The Northern Virginia Daily

October 28, 2011

Dennis Morris, Chairman of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, gives opening remarks at the open house for the Commission’s new facility at 400 Kendrick Lane in Front Royal. Dennis Grundman/Daily

A Long Time Coming

Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission moves to old Avtex Superfund Site

By Kaitlin Mayhew

FRONT ROYAL-- "We've waited a long time for this," Dennis M. Morris, chairman of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission, said as he cut the ribbon at the site of the agency's new offices on Thursday.

The regional commission officially moved to its new location at the Avtex Superfund site last month.

Prior to that, the commission occupied a building that used to be a dry cleaners on Sixth Avenue. It operated out of that location for the last 37 years, and the agency has been itching for a change.

"This location is such an improvement from where we were before," said NSVRC administrative assistant Gail Crigler.

The main problem with the old building was that it was simply too small for the 10-member staff, said NSVRC community development planner Tyler Klein. The space also was ill-equipped for the inter-regional meetings that the commission holds throughout the year. Previously, it had to hold these meetings in the Warren County Government Center, but from now on the commission will be able to have them in-house.

"This is much nicer, I remember it being a little claustrophobic in [their old office,]" said Shenandoah District Supervisor Richard H. Traczyk, who was present at Thursday's ribbon-cutting and open house.

The new building, at 400 Kendrick Lane, is a 4,000-square-foot space, or "Space E" in the Avtex Administration Building, which is owned by the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority.

The space was formerly the temporary home of the Wayside Theatre while their building in Middletown was being renovated.

Morris said the NSVRC had a very successful first meeting in its new location last month.
"We were jam-packed," he said.

The NSVRC serves the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren, as well as the towns of Front Royal, Luray, Middletown, Stephens City and Strasburg and the city of Winchester.

"We have a great diversified group of individuals who want to work with you all," said Morris, a member of the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors.