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Staunton leaders ask for a focused update to Stanton Crossing business plan as market shifts
Summary
Consultants and staff told Staunton City Council and the EDA that an updated Stanton Crossing business plan should prioritize site‑readiness metrics, ROI analysis and targeted marketing across pharmaceuticals and select mission‑critical uses; councilors urged caution on data centers because of community water and environmental concerns.
Timothy Davyy of the Timmans Group briefed Staunton elected leaders on April 9 on why the 2019 Stanton Crossing business plan needs a focused update, not an overhaul, to reflect post‑pandemic market changes and recent site‑readiness investments.
Davyy, whose firm guided the property’s earlier planning and has worked on multiple regional sites, said the city’s public ownership is an advantage because it can pursue projects that yield long‑term jobs and tax revenue but that private developers often avoid. He highlighted completed infrastructure—water tanks, sewer, road design and brownfields demolition—that have moved the site closer to a “tier 4” ready status and said the next plan should include ROI and jobs‑per‑acre metrics tied to state incentive criteria.
Why it matters: staff and the EDA want a short, actionable business plan so the city can answer prospect questions quickly during site visits and avoid being eliminated during early screening. Davyy recommended clearer target industries and updated market outreach—especially to pharmaceuticals and select mission‑critical users—and warned that regional competition and evolving site‑selection algorithms (including AI tools) require a refreshed marketing approach.
Council members asked about data centers, rail access and community concerns. Several members raised water‑supply and environmental worries if hyperscale data centers were marketed aggressively; Davyy said smaller, vertically stacked facilities are among the product types emerging in the market but stressed that any target list should be guided by ROI metrics and community policy decisions. He also noted that state grants tied to site readiness may require recapture if a site is sold to certain uses and that development agreements can structure price and grant payback terms.
Next steps: Davyy said the work could be completed in roughly 90 days if the council wants an expedited update; councilors and staff directed the EDA and administration to proceed with a collaborative process that includes stakeholder outreach and clear jobs‑and‑revenue targets before any formal marketing push.
The EDA and staff will return to council with a proposed process and timeline; no formal vote was taken on policy changes during the April 9 session.
