INSIDE A New Sales Strategy For Loudoun... Page 3 M AR C H 201 2 VOLUME 9 NO. 4
Business Leaders Go To Bat For Rail By Kara Clark, Staff Writer While the debate over whether the county should contribute financially to the growth of Metrorail through Loudoun continues, the local business community has made its position clear. At its March meeting, the Loudoun Economic Development Commission passed a resolution in support of the Rail to Loudoun project. EDC members passed the resolution by a 22-0 vote, with two members recusing themselves due to professional conflicts and School Board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) abstaining. The resolution notes that, in December, EDC members overwhelmingly selected the Rail to Loudoun project as the county’s top priority and most important economic development issue. It goes on to state the rail project will improve air quality by removing cars from the road with the alternative public transit option; provide area employees easier and more efficient access to and from Loudoun businesses including Dulles Airport; improve transportation options for older, younger and disabled travelers; and that the existence of rail in the area is imperative to the survival of the tran-
sit-oriented development that has been planned, or is under construction, in Loudoun. The resolution also states documented evidence has proved that rail stations provide jobs, and 54 percent of all regional jobs are located within half a mile of rail stations. “Without the completion of Phase II of the project, Loudoun will not be able to compete for relatively large public sector and, in some cases, corporate clients who will only locate their employees within a specified distance from public transportation,” the resolution reads. In response to growing worries over the project’s price tag, not to mention concerns over the use of a Project Labor Agreement on the Phase II project, the resolution also states the EDC “expects the Loudoun Board of Supervisors to exhibit fiscal responsibility and sensibility while planContinued On Page 4
Loudoun Business/Kara Clark
As construction on the Reston Station Metro stop along Wiehle Avenue in Reston progresses, elected officials in Loudoun County are still debating whether to financially support the extension of rail service into the county beyond Dulles Airport. Supporters say the extension of rail services will bolster the local economy, while those opposing the project point to excessive construction costs and maintenance fees that won't be known for years to come.
Forum Touts County’s Data Center Market By Kara Clark, Staff Writer Loudoun County is leading the nation, and some may argue the world, when it comes to its growing data center base. The Department of Economic Development and the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce hosted a Data
Center Forum Feb. 29 at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building in Broadlands. An audience numbering more than 150 listened to speakers and panelists talk up the positive traits of Loudoun’s data center base, as well as look to the future and possible improvements that can be made. PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
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Assistant Director of Economic Development Buddy Rizer, who for years has served as the business development officer recruiting data center users to locate in the county, spoke about how the changes in technology have benefited Loudoun’s ability to continue to attract data centers. “Computing has become ever present and is used almost anywhere you go,” he said. “It really has driven a ton of the demand. Technology continues to grow and all that infrastructure is needed in Loudoun County.” Also driving the demand is the need for virtual storage, the emergence of digital medical records, the move to cloud computing, government consolidation, video on demand, electronic trading and
commerce and wireless apps. There are two types of data centers, both of which can be found in Loudoun: an enterprise data center serves a single user, while collocations host multiple users, lease space and have independent or shared staff. Facebook, Visa and Amazon currently operate enterprise data centers in Loudoun, while Equinix, Latisys and Digital Realty Trust are examples of operators who use collocated facilities. “All in all there’s almost 5 million square feet of data centers based in Loudoun County,” Rizer surmised. And all that storage space accommodates the 50 percent of the world’s Internet traffic passing through Loudoun. Many data center operators in recent Continued On Page 9
PAGE 2 | Loudoun Business
BUSINESSES
Giving Back Dulles-based Allegra Print, Signs and Design awarded $15,000 in print and marketing services to 15 area nonprofit organizations. The funding is through Allegra’s FootPRINT Fund, which helps the resources of nonprofit groups, associations and charitable organizations reach the community and those they serve. Allegra owner John Flynn has invested more than $50,000 during the past three years through the FootPRINT Fund to support community services. Receiving funds this year were: The Arc of Loudoun, ECHOworks, Ride to Provide, Ashburn Volunteer Fire Department, Blue Ridge Hospice, Herndon/Reston FISH, Loudoun Cares, Blossom & Bloom Thrift Shop, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity, Loudoun Youth, Loudoun County Special Olympics, Replenish Community Foundation,
Loudoun Literacy Council, The III B’s Foundation and Loudoun Free Clinic. Loudoun Interfaith Relief was the recent recipient of $34,000 in gift cards thanks to an annual campaign by Harris Teeter. This is the ninth year the grocery store and its food bank partners have collaborated to fight hunger in its Harvest Feast campaign. During the month-long effort, customers donate money or nonperishable food to their local food bank or food pantry through the company. Since the inception of the program in 2003, the company has raised almost $1 million with customer participation and has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds of nonperishable food items. Harris Teeter acknowledged its “loyal shoppers” were key to the success of the Harvest Feast campaign.
