamiltonbt@montgomerycountyva.gov
Brenda Rigney, CEcD
Project Manager - Existing Industry rigneybb@montgomerycountyva.gov
Rachel Cline
Project Manager - Marketing and Business Development clinerf@montgomerycountyva.gov
Carley Graves Andrews
Project Manager - Broadband gravescm@montgomerycountyva.gov
The Montgomery County, Va., Department of Economic Development (MCDED) has prepared this annual report to showcase the organization’s activities and accomplishments during 2023-2024. The report is also intended to be an economic development marketing tool for Montgomery County, and features the achievements of local companies, entrepreneurs, and other key allies.
The Department of Economic Development is dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout Montgomery County –including the incorporated towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg – by encouraging positive economic growth that:
• CREATES meaningful career opportunities;
• EXPANDS the commercial tax base to support the delivery of vital public services; and
• PROTECTS our enviable quality of life.
Our department accomplishes its mission through strategies that support the startup, retention, and expansion of businesses already in Montgomery County, as well as the attraction of new targeted industries to the community.
A CHANGE TO OUR ANNUAL REPORTING
Beginning this year, we have decided to change the format of our Annual Report to cover the fiscal year instead of the calendar year. This means that moving forward, our reports will run from the beginning of July through the end of June rather than January to December.
Because this is our first year switching from calendar to fiscal year reporting, this year’s report needed to cover a longer time period than normal to accommodate the transition. Our 2023-2024 Annual Report includes data and events spanning 18 months rather than our usual 12 months, beginning in January 2023 and running through the end of June 2024.
2023-24
by the NUMBERS
$1.174M
IN GRANTS
Montgomery County received a total of $1.174 million in grant funding to put toward site improvements in Phase II of Falling Branch Corporate Park, including $324,000 in GO Virginia funding for utility extensions and $850,000 in VDOT Access funds to extend Parkway Drive.
85
Including follow up support services, the Department made 85 total visits with local companies through its Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program.
15,475 70K
WEBSITE VISITS
YesMontgomeryVA.org was visited 15,475 times from 97 different countries and nearly all 50 states.
46
The Department saw 34 prospect inquiries from new businesses, as well as 12 inquiries from existing Montgomery County businesses looking to expand or relocate.
SQUARE FEET
United Therapeutics and subsidiary Revivicor became the newest tenant in Falling Branch Corporate Park, opening a first-of-its-kind designated pathogen free facility for xenotransplantation.
1,356
Over 1,300 citizens expressed interest in receiving broadband service at their home or business through GigaBeam Networks, Montgomery County’s official internet service partner in extending broadband access through the rural areas of the county.
COMMUNITY accolades
Leading Metro Area in Virginia, Area Development
The Blacksburg-Christiansburg MSA was named #1 in Virginia and #49 in the United States on the Area Development 2023 Leading Metro Areas rankings, and was the only Virginia MSA to rank in the top 50. The MSAs were ranked based on factors like activity in hightech manufacturing and other STEM fields, the cost of living, and unemployment rates.
Best Place to Live in Virginia, Homesnacks
Blacksburg was named the #7 best place to live in Virginia in 2024, up two spots from 2023. The rankings were based on factors like crime rate, the quality of local schools, cost of living, commute time, and the unemployment rate. Christiansburg also came in at #12 on the list, up from #16 the previous year.
#1 #7 #9
in Top Public Schools, U.S. News & World Report
Blacksburg was named the ninth best place to live in Virginia, thanks primarily to low crime rates and the quality of local schools. Christiansburg also made the top 20, coming in at #16 on the list.
Most Educated Cities in America, Dwellics
Blacksburg was ranked #27 out of the 100 Most Educated Cities in America in 2024. The list looked at educational attainment in both children and adults, such as the percent of the population with a college degree. Blacksburg’s high ranking included high proficiencies in math, reading, and language at the middle and high school levels.
2023 #27
Top Virginia Employers for Interns, V-TOP
The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, or V-TOP, named a number of Montgomery County employers to their list of Top Virginia Employers for Interns in 2023. The employers included InMotion US, Torc Robotics, Brown Edwards & Company, Virginia Tech, and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. The intern programs were evaluated on factors such as their training for industry certifications, structured mentor programs, and exposure to senior leadership.
