The Northern Virginia Daily

Article date: June 02, 2008

EDA works to bring in Va. Tech

School would be part of Avtex site

By Jessica Coleman -- Daily Staff Writer

FRONT ROYAL — The Warren County Economic Development Authority is working on bringing Virginia Tech to Front Royal, possibly as part of the redevelopment of the Avtex Superfund site.

The plans would have the institution set up a wine and culinary institute and a regional center for logistics and manufacturing, with at least two full-time professors and graduate students available to consult with local businesses. These could be located in the proposed business park on the Avtex site or possibly at the Happy Creek corridor.

"The whole thought behind both organizations is from an industry/business standpoint, we have a lot of local wineries and associated agribusiness which Tech is known for and because Front Royal has always been a center for logistics as far as its history," said the EDA's interim executive director, Michael South.

It has long been a desire of the EDA to have the presence of a four-year institution in the community, South said. And the positive exposure that Virginia Tech's reputation would bring to the area could only mean good things, he added.

"It will make this a focal point for those associated with those two industries and bring a larger exposure to our community and the resources we have here in Front Royal and Warren County," South said.

However, the plans are still in the works and the university has yet to formally agree to locate here. Basically, it boils down to a matter of money, South said. It is a symbiotic relationship.

"We both need to make an investment and we both need to get something out of it," said Theodore Settle, director of the Office of Economic Development for Virginia Tech. He said the university is waiting on the funding to come through before making a commitment.

And so far there has been a great deal of interest from the community about the prospect of bringing in the university, South said. DuPont, Caterpillar, Interbake, and the Virginia Inland Port have all expressed an interest in the center for logistics and manufacturing. Several local wineries have also gotten on board with the proposed wine and culinary institute.

John LaBarca, a member of the EDA board of directors, said he thinks the plan to bring in a four-year institution will greatly benefit the community.

"I can't say enough about what it would do for our community, just for our educational system," he said. "It's just amazing we've been able to get this much interest by Virginia Tech. It would be a significant presence and that would mean a lot to Front Royal and Warren County."

This partnership with Virginia Tech could also lead to the university's further presence down the road, South said, and the institution, in turn, would help to generate more interest in the area.

"In both cases we're interested in extending the footprint of the university beyond Blacksburg," Settle said. "Front Royal and Warren County are on the front edge of the curve with their interest in exploring this."