MARCH 2012
Loudoun Interfaith Relief became a beneficiary of last year’s campaign, held Oct. 26 to Nov. 29, 2011. With the Harris Teeter donation, “we’ll have enough for the summer and a little bit extra to save for the autumn for the Holiday Food distribution,” LIR Executive Director Bonnie Inman said. The food pantry’s Summer Pack program
provides the families of school-age children with extra food throughout the summer. Harris Teeter has four stores in Loudoun: Ashburn, Brambleton, Broadlands and Lansdowne. A fifth store is slated to open in July in Purcellville.
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a great Leesburg business that stands out from the crowd! The Leesburg Economic Development Commission wants to hear from you! Nominations for the 11th Annual Business Appreciation Awards are now open.
All rights reserved. No part of Loudoun Business may be reproduced physically or electronically without the written permission of the publisher. Loudoun Business is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing office at (804) 367-8530. Toll free call (888) 551-3247. For the hearing impaired call (804) 367-9753. Email: fairhousing@dpor.Virginia.gov. Web site: www.fairhousing.vipnet.org.
11th Annual Town of Leesburg Business Appreciation Awards Call for Nominations
To submit nominations online please go to www.leesburgva.gov/business.
the hometown of the 21st century
Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 30, 2012.
Awards will be presented at the 11th Annual Business Appreciation Reception on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at the Holiday Inn Leesburg at Historic Carradoc Hall.
For more information, call Tara Belote at 703-771-2708 or email at tbelote@leesburgva.gov.
Award Categories: Ambassador Award • Community Steward Award Environmental Award • Heritage Award • Home-Based Business Award Innovations Award • New Business Award Public Art Award • Veterans Affairs Award The George C. Marshall Award
You can find Leesburg Economic Development Commission on facebook and
LinkedIn.
Loudoun Business | PAGE 3
MARCH 2012
Selling Loudoun? Supervisors Probe New Economic Development Strategy By Erika Jacobson Moore, Staff Writer Continuing with the campaign season promise to reinvigorate Loudoun County’s image as a landing spot for businesses and job growth, the Board of Supervisors is investigating whether the Department of Economic Development needs to alter its image to a sales-first organization. During the ongoing FY13 budget deliberations, the question of how to place further emphasis on commercial development within Loudoun was raised, and whether the current structure of the department was meeting that goal. The answer from some appears to be no. “We have an imbalance,” Supervisor Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn) said Feb. 27. “You have to go where the money is. The money is in the commercial side.” Currently, there are four full-time employees devoted to commercial business development, including the county’s two main recruitment clusters—information and communications technology and gov-
ernment contracting—as well as business retention and a small business position. The rural economy side has three full-time employees and one part-time employee dedicated to supporting those enterprises. The research department has three employees working on research and support and one who works on the site selection and process of business development. The remaining positions are Department Director Thomas Flynn, Assistant Director Buddy Rizer and marketing and communications positions, which focus primarily on commercial development. Flynn and Rizer also hope to be dedicating about half their time to commercial business as well. Buona noted that during a recent briefing the impact of the rural economy was shown to be around $60 million. “This doesn’t move the dial… These resources need to be allocated to commercial development. That moves the tax dial.” Supervisor Suzanne Volpe (RAlgonkian), who has worked in sales in the private sector, said she would like to
see the county department take on more of a pure sales approach, what she called “produce or perish.” “Every sales office I have worked in, for three or four sales people, you have one person to assist them,” she said. “From your staffing chart, you’ve got the reverse.” The committee seemed in agreement that they expected to see more of this shift reflected in the proposed budget requests for the FY13 budget and were caught off guard when they did not. “I will not vote for an enhancement unless it is focused on boots on the ground,” Volpe said. “We do not need to throw good money after bad.” Supervisors said they did not understand how, for a budget increase of $700,000, they would gain only two new full-time employees in the business development team. “The amount of the enhancement does not scare me personally because I believe as we invest we see the return,” Economic Development Committee Chairman