FIVE-YEAR PROJECT summary
Since 2019, the Department has made 18 total announcements from new and existing businesses. These announcements have resulted in nearly 1,000 new jobs, with over $132 million in new investment.*
*Project summary includes new data from January 2023 through June 2024 instead of the standard 12 month reporting. Data was also updated to reflect changes that occurred after the publication of last year’s annual report.
FALLING BRANCH corporate park
UNITED THERAPEUTICS IS NEWEST TENANT IN FALLING BRANCH
In February 2024, biotechnology firm United Therapeutics and their Blacksburg-based subsidiary Revivicor hosted a ribbon-cutting for their new building in Falling Branch Corporate Park. The 70,000 square foot building is a firstof-its-kind Designated Pathogen-Free (DPF) research and development facility for pig-to-human xenotransplantation. “This is the day a revolution in medicine truly began,” United Therapeutics CEO Dr. Martine Rothblatt told the crowd at the ceremony celebrating the opening of the facility, which has been named the Hon. Louis Sullivan & Hon. Tommy Thompson Clinical Xenotransplantation DPF Building.
The new operation will help United Therapeutics continue their research and trials as they work toward their vision of an unlimited supply of transplantable organs. The company previously made headlines internationally for performing the first ever pig-to-human xenotransplantation of a heart in 2022. In 2024, they also performed the first transplant of their UThymoKidney to a living patient, a modified xenokidney intended to be better recognized by the recipient’s immune system and reduce the likelihood of rejection.
“Every one of us here today has or will have someone in our lives who will need a transplant,” former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, explained at the February ribbon-cutting. “This facility is a major step in moving from scarcity to abundance, from desperation to hope.”
The new facility sits in Phase One of Falling Branch Corporate Park and was purchased from the Montgomery County Economic Development Authority for $1.066 million. A portion of those funds were then put toward paving Corporate Drive, the road serving the building and the park’s electrical substation.
United Therapeutics cuts the ribbon on their new building in Falling Branch Corporate Park, a first-of-its-kind biotech facility for xenotransplantation research and development.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY RECEIVES GRANTS FOR FALLING BRANCH PHASE II SITE IMPROVEMENTS
Construction is now underway on improvements that will make the remaining site in Phase Two of Falling Branch Corporate Park pad-ready and much more easily marketable to prospective businesses. The construction on the 38-acre site will include the grading of a 20-acre pad, the extension of utilities, and the extension of Parkway Drive to serve the new pad.
Montgomery County received two sizable grants to put toward the construction. In April 2023, a VDOT Economic Development Access grant was awarded for the extension of Parkway Drive, which included $700,000 in unmatched funds and another $150,000 intended to match the funds Montgomery County is putting into the project. In June 2023, the construction project was also awarded a $324,000 grant through GO Virginia Region 2 for the extension of the waterline. The Town of Christiansburg partnered with Montgomery County on the GO Virginia application by providing $300,000 in matching funds to pair with the funds the County is contributing.
In early 2024, the project was awarded to Main Street Builders, LLC for just under $2.8 million. Construction got underway in summer of 2024 and is expected to be completed by June of 2025.
FALLING BRANCH CORPORATE PARK CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
February 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of the official groundbreaking of Falling Branch Corporate Park, which took place on February 5, 1999.
Originally known as Falling Branch Industrial Park, the Christiansburg site was first identified for industrial use in 1991 and was purchased from various owners by the then Montgomery County Industrial Development Authority (now the Economic Development Authority) with the support of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. Phase One of the park consisted of 175 acres, and in 2017 an additional 132 acres were purchased to expand the park and create Phase Two.
Over the past 25 years, Falling Branch Corporate Park has served a vital role in Montgomery County’s economy. To date, the park has been home to 10 different businesses across a wide range of industries, creating hundreds of high-quality jobs for Montgomery County citizens and generating over $177 million in capital investment.
In February 1999, key Montgomery County stakeholders and U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher gathered for the official groundbreaking of the then Falling Branch Industrial Park in Christiansburg.
EXISTING INDUSTRY & Workforce
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION PROGRAM
The Economic Development Department uses its Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) program to maintain good relationships and communication with companies in Montgomery County. Department staff arrange BRE visits with local businesses to identify and help solve any problems or barriers that may be undermining their overall success and growth in our community.
Between January 2023 and June 2024, the Department visited with local companies either in-person or virtually a total of 85 times.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMPANIES PARTICIPATE IN VALET PROGRAM
Over the last several years, many Montgomery County companies have taken advantage of the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program, a two-year program through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) that provides training and networking opportunities for companies to strengthen their international sales.
This past year, Montgomery County companies have continued that strong presence in VALET, as one new company joined the program and another four completed their two years needed to graduate.
In January of 2023, VEDP announced that TECHLAB, Inc. would be joining VALET, while Moog, Inc. graduated from the program in the same month. Other graduates included ESS Technologies, Inc. and MELD Manufacturing Corporation in July of 2023, as well as Alacran Consulting in January of 2024.
NRV CONSORTIUM RECEIVES FEDERAL TECH HUBS STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT GRANT
With companies like MELD putting Montgomery County at the forefront of innovative additive 3D printing technologies, a New River Valley-based consortium focused on additive manufacturing and advanced materials submitted an application to the 2023 Tech Hubs Program through the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Tech Hubs intends to strengthen the U.S. economy by strategically investing in regions with the potential to become globally competitive in innovative technologies by encouraging collaborations that will drive regional growth. The NRV consortium, dubbed the Virginia’s Additive Manufacturing and Applied Materials Strategy Development Consortium, is led by the New River Valley Regional Commission and includes the Counties of Montgomery, Floyd, Giles, and Pulaski, the City of Radford, Virginia Tech, Radford University, New River Community College, NRV companies focused on additive and advanced materials like MELD Manufacturing and Hollingsworth & Vose, as well as partners out of the City of Danville. The application was also supported by U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Representatives Morgan Griffith and Rob Wittman.
In October of 2023, the U.S. EDA designated 31 tech hubs nationwide, along with 29 regions that would receive strategy development grants to help them further develop their regional strategy. The NRV consortium received a $500,000 grant which will be paired with matching funds from the consortium members to continue developing the region’s strategy to help local manufacturers adopt innovative technologies like additive and advanced materials into their existing business practices.
MELD PRINTWORKS HOSTS RIBBON CUTTING AT NEW FACILITY
In March 2023, MELD PrintWorks Corporation, a spin-off of existing Montgomery County business MELD Manufacturing Corporation, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at their new facility in Christiansburg.
Utilizing patented MELD additive manufacturing technology, PrintWorks is able to design and 3D print metal components to be used across a wide variety of industries, including defense and aerospace, at a time when the traditional supply chain has been much slower to deliver on parts.
PrintWorks is also the third company launched in Montgomery County by MELD CEO Nanci Hardwick.
Economic Development staff assisted PrintWorks in the search for a new location and the rezoning process for the facility they selected, as well as helping to organize the March 31st ribbon-cutting. The event was attended by U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith, then Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Sherri Blevins, and representatives from Virginia Tech and New River Community College, as both higher education institutes plan to collaborate with MELD to help students learn how to use their innovative additive technology firsthand.
Congressman Morgan Griffith and then Board of Supervisors Chair Sherri Blevins joined MELD PrintWorks as they officially opened their new facility in Christiansburg.
ESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. EXPANDS AND RELOCATES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
In May 2024, Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin announced that ESS Technologies, Inc. (ESS T) will invest $1.6 million to expand their existing Montgomery County operations into a larger facility in the county.
A subsidiary of the Pacteon Group, ESS T specializes in the integration of robotics and automation for pharmaceutical and beauty product packaging. The company is currently headquartered in the Blacksburg Industrial Park and also has a small facility in nearby Giles County. The expansion into a 40,000 square-foot space in Christiansburg will consolidate their existing facilities, expanding their capacity and allowing for the creation of 27 new jobs over the next five years. The additional positions will be supported by the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which incentivizes job creation by reimbursing a portion of the costs associated with hiring and training new employees. The state-funded program is operated by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP).
“We are thrilled ESS T recognized our commitment to and support of local industries by choosing Montgomery County as home for expanding their innovative business,” said Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Biggs in a press release announcing the expansion.
The Economic Development Department has maintained a strong relationship with ESS T since the company first located in Blacksburg in 1993, and staff worked closely this past year with the company and VEDP on the expansion announcement and ESS T’s participation in VJIP to ensure their continued success in Montgomery County.
Source: ESS Technologies, Inc.
ESS Technologies, Inc. will soon move from the Blacksburg Industrial Park to a larger facility in Christiansburg, allowing for 27 new jobs.
VTCRC COGRO LABS OFFERS FLEXIBLE SHARED LAB SPACE FOR STARTUPS
Following the success of the original COgro shared flexible office space, the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC) officially opened COgro Labs in March of 2023, providing a new option for small businesses and researchers in need of a small amount of lab space to get started.
