By Calvin Pynn, contributor
As part of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s announcement of a $17 million investment in workforce housing across Virginia, he chose to highlight a major rental housing project planned for the former Rosetta Stone building in downtown Harrisonburg.
Harrisonburg will receive around $1.2 million for the Flats At West Market at 135 W. Market Street. Owner and developer David Rao plans to convert the building into 89 rental units.
The $1.2 million grant will cover a portion of the development, although it’s too early to tell what the overall cost will be for the Flats At West Market.
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Executive Director Andrea Dono told The Citizen that Rosetta Stone still occupies the building but will move out in the near future. She said HDR hopes to find a way to keep the company in the downtown area once the building becomes the Flats At West Market, and that the project will be a step forward for Downtown Harrisonburg.
“We need a variety of housing in the downtown area,” Dono said. “The more vibrant the district will be, the more customers you’ll have, so overall, we’re excited for this investment.”
Youngkin said during Wednesday’s announcement at the Harrisonburg Innovation Hub in the old Wetsel Seed building that the investment will encourage an influx of workers who have followed new business developments in the commonwealth in recent years.
“Now, what’s left out of all of that is one issue: where are they going to live?” Youngkin asked during the announcement. “You see, in a growing state, a state that has more people moving here than moving away for the first time in over a decade, we are attracting even more talent.”
The governor chose to announce the statewide investment in Harrisonburg, which he said exemplifies the collaboration between the private sector and local government to create housing for workers moving to Virginia.
“It’s just the beginning,” Youngkin said. “And so today, we are standing here in this hub of innovation, celebrating innovation in housing, innovation in how we collaborate to unlock this opportunity. The Flats at West Market are, of course, Harrisonburg’s opportunity to celebrate this great collaboration in workforce housing.”
Harrisonburg is one of 10 communities that will receive an initial round of funding through the state’s Workforce Housing Investment Program. Virginia Housing, which facilitates the program, has committed $75 million over the next five years towards building 5,000 units of workforce housing across the commonwealth.
In total, the projects in the housing investment program are expected to leverage $254 million in private investments in the first round. They could potentially catalyze $750 million when all projects in the program are complete, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
Several people – including city leaders, stood alongside Youngkin during the event. Jay Langston, the executive director for the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, spoke at the start of the event.
“We need the opportunity that is there for us to help our companies,” Langston said. “This is top of mind for our company because when they are looking for the workforce, they need a place for them to live. We are blessed with a region that is growing in population.”
Virginia Housing CEO Tammy Neale attended the announcement, introducing the Governor at the end of her speech.
“Today’s announcement represents a crucial step in the shared journey toward an even better and more affordable housing future, a journey that our next speaker knows well,” Neale said. “Governor Youngkin recognizes that without access to quality, affordable housing, businesses and industries are reluctant to invest in our communities and create jobs and opportunities that are much needed.”
Mayor Deanna Reed also spoke during the event. She highlighted the City Council’s efforts to establish affordable housing in Harrisonburg.
“We have worked hard on developing a comprehensive approach to meeting a spectrum of housing needs through innovative planning and a partnership,” Reed said. Projects like the one happening here are essential pieces of it. It’s why we are taking steps such as making surplus city-owned land available for new housing.”
Dono was the final speaker at the event.
“Many ships are rising thanks to this workforce housing program,” Dono said.
The only other locality in the Shenandoah Valley to receive funds for workforce housing in this first round was the City of Winchester, which was awarded $3 million. That money will fund the revitalization of a former storage facility into a mixed-used development.
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