Supervisor Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. “I do have some concerns about how the enhancement is allocated… oneseventh goes to an additional sum for the rural business strategy and we only see two FTEs.” “What we really wanted to invest in is making this economic development department into a sales organization to invest in going out and chasing down [business],” Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) said, adding, “I don’t have confidence in the way the department is currently structured. When do we have the ability to mold this into the department where you’re going to go out and really sell the county?” Supervisors requested individual meetings with Flynn and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet to discuss how they would like the additional resources used, and requested to see what a new distribution would look like during their budget deliberations in March. Supervisors said they wanted to Continued On Page 11
Kaine, Warner Visit Loudoun Business Organizations By Kara Clark, Staff Writer Loudoun County businesses have become popular stumping grounds leading up to November’s elections. Former Virginia governor, and Senate hopeful, Tim Kaine stopped by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce Feb. 15 to chat with local business leaders on the issues of key importance to them. Kaine is running for the Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Jim Webb (DVA), who is not seeking another term in
office. That seat will be up for grabs in November’s election. Fairfax entrepreneur Courtney Lynch and Julien Modica, president of Veteran Healthcare, Inc., are the other Democrats running. A slew of Republicans have also stepped up to seek the party’s nomination, including former Virginia governor and U.S. Senator George Allen; Del. Bob Marshall (R-13); Hampton Roads attorney David McCormick; Jamie Radtke, co-founder of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation; and Bishop E.W. Jackson, the founder of Exodus Faith
Ministries in Chesapeake. More than two dozen local business leaders, representing a variety of different industries, were present for the informal gathering with Kaine. The former governor began the meeting, which lasted a little more than an hour, discussing his background and explaining his goals if elected to the Senate. He noted that when he was born, 54 years ago, Virginia ranked 38th in the nation in terms of income per capita. Today, although numbers can vary, it ranks around seventh.
“No one has moved as fast,” he noted. Although Kaine emphasized there is “no single answer” to how Virginia has been able to up its prosperity, he pointed out it was not solely because of low taxes and regulations, because the state had those when it was lower on the income level. Focusing on talent is what has made the difference and will continue to help to strengthen the state’s economy, he said. Continued On Page 7
Loudoun businesses have become popular stumping grounds for politicians in recent weeks. Senate hopeful and former Virginia governor Tim Kaine, right, paid a visit to the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce in February, while Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) held a town hall with employees at K2M in Leesburg March 5. Loudoun Business/Kara Clark
PAGE 4 | Loudoun Business
Rail
Continued From Page 1 ning and proceeding with this important project; and furthermore the Economic Development Commission recognizes that the Commonwealth of Virginia is a rightto-work state and expects any negotiated agreement to adhere to local and state laws and desires.” The vote to approve the resolution came after a panel discussion where four speakers provided their differing positions on the rail project. Sally Mann, representing the Dulles Corridor Users Group, was one of two speakers to state why the rail project should not go forward, or be funded by the county. She pointed to the costs laid out in the Lesser Report. Despite the report stating that Loudoun will experience a net fiscal impact of $234 million over the first 30 years of the rail’s existence, this figure leaves out the cost of debt service and annual operational and maintenance costs, to name but a few. “We don’t know yet how much we’re going to pay. That hasn’t been negotiated yet,” she said. “The maintenance costs are unknown, the operational costs are unknown. All we know is they’re huge.” To back up her point, Mann used neighboring Fairfax County as an example, noting Loudoun’s neighbor paid $87 million in Metro-related expenses in 2010, and not
even all of the stations in Fairfax are complete yet. Bob Chase, of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, served as one of the counterpoints on the matter. He said the Metro project was akin to most transportation solutions. “Most people want them, most people want someone else to pay for them,” he said. Chase said to achieve the thorough transportation network and quality of life Loudoun residents and businesses desire, rail is a necessity. “Transportation is an investment, it’s not a cost,” he said. “However the cost of not making such investments is far greater than the actual dollar amount of those investments.” Prior to the vote, EDC members were able to ask questions of the panelists. One question posed was, for those who did not support Metro to Loudoun, what would be their preferred alternative. Bus service was the response, with Mann stating that implementing such a service would run one-tenth of the price and actually deliver faster travel times to commuters. Even those on the supporting side of extending Metro through Loudoun said bus service was important, but more so that it is arranged to access the new Metro stations. Norman Duncan, a three-year member of the commission, said he was concerned with “the economy of the county.”