COgro Labs offers both wet and dry flexible lab space, as well
WING BEGINS
as specialized equipment and resources that are often out of reach for early-stage companies, and leases can be made on a short- or long-term basis.
The shared lab project came about through a 2021 GO Virginia grant, for which Montgomery County provided support along with a number of other economic development and biotech stakeholders.
COLLABORATION
The project also brought about a collaboration with Johnson & Johnson’s JLABS to support innovative biotech and life science startups in our region through a virtual residency program, giving companies access to JLABS resources, mentors, and networking opportunities. Six companies have been selected to participate so far, with the second cohort focusing specifically on cancer research.
WITH DOORDASH IN CHRISTIANSBURG
Since launching the first U.S. commercial drone delivery test site in Christiansburg in 2019, Wing has grown to offer delivery services from a number of local businesses and restaurants. In March 2024, the company announced yet another first for their U.S. operations would take place in Christiansburg: a partnership with DoorDash that will allow customers to have their Wendy’s orders delivered via drone.
The collaboration between the two delivery services first came about through DoorDash Labs, the robotics and automation arm of the company that looks for ways to integrate innovative technologies that improve last mile logistics. Wing was a natural fit to partner with, and they began with a year-long trial at Wing’s Australian locations. The decision to expand the service to Christiansburg was thanks in large part to how well the community has embraced drone delivery over the last few years.
Customers within the Wing delivery radius in Christiansburg can place their orders through the DoorDash app, which now has a “drone” option at checkout. Qualifying orders are prepared and packaged at the Wendy’s on North Franklin Street, and customers typically receive their food about 30 minutes or less from the time that they place their order.
Source: DoorDash
Christiansburg residents are the first in the U.S. to get their Wendy’s orders delivered by drone thanks to a new partnership between Wing and DoorDash.
BUSINESS ATTRACTION
& Marketing
From January 2023 to June 2024, the Department and its allies generated 46 prospect leads. Of these 46 leads, 34 were from new businesses not previously located in Montgomery County, and 12 came from existing businesses. At year-end, thirteen were still actively considering projects in our community, while three were successfully located in Montgomery County and will be announced at a later date.
PROSPECT ACTIVITY
2023-2024 PROSPECTS BY INDUSTRY (46)
2023-2024 SOURCE OF LEADS
VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP (VEDP) 46%
DEPARTMENT’S PROSPECT TRACKING SYSTEM DEFINITIONS:
Located: Project chose to locate in Montgomery County
Active: Project is under active consideration
Inactive: No project activity in 3 months or more
Closed: Project located elsewhere, or no activity in over a year
BUSINESS ATTRACTION
& Marketing
TRADE SHOWS
The Department actively markets Montgomery County to prospective businesses and site consultants at industry trade shows. The goal of these efforts is to develop leads on new projects that may have an interest in locating in our community.
AUVSI XPONENTIAL
Autonomous systems such as drones are a key target industry in Montgomery County, and each year the Department chooses to participate in the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems (AUVSI) Xponential annual conference. Xponential 2023 was held in May in Denver, Colorado, and the 2024 conference was hosted in San Diego, California. Staff attended both events and also helped sponsor the Virginia Pavilion hosted by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). For Xponential 2024, Montgomery County was also selected to attend the show alongside the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and take pre-set meetings with companies interested in learning more about potential growth opportunities in Virginia.
EASTEC 2023
In May 2023, Montgomery County was selected as a partner locality to travel with VEDP to West Springfield, Massachusetts for EASTEC 2023, the largest manufacturing trade show held in the Northeast. EASTEC covers a wide variety of manufacturing industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, defense, and more. Alongside VEDP, staff spoke with companies about what Virginia and Montgomery County specifically have to offer for manufacturers.
MD&M EAST 2023
In June 2023, Montgomery County was also selected to travel with VEDP to New York City for the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) trade show, particularly as biotechnology is a quickly growing target industry for our region.
MD&M featured a large range of health-related industries such as medical device component manufacturing, medical packaging, 3D printing, and robotics. Staff also participated in additional meetings coordinated by VEDP with site selectors and with companies at their offices in New York City.
SELECTUSA
In both 2023 and 2024, staff attended the SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor, Maryland in partnership with Onward New River Valley and staff from other NRV economic development departments. Each year, SelectUSA features representatives from many different international markets across a wide range of industries, which provides a lot of opportunities for the team to discuss why the NRV is a great place to live and work.
