This afternoon, the Board of County Supervisors will hold a work session on how redevelopment can shape Prince William County’s next chapter. The presentation, “Redevelopment is the Key to Prince William’s Future Growth,” brought to us by the Prince William Economic Development and Tourism Department, lays out a clear case: if we want vibrant communities, a diversified economy, and a stronger tax base, we cannot rely only on greenfield development. We have to reinvest in the corridors and centers we already have.
Key themes include:
- Modernizing aging commercial and industrial sites so they can support mixed-use employment centers with housing, restaurants, and high-wage jobs
- Building a redevelopment toolkit that includes façade improvements, a revolving loan fund, redevelopment opportunity funds, and targeted incentives like technology and revitalization zones
- Using data, branding, and active retail attraction to bring the kinds of businesses residents have been asking for in areas like North Woodbridge, Potomac Mills, Sudley Road, and Triangle
Today, I will also be giving a directive asking staff and the County Attorney to evaluate options for a Local Economic Revitalization Zone Ordinance. Under Virginia law, this could allow us to:
- Designate older commercial and mixed-use corridors for focused revitalization
- Offer time-limited tax and fee tools for projects that deliver community benefits, including attainable housing and quality jobs
- Better align our land use, economic development, and climate goals in places that already have infrastructure
For me, redevelopment is not just about new buildings. It is about turning struggling and legacy suburban-style centers into places where residents can live, work, and gather without a long car trip, while protecting our rural and environmental assets. I welcome feedback from residents, business owners, and practitioners on what you would like to see prioritized as we refine this toolkit.