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He said the viability of forthcoming mixeduse and commercial projects in eastern Loudoun, some of which were dependent on the development of rail, was worrying. He pointed to Kincora, George Mason University’s Ashburn campus and One Loudoun as examples. Hobie Mitchel, president of Lansdowne Development Group, said the commission needed to support the project, pointing to some of the same reasons espoused by Duncan. “It’s zoned, it’s proffered. Everything along the corridor has been planned [for rail] for 20+ years,” he said. Mitchel said it was not a question of if the county should do it, “but how do we do it and how do we pay for it. “This has gone through a public scrutiny for 20 years. The question now is do we do it now or do it later,” he said. Stephen Mackey, owner of Mesh Multimedia and Notaviva Vineyard, sounded a cautionary note to the Board of Supervisors, who recently embarked on the 30-day review of preliminary engineering for the project. “Be diligent and be firm and be strong as you evaluate this,” he said. “There’s a lot of money at stake.” And that appears to be the tone the board is taking. The preliminary engineering figures for the rail project were released March 6 and supervisors held their first work session on the project the following day. The biggest elephant in the room appears to be the annual operating impacts of Metro, figures still unknown, to which Mann alluded. Estimates have placed those costs around $20 million or $30 million, but discussions with Metro officials are ongoing, county staff members told supervisors March 7. Among the issues under discussion is the Metrorail base subsidy allocation, the Metro bus service and regional subsidy, provisions for when there is a disruption in service and the maximum fare subsidy, which is capped. Director of the Office of Transportation Studies Andy Beacher told supervisors that no Metro bus service is planned for Loudoun in the future. “We as staff do not believe we should be required to contribute to that,” he said. Likewise, the county believes it can obtain Metro access services from an alternative source. The lack of Metro bus services also would impact emergency services as often buses are used to transport passengers when service is disrupted. As for the maximum fare subsidy, fares are capped and trips that are more than six miles are subsidized by member jurisdictions. “We will need to understand that impact further as most trip lengths from the county will exceed six miles,” Beacher said. Also outstanding is a study on the parking garages, which were pulled out of the overall project through a Memorandum
MARCH 2012 of Understanding last November. Loudoun agreed to use its “best efforts” to find private funding for the garages, and discussions on that aspect are continuing, supervisors said. County Chairman Scott K. York (R-At Large), new supervisors and the previous Board of Supervisors all have stated Loudoun cannot afford to build the three parking garages outright. The project put the cost of those garages at $130 million. If alternative funding cannot be found for the garages, they would revert back to the overall rail project. The study, expected to come back in about a month, will show the parking
“
This has gone through a public scrutiny for 20 years. The question now is do we do it now or do it later. – Hobie Mitchel
”
demands of the stations as well as additional information on the cost of the garages. The county is also waiting on a new report on the potential economic impacts of having rail, or for the station ending at Phase 1. The analysis done previously, known as the Lesser Report, did not show the new zoning approved by the Board of Supervisors, including the Rt. 28 Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Dulles World and Kincora. The study will look at the projected growth and then use those numbers to determine the net fiscal impact having rail or not having rail would have on the county. But, staff warned, it is not a short-term vision. “As you all know Reston Town Center took time to build out, the area around it did as well. On the Orange Line, it took 20 to 30 years to see the impact of that,” Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ben Mays said. “The significant net fiscal impact to the county does occur in the out years. Rail is a longterm investment, not a short-term investment.” Because of the amount of the information still to come, the board voted to send a letter to its funding partners in the project to request an extension to the 90-day timeline. Once the preliminary engineering numbers were released, the clock began, giving supervisors until June 4 to make their final decision whether to take part in funding the project. [Erika Jacobson Moore contributed to this report.]
Loudoun Business | PAGE 5
MARCH 2012
Dulles Debuts Electric Vehicle Charging Spots By Kara Clark, Staff Writer Electric vehicle owners will now have a new amenity available to them when visiting Dulles Airport. Eight parking spaces in Dulles Airport’s Daily Parking Garage 2, Level 3, are now served by four electric vehicle charging stations, which can accommodate two cars each. The charging stations feature two types of charging: Level 1, which is a 120volt outlet, and Level 2, a 240-volt connector. Although the amount of time it takes to charge a vehicle varies by car, Phil Tearne, a Chevy Volt owner who was on hand for the Feb. 29 unveiling of the charging stations and whose car was featured in the demonstration, said the lower voltage outlet could charge his car in about eight hours, while the 240-volt connection would take about three to three-and-a-half hours to charge his car. The charging stations are activated onsite via the Chargepoint “Change Pass” smartphone app, RFID-enabled credit card (for identification purposes only) or a tollfree call to a 24/7 service center. There is no fee to use the stations through 2013, but regular parking rates apply when drivers exit the garage. The charging stations are part of a pilot program launched by the Department of Energy. According to Rob Yingling, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority media relations manager, MWAA had to pay to install the stations and provide the infrastructure required for them, but the cost of purchasing the stations was borne by the federal government. Dulles Airport Manager Chris Browne said the new feature is “as much about outreach as it is recognizing the wave of the future.” Although there has not yet been an outcry of demand for the stations at the airport, “we wanted to be responsive to emerging needs.” “This is our sense of how the project should start out,” he said. “It’s a pilot program. We’ll listen to the requests and desires [of airport patrons] and expand on that.” Users of Reagan National Airport need not fret, because electric vehicle charging stations are soon headed to that airport as well, as part of the same pilot program. Those stations are expected to be unveiled shortly and will be located on Level 1 of Daily Garage B.