Montgomery County was heavily represented in the Virginia Pavilion at the 2024 AUVSI Xponential conference in San Diego, with booths featuring MCED, Onward New River Valley, Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, and Wing’s drone technology.
YESMONTGOMERYVA.ORG TOPS 15,000 HITS
Yesmontgomeryva.gov is the official website of the Department of Economic Development, and showcases the quality of life and business climate in Montgomery County. From January 2023 through June 2024, the website had 15,475 visits from 97 different countries and 49 states.
COMMUNITY Outreach
BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 2023-2024
The Department sponsored several events and programs between January 2023 and June 2024 for business outreach and to support the initiatives of its many partners and allies:
· Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council TechNite Award Ceremony
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet
· AUVSI Ridge and Valley Chapter 6th Annual Uncrewed Systems
Chapter Symposium
Virginia Pavilion at AUVSI Xponential conferences in both Denver (2023) and San Diego (2024)
New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board’s 2023
Business Success Symposium: “Making Resources Work for You”
Montgomery County, VA | Home of Virginia Tech and the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg 14
The Department helped sponsor the RBTC TechNite Award Ceremony in both 2023 and 2024. Several Montgomery County companies were honored with TechNite awards, including Qentoros, Intuitive Surgical, Fermi Energy, TECHLAB, Card Isle, and CytoRecovery.
Source: RBTC
VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Partnership
VEDP INCREASES VISITS TO THE NRV
As the economic development arm of Virginia, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) regularly works alongside Montgomery County on prospect requests, existing business expansions, workforce development, incentives, and more. Over the past year, however, VEDP staff have been seen swinging by our region for a lot more than just day-to-day business! These additional visits, largely facilitated by regional economic development partner Onward NRV, have provided VEDP staff with a better firsthand introduction to what our region has to offer prospective businesses.
VEDP International
In January 2023, Onward NRV hosted members of VEDP’s international representatives from South Korea, Tokyo, and Europe for a conversation about the NRV’s unique assets to benefit international business including Virginia Tech and Radford University. Local economic development representatives also joined the international team for dinner later that evening.
Business Investment Familiarization Tour
Coordinated by Onward NRV, a large group from the VEDP Business Investment team visited the NRV in spring of 2023 to better familiarize themselves with what our region has to offer, particularly for team members who joined VEDP when travel was restricted during the pandemic. The VEDP team traveled through all five NRV localities, meeting with local companies and seeing the unique amenities in our region.
Economic Development staff joined Onward and the VEDP crew as they traveled through Montgomery County. Their first stop was MELD Manufacturing in the Falling Branch Corporate Park, giving them an inside look at their innovative additive technology, followed by a tour of Wing in Christiansburg and a drone delivery demonstration. VEDP also saw presentations from the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and Virginia Tech’s LINK+LICENSE+LAUNCH. The tour of Montgomery County wrapped up with a Virginia Tech men’s baseball game and a visit to Eastern Divide Brewing Company in Blacksburg.
Real Estate Solutions
Montgomery County played host to the VEDP Real Estate Solutions team several times over the past year. The VEDP team met with staff to discuss the availability of sites and buildings in the county, touring existing buildings in places like the VTCRC and the Blacksburg Industrial Park as well as visiting available sites like the Midtown redevelopment in downtown Blacksburg and the soon-to-be graded Lot 2 in Phase II of Falling Branch Corporate Park.
VEDP President Meets with LEDO Members
In 2023, Onward NRV also coordinated a working lunch at the VTCRC for the NRV’s local economic development organizations to sit down with VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi. Discussion ranged from the economic development challenges and successes that the different localities have been experiencing recently to VEDP’s plans to change up the structure of their various teams.
COUNTY Broadband Initiatives
WORK CONTINUES ON MONTGOMERY COUNTY’S BROADBAND GRANT PROJECTS
Over the past year, Montgomery County and its internet service partners have continued to make progress behind the scenes on the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grant projects awarded through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
Montgomery County was awarded two grants through VATI to extend broadband to unserved and underserved parts of the county. VATI 2021 is a $1.4 million project covering the eastern portion of the county, which received nearly $920,000 in grant funding through VATI. The VATI 2022 project, which covers the remainder of Montgomery County outside the two incorporated towns, is a $50 million project that received $27.6 million in VATI funding.
Both VATI projects will establish fiber-to-the-home broadband connections via Montgomery County’s internet service partner, GigaBeam Networks, LLC. Both projects also include a partnership with Appalachian Power through the Utility Leverage Program, which will allow GigaBeam’s new fiber to be built off of Appalachian Power’s existing network in Montgomery County, saving a considerable amount of time and money versus starting from scratch.
Construction on the VATI 2021 project in Eastern Montgomery kicked off in 2023, which has included the underbuild of roughly 32 miles of additional fiber by Appalachian Power, new fiber installation by GigaBeam and their contractor, Gudenkauf, establishing a POP station, and putting in new wiring at the OLT cabinets.
The first test customer in the VATI 2021 area was officially hooked up at the end of May 2024. That connection will undergo extensive testing to make sure everything runs smoothly as they soon begin connecting other customers in the Eastern Montgomery area, then move on to start construction in the VATI 2022 project area.
Citizens can learn more about the project by visiting https:// gigabeam.net/projects and selecting the Montgomery County service area.
TALKING ABOUT BROADBAND INSTALLATION CAN SOMETIMES GET A LITTLE TECHNICAL. HERE ARE SOME TERMS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW AS BROADBAND SERVICE CONTINUES EXPANDING ACROSS THE COUNTY!
Fiber-to-the-Home
A physical fiber connection to your home or business that provides a much stronger and more reliable signal than a fixed wireless connection
ISP
Internet service provider
Make-Ready
Shifting any existing utilities on an electric pole to make room for the installation of new fiber attachments
Optical Line Terminal (OLT)
A device that services as the endpoint for the ISP’s network (and may be housed inside a cabinet in the front yard of your home or business)
Point of Presence (POP)
A physical location connecting users to the internet, allowing multiple networks to share one connection
Underbuild
Adding in additional fiber to support the existing fiber lines and allow for more new connections to be made
Montgomery County, VA | Home of Virginia Tech and the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg
Source: GigaBeam Networks
BROADBAND EVENT PROVIDES UPDATE FOR EASTERN MONTGOMERY CITIZENS
In September 2023, Montgomery County and its internet service partners hosted an event at the Meadowbrook Public Library in Shawsville to provide citizens with an update on the work being done to extend broadband service to their community.
Citizens heard from a number of speakers involved in Montgomery County’s broadband expansion efforts, including: Steve Fijalkowski, Montgomery County Board of Supervisors; Craig Meadows, outgoing Montgomery County Administrator; Kevin Byrd, New River Valley Regional Commission; Michael Clemons, CEO, GigaBeam Networks, LLC; Brad Hall, Vice President of External Affairs, Appalachian Power; and Dr. Tamarah Holmes, Director of the Office of Broadband for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
Each speaker touched on the partnerships that have been established to address broadband service in Montgomery County, as well as the hurdles they have had to overcome so far, such as legislative challenges and supply chain issues. Despite these delays, they emphasized that Montgomery County is setting a precedent in rural broadband deployment.
“[VATI 2021] will connect more than 1,200 homes, businesses, and community anchors to broadband, transforming communities to allow them to fully participate in our twenty-first century,” said Dr. Holmes.
“I look forward to being
“It’s a testament to what can happen when local government, community residents, utility companies, and all these different partners get together and come tell the story.”
“With the grant funding, [Montgomery County’s] financial commitment, and vital public-private partnerships in place, Montgomery County is in position to be one of the first localities in Virginia – and I would even say in the southeastern United States – to move forward with this significant and worthwhile of a broadband project, and it all starts here in eastern Montgomery County,” said Meadows, who also referred to the project as a highlight of his career as Montgomery County Administrator.
GigaBeam also emphasized their commitment to serving the community. “Being local, we strive to provide the best in service and support our customers, who are also our family, friends, and neighbors,” said Clemons. “It’s also our desire to build the most state-ofthe-art network to enable our communities to make our economy modern, dynamic, and ever flourishing.”
As Dr. Holmes wrapped up the event, she explained that she believes the future of broadband is very bright in Montgomery County. “I’m excited about the work that has been done, [and] I’m excited that it was community partners, local partners, the private sector, and the public sector all coming together to make this work.”
connected to high speed internet for the first time,” Board of Supervisors representative Steve Fijalkowski told his Eastern Montgomery neighbors and constituents at the fall broadband update event.