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PAGE 6 | Loudoun Business
MARCH 2012
Social Media As An Advocacy Tool Loudoun County can do better. I think we can do a better job of using social media to make people aware of all of the great things that Loudoun County has to offer. Let’s take Loudoun County Public Schools for example. LCPS seems to approach their Facebook and Twitter accounts conservatively in regards to their content and community engagement. I understand that there are members of the political community that criticize LCPS’s use of Facebook as a PR tool. You know what? Social media is a PR tool—and an effective one at that. The negative perception some have of Facebook and Twitter may deter LCPS and other Loudoun government organizations from taking full advantage of social media—which is too bad. In an environment where funding is tight, social media is a wonderful tool for promoting our county and education system. More to the point, there is nothing wrong with promoting our school system. In fact, there would be something wrong if we didn’t. Here’s an example. Some time ago, I was visiting with George Wolfe, director of the Academy for Science, a magnet school within LCPS. On the wall of his office was a picture of students eating lunch with an older gentleman. I asked what the picture
was about, and George explained that a group of students from the Academy for Science was invited to visit Janelia Farms to participate in a brown bag lunch with a Nobel Laureate in chemistry. How cool
A Business Perspective
Regardless of our professions, we are all sales men and women. Whether we recommend a book to a friend or convince a coworker to choose Thai for lunch, we are advocating for one choice over another. At any point in a given day, we are advocates for a cause. That advocacy translates seamlessly to various social media platforms—like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Each social network allows us to amplify our interests and beliefs to our online community. We’ve all seen political commentary in our Facebook feeds; that’s advocacy. We’ve also seen friends promoting the sale of Girl Scout cookies on Facebook; that’s advocacy, too. It may not have been as prominent before the onset of social media, but we are perpetually spreading our interests and beliefs across our social networks. I’m proud of our strong social media presence at Telos. The various social platforms are a great place to engage with industry leaders, customers, partners, employees and community members in a way that wasn’t before possible. I’ve seen similar engagement success from many Loudoun organizations: Loudoun County Government, Loudoun Economic Development Commission and Visit Loudoun—just to name a few. But I think
By John Wood
is that? I’ve never met a Nobel Laureate… have you? But unless you were a parent of one of those children, or have visited George Wolfe’s office, you would never know about that Nobel Laureate brown bag lunch. We need to promote and celebrate
these great LCPS moments within Loudoun County. What better way than through social media? Our goal as a business community should be to make Loudoun County the best place to live, work and play in America. With those three components, we will attract the most qualified workforce to fuel our economic growth. A key component of being the best place to ‘live, work and play’ is a strong education system—which we are lucky to have. Yes, there are improvements to be made and decisions that some may disagree with. Though, by most standards, LCPS is a rock star school district. When LCPS promotes its achievements on Facebook or Twitter, the entire community shines. Social media is one of the best ways to promote the successes of LCPS. Is your local business on social media? Have you engaged and helped to promote some of the good things happening in Loudoun County? Whether sharing a LCPS Facebook post or re-tweeting a Visit Loudoun blog, we need to engage as a business community and share the success stories that make Loudoun County shine. [John B. Wood is the CEO of Telos Corporation in Ashburn, founder of the CEO Cabinet and immediate past chairman of the county Economic Development Commission. Follow John on Twitter at twitter.com/john_b_wood.]