REAL ESTATE and INFRASTRUCTURE
LEWISGALE EXPANDS PRESENCE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
LewisGale Hospital Montgomery continues to grow and invest in Montgomery County, with two new expansion projects taking shape over the last year.
In February 2023, the hospital celebrated the completion of the first phase of a nearly $16 million expansion of the surgery department. Construction on the 7,500 square-foot expansion began in early 2022 and also included renovations to the existing 4,800 square feet in the surgery department. The expansion allowed for two additional operating rooms and a postanesthesia care unit with fifteen beds.
In December 2023, LewisGale also broke ground on a new freestanding emergency room on West Main Street in Christiansburg, not far from Exit 114 off of Interstate 81.
The nearly 10,000 square-foot facility will offer full-service 24-hour emergency care just like a traditional hospital emergency room, including 11 ER rooms, a fully equipped trauma bay, onsite laboratory testing, and advanced imaging tools like X-ray, CT scan, and ultrasound.
The stand-alone ER is intended to provide an additional option for emergency medical care as Montgomery County continues to grow, and is the third facility of its kind that LewisGale has brought to southwest Virginia, following similar projects in Cave Springs and Blue Hills in Roanoke. The new Christiansburg ER is expected to open in late 2024.
LewisGale Hospital Montgomery will soon open a free standing emergency room just off I-81 Exit 114 in Christiansburg to better serve the community in southwestern Montgomery County.
Source: The Roanoke Times
CHRISTIANSBURG’S HUCKLEBERRY PARK CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING
In September 2023, the Town of Christiansburg officially opened Christiansburg Huckleberry Park to the public, a $21 million project roughly a decade in the making.
The 50-acre recreation facility features multi-use athletic fields, two rentable picnic shelters, an ADA accessible and inclusive playground and splash pad, two fenced dog parks, picnic shelters, and over a mile of walking trails.
As of spring 2024, the total number of visitors to the new park was well over 100,000, including not only residents, but also a large number of visitors from outside the area. The park has already played host to a number of sports tournaments at the multipurpose athletic fields, boosting tourism and hospitality spending in the Uptown Christiansburg area as visitors look for places to eat and explore in between games.
Potential future plans for the park include pickleball courts, an amphitheater, additional parking, and if funding is secured, a connector road that would join Peppers Ferry Road and North Franklin Street. The Town of Christiansburg has also created small parcels at the front of the park property intended for commercial development, perfect for retail or restaurants to cater to visitors to the park.
CLIFTON TOWN CENTER
Located directly across Peppers Ferry Road from Christiansburg’s new Huckleberry Park, construction is now underway on Clifton Town Center. The project was originally approved by Christiansburg Town Council in 2019, and is expected to include a mix of apartments, townhomes, and commercial spaces such as retail, restaurants, and offices.
Developer Stateson Homes explained that they envision the town center as a place for people to live, work, and play, and they hope the project will help attract talented workforce from outside the region.
Stateson has already constructed a number of new housing units in Montgomery County, such as the Westhill development in Blacksburg. The developer has also previously done a similar town center project just outside of Roanoke in Daleville that features housing, shopping, dining, offices, walking trails, and an outdoor covered stage for concerts and festivals.
Mayor Michael Barber and other Christiansburg officials and staff celebrated with town residents as they officially opened Huckleberry Park to the public
Construction is in full swing on Clifton Town Center, a mixed use development in Christiansburg that will feature housing, dining, offices, and more.
Source: Town of Christiansburg
Source: Stateson Homes.
MAJOR RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY AT CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL
In October 2023, construction got underway on major renovations to Christiansburg High School meant to nearly double capacity to 1,600 students and modernize the facility originally built in 1972.
Renovations are expected to take about two years, wrapping up in August 2026, and will dramatically change both the interior and the exterior of the building.
“It will, in effect, be a brand-new building,” said Bernard Bragen, Superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools, in a press release. “Our schools are a showcase for our community. They’re the center of the hub where people come to meet.”
The $80 million project was designed by architectural firm Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates. The remodel includes a new front entrance and administrative suite, an auxiliary gymnasium, and open, modern classrooms.
ACADEMY SPORTS + OUTDOORS OPENS IN CHRISTIANSBURG
Redevelopment of the Christiansburg Marketplace shopping center continued over the past year with the opening of a second anchor store, Academy Sports + Outdoors, in fall of 2023, creating roughly 60 new retail jobs.
The sporting goods store held a three-day grand opening ceremony in November, which included interactive demonstrations and gift cards for the first customers through the door, as well as donations to the local Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia.
Academy Sports joins a growing list of new retailers in the redeveloped Marketplace property, including Earth Fare, Mission BBQ, Chicken Salad Chick, Noodles & Company, and many more. Plans are also in the works for an English Meadows senior residence facility, hotels, and potentially a doctor’s office.
Source: Academy Sports + Outdoors
Renovations at Christiansburg High School will modernize the school and are expected to nearly double the student capacity.
Academy Sports + Outdoors officially opened in late 2023 at Christiansburg’s Marketplace as redevelopment work continues on the shopping center property.
Source: CRA Architects
VIRGINIA TECH MULTI-MODAL TRANSIT CENTER ENHANCES CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION
As Virginia Tech students return to Blacksburg for the 2024 fall semester, they will find significant enhancements to transportation on campus thanks to the opening of the new multi-modal transit facility near Perry Street.
The $36 million project was funded by federal grants and represents a collaboration between the university and the Town of Blacksburg over a decade in the making. It is also a major step forward for Virginia Tech’s Campus Master Plan of creating what has been dubbed the Infinite Loop, a two-mile route around campus intended to be accessible to multiple different forms of transportation.
The 13,000 square foot multimodal transit center will serve as a transportation hub for Blacksburg Transit, Smart Way, Virginia Breeze, and Hokie Bike Club. The seventeen bus bays and two bus loops will become the new central campus hub for Blacksburg Transit as bus routes that traditionally ran around the pedestrian-heavy Drillfield area are re-routed to the centralized and fully accessible transit center. Campus shuttle buses will run continuously throughout the day to and from the new facility to ensure seamless connectivity across the entire university campus.
From buses to bikes, Virginia Tech’s new multi-modal facility will create one centralized transportation hub on the Blacksburg campus.
Source: The Roanoke Times
BOARDS and COMMISSIONS
The Economic Development Department provides administrative support the following entities:
Economic Development Authority of Montgomery County, VA Montgomery Regional Economic Development Commision
The Economic Development Authority (EDA) was created in 1970 by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. The EDA has the authority to issue industrial development bonds as well as acquire, lease and/or sell real estate property. The EDA meets the third Tuesday of every month. The Department provides staff support to the EDA.
EDA Directors
Joe Ferrell - Chair
Mark Husband - Vice Chair
Eric Johnsen
Michael Miller
Reid Broughton
Elli Travis
Pamela Simpkins
Staff Support
Brian T. Hamilton - Secretary / Treasurer
Brenda Rigney - Assistant Secretary / Treasurer
Marty McMahon - Legal Counsel
Angie Hill – County Administrator
MBC Development Corporation
The MBC Development Corporation is a 501(c) 3 organization created in 1985 to enhance and broaden the employment base in Montgomery County by providing small business with low interest loans not available from conventional sources.
Since its creation, the MBC has provided 40 small business loans totaling over $1.8 million.
Board Members
Tom Via - President
Brad Denardo - Vice President
Michael Barber
Jason Hardy
Nathan Hockersmith
Robert Parks
Michael Sutphin
Jeanne Symanoskie
Mary Biggs
Rob Hoover
Ken Miller
The Montgomery Regional Economic Development Commission (EDC) was created in 1982 by a resolution of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. The EDC acts in an advisory capacity on economic development matters for the County. It meets the third Thursday of every month. The Department provides staff support to the EDC.
EDC Directors
Peter Anderson - Chair
John Overton - Vice Chair
Darrell Sheppard
Steve Baffuto
Wendy Glass
Michael Barber
Charlie Jewell
Lauren Colliver
Paul Lancaster
Brett Malone
Staff Support
Brian T. Hamilton - Department Director
Brenda Rigney - Secretary
Staff Support
Brenda Rigney - Secretary / Treasurer
Marty McMahon - Legal Counsel
Brian Hamilton - Department Director
BRENDA RIGNEY CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY
This past year, Brenda Rigney celebrated 25 years with the Montgomery County Economic Development Department!
Brenda first joined the Department in October of 1998 and was later promoted to her current position as Project Manager for Business Retention and Expansion. Brenda plays an invaluable role in the work done by the Department, serving as the main point of contact with existing Montgomery County companies to help them continue to thrive and grow. She also has earned the title of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council.
Congratulations Brenda on 25 years with Montgomery County and the Economic Development Department!