MAKO Comes To Loudoun By Kara Clark, Staff Writer
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Proceeds to benefit Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter Proceeds to benefit Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter Proceeds to benefit Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter
The newest member of Inova Loudoun Hospital’s surgical team has made its grand entrance. The MAKO RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System performs minimally invasive partial knee surgeries. The system is the first in Loudoun County and becomes the second MAKO in use in the Washington, DC, region, joining the unit at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. Hospital employees were on hand Feb. 29 at Inova Loudoun’s Lansdowne campus allowing guests to test out the new device, which was expected to participate in its first surgery at Inova Loudoun the following day. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matt Gavin explained there is a growing need in the population for arthritis surgery, an epidemic becoming more common in younger people due in part to an increase in sports-related
injuries. MAKO allows doctors to perform partial, not total, knee replacements, where the compartment in need of remedy can be replaced without needing to replace the entire knee. These procedures have a faster recovery time than total knee replacement surgeries and Gavin said he believes partial knee replacement surgeries will one day outnumber total knee replacements, which are still more common. Perhaps most importantly, the MAKO robot produces a more accurate result in its surgeries. The MAKO robot allows doctors to maneuver the device to insert the replacement compartment within one-tenth of a millimeter of the affected area. The robot is sensitive enough that it does not allow the device to move beyond a certain point of where the replacement compartment is to be placed. “It doesn’t let you make a mistake,” Gavin said.
Loudoun Business | PAGE 7
MARCH 2012
Kaine, Warner
Continued From Page 3 The way the state has done that in the past is investing in education, both by opening up its schools to all residents, with Kaine noting segregation in state schools was still in effect after the mid-20th century and that women were not allowed to be enrolled in the University of Virginia until 1972, and by growing its community college system. Kaine asked those attending the Chamber meeting to raise their hands if they were not born in Virginia. A majority of the room, including Kaine, raised their hands. “If I asked that question and no hands came up it would show we were doing something wrong,” he said. “Virginia attracts talent from around the nation and around the world and we’ve attracted businesses and institutions that want to be around talent.” Kaine recalled that when he was governor there were times other states offered more incentives for businesses to locate there, but oftentimes the companies chose Virginia because of the talent pool and the good schools. Business leaders asked Kaine a range of questions, from his thoughts on controlling the costs of higher education tuition to support for the Rail to Loudoun project. On the latter, Kaine said the project was important not just for the region, but also for the nation. “Doing what we can do to make Dulles Airport all that it can be is so important,” he said. “There’s no way it can succeed just off the existing road network. We have to have rail and we have to have it right so the tolls are not exorbitant and property taxes are not increased.” Kaine added both the state and the federal government need to step up to provide more funding for the project. Kaine was also asked about long-term transportation funding as well as rising fuel prices. He said the state needed to diversify its portfolio when it comes to transportation funding resources and not rely solely on the gas tax, something he noted is dwindling each year as cars become more energy efficient. He suggested looking at a broader sales tax in addition to a gas tax for a more reliable funding stream. He also spoke at length about his support for continuing to explore alternative energy resources and noted the country is producing more energy than it has for a long time. Kaine said part of the solution for bringing down gas prices is more production, as well as tapping into the large natural gas reserves. Kaine also spoke about the federal budget and said hard decisions lie ahead with more work to be done. If elected, he said his philosophy on balancing the bud-
get would be to focus about two-thirds on budget cuts and one-third on creating new revenues. Although not campaigning for a seat, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) is set to become a very important politician in the state by year’s end, as he will become the state’s senior senator when Webb is expected to submit his resignation. Warner hosted a town hall March 5 at K2M’s global headquarters on Miller Drive in Leesburg. More than 100 company employees participated in the meeting and many of the questions revolved around the pace of economic recovery, the escalating price of gas and the move to alternative energy sources and entitlements and Social Security. Warner emphasized the importance of resolving the debate over the federal debt and finding a solution that will not require the subject to be raised every six months or so. He said it was important for businesses to involve themselves in that discussion and not have the debate centered on what not to do, but what positive changes could be made. On gas prices, Warner said more needed to be done to subsidize alternative energy companies, many of which are now moving overseas where they are better funded. He said he supported a move to offshore drilling but wanted any conversation on solutions to include ways to move away from the dependency on foreign oil.
■ Business Calendar March 15 NonProfit Initiative Luncheon
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Belmont Country Club, 43750 Tournament Parkway, Ashburn Joe Poole III, director of special gifts at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, serves as the guest speaker for the NonProfit Initiative’s kick-off event for 2012. Pre-registration fee is $35 for Chamber members and $50 for non-members. Price increases by $10 at the door. To register, visit www. loudounchamber.org.
Welcome Discovery!
Committee for Dulles 11:30 a.m., DoubleTree Sterling, 21611 Atlantic Boulevard, Sterling Join the Committee for Dulles for a preview of the planned arrival of the space shuttle Discovery to the area April 17 and all the events surrounding the celebrations at the shuttle’s new home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly. For pricing and registration information, visit www. committeefordulles.org.
After Hours Mixer
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 5:30 to 7 p.m., J&L Interiors, 38-A Catoctin Circle, Leesburg Join Chamber members, board members and new members as they power network around fine catering and tasty beverages. Pre-registration fee is $15 for Chamber members and guests or $20 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.
March 16 Executive Engagement Series
8 to 10 a.m., George Washington University Virginia Campus, 20101 Academic Way, First Floor Auditorium, Ashburn Horizon Consulting CEO Wanda Alexander serves as guest speaker for the first 2012 installment of the Young Professionals popular Executive Engagement Series. Pre-registration fee is $15 for Chamber members and guests or $20 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org. Continued On Page 8
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PAGE 8 | Loudoun Business
Calendar
Continued From Page 7
March 20 Start Your Business
Loudoun Small Business Development Center 6 to 8:30 p.m., George Washington University Virginia Campus, 20101 Academic Way, Exploration Hall, Room 101, Ashburn SBDC Executive Director Robin Suomi and Art Thompson, principal with Keyser Thompson Insurance Agency, Inc., provide attendees with the basics of starting a business. Highlights of the seminar include: taxes and licensing; business plan development; sources of financing; marketing; insurance;
and entrepreneurial traits. Pre-registration fee is $10 or $15 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounsbdc.org.
March 27 Women in Business Alliance Luncheon
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 1757 Golf Club, 45120 Waxpool Road, Dulles Emmy award-winning journalist and renowned speaking coach Jan Fox serves as the guest speaker for the Women in Business Alliance’s quarterly luncheon. Fox will give attendees tips on tweaking your speaking to become a more confident communicator. Pre-registration fee is $35 for Chamber members or $50 for non-members. Price increases by $10 at the door. To register,
Market Today T R E N D S , P R O F I L E S A N D F E AT U R E S I N R E S I D E N T I A L R E A L E S TAT E
The Dirt On the Market
Emerging Housing Trends By Rosemary deButts, Contributing Writer 2012 is starting off on solid footing for Loudoun’s residential real estate market. Below are a few key indicators from the first two months of the year.
Days On Market Falls Below 19 Percent
Last February the average days on market in Loudoun County was 94 days. This year, though, the February average was only 77 days—a decline of 18.6 percent. Over the same time period, eastern L o u d o u n ’s average declined from 83 to 68 days (-18.2 percent). In Leesburg, the average declined 33.7 percent from 93 to 61 days in February. Western Loudoun’s average declined 18 percent compared from 167 to 137 days.
Quick Sales On Rise
Although sales suffered in February of this year compared to February 2011 here in Loudoun County, a larger share of the sales sold in 30 days or less. Only the western Loudoun submarket posted an increase in total sales (+23.5 percent).
Eastern Loudoun sales dropped 11.3 percent and the Leesburg market posted a decline of 14.9 percent. However, eastern Loudoun was the only submarket with a boost in its median sales price (+.9 percent). Leesburg’s median fell 1.2 percent and this February’s median was 9.4 percent less than the February 2011 median in western Loudoun.
Distressed Sales Decline Again
The share of distressed sales in Loudoun County, while high by recent trends in late 2011, was 5 percent lower in February of this year than it was in February 2011. The share of total sales that were either short sales or bank owned properties declined from 38 to 31 percent in western Loudoun month-over-year. Eastern Loudoun’s share fell from 39 to 31 percent. The anomaly was Leesburg where the share of distressed sales increased compared to last February. Only 30 percent of Leesburg’s sales were distressed last February; this year the share was 35 percent. [Rosemary deButts is a Realtor associated with Atoka Properties in Purcellville. She is certified by the National Association of Realtors as a Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource and is a Member, Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM) from the National Association of Home Builders. Visit her website, www.housinganalyst.net, for more facts and figures.]
visit www.loudounchamber.org.
Strengthen Your Brand
Loudoun Small Business Development Center 6 to 8:30 p.m., The George Washington University Virginia Campus, 20101 Academic Way, Exploration Hall, Room 101, Ashburn Karen McSteen, principal at brandMatters, discusses the principles of creating a strong band; a framework for defining the brand experience; and strategies to align all employees around the brand. Pre-registration fee is $25 or $30 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounsbdc.org.
March 28 Job Fair
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Holiday Inn Washington Dulles, 45425 Holiday Drive, Dulles The Chamber again puts on its annual job fair, which draws upwards of 500 job seekers each session. The job fair will also spotlight companies hiring veterans in the second installment of “Hiring Our Heroes.” The Leesburg chapter of the Society of Human Resource Managers will provide résumé reviews and other important resources for job seekers. There is no cost to attend the job fair. For more information, visit www.loudounchamber.org.
March 29 Annual Meeting & Tourism Awards
Visit Loudoun 11:30 a.m., Doubletree by Hilton, 21611 Atlantic Boulevard, Sterling Visit Loudoun hosts its 16th Annual Meeting and Tourism Awards, where the businesses, people and places that make Loudoun a successful tourism destination will be honored. The meeting will also serve as a time to elect a new board of directors for the next three-year term. Cost to attend is $40 and RSVPs must be received by March 22. For more information and to register, visit www.visitloudoun.org/industry.
April 2 Job Fair
10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Harper Park Middle School, 701 Potomac Station Drive, Leesburg Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) hosts a free job fair for local residents. Participating companies include: Cox Communications, George Washington
MARCH 2012 University, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Telos Corporation and Virginia State Police. For more information, or to ask how your company can be included, call 703-709-5800. There is no cost to attend, nor for companies to participate.
April 4 Leesburg Economic Commission
Development
7 p.m., Mason Enterprise Center, 202 Church St. SE, Leesburg Join the Leesburg Economic Development Commission for discussion on business outreach and retention efforts, and other economic development efforts affecting the town.
April 11 Leadership Luncheon
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., The National Conference Center, 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne Renowned television host, political moderator and journalist Jim Lehrer serves as guest speaker for the first Leadership Luncheon of 2012. Pre-registration fee is $45 for Chamber members and $60 for non-members. Prices increase at the door. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.
April 12 Business Showcase Breakfast
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 7:30 to 9 a.m., Belmont Country Club, 43750 Tournament Parkway, Ashburn Join almost 150 Chamber members, new and old, at this monthly, signature roundtable networking breakfast. Early registrants will have their name and company information displayed on the members-only attendee list. Fee for the breakfast is $25 for Chamber members and $35 for non-members. Price increases by $10 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.
April 13 Loudoun Economic Commission
Development
8 to 10 a.m., Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg Join the county Economic Development Commission for its monthly meeting, where updates on projects and initiatives, as well as trends in the local and regional economy, are discussed.
Loudoun Business | PAGE 9
MARCH 2012
Data Centers
Continued From Page 1 years have had to ramp up production because, as soon as one is filled, there is need for yet another. The natural question would then be: is there an end in sight to the strong demand? “We don’t think so,” Rizer said, pointing out there will be a shortage of collocated facilities beginning this year, amounting to a 1.9 billion square feet facilities gap by 2015. “What an incredible opportunity for Loudoun County to meet the collo crunch,” he said. And the county appears poised to take advantage of that shortage. Rizer noted that access to fiber networks is “key” for the collocation market, and that has long been one of Loudoun’s strengths in attracting data center tenants. Rizer said access to multiple fiber in Loudoun is greater than anywhere in the world. The availability of a steady power supply is also key, and Rizer pointed out the rates Dominion Virginia Power charges to Loudoun data center users is 28 percent below the national average. An educated, ready and accessible workforce is also necessary to keep the data center market in the area hot, and Technology America magazine recently ranked Loudoun number one on its list of the highest technology worker concentration in the U.S. Available green field and re-use options are also key needs for data centers, and those can also be found in the county. Data centers in Loudoun are concentrated within the Rt. 28 and Rt. 7 business corridors, with many located off Loudoun County Parkway and Waxpool Road. The abundant power and fiber supply in that area makes it an ideal landing spot for data center users, Rizer said. Although it would appear Loudoun can do no wrong in the data center industry, there is always room for improvement. Rizer noted data centers are currently considered an office use in the county Zoning Ordinance. In Loudoun, the PDOP and PDRDP zoning categories allow office use by right; PDIP zoning, however, allows office only by a special exception. “All other zoning categories require a rezoning for an office/data center use,” he said. Several attendees at the forum stressed the need to define data center as its own use in the Zoning Ordinance to make the approval process easier and more business friendly. “At one level it seems to me we’re competing against ourselves,” by not having the data center definition in the ordinance, land use attorney Dave Culbert said. Rizer said the Zoning Ordinance
change is currently on the Department of Economic Development’s workplan. “It is something we definitely will be bringing forward,” to the Board of Supervisors, he said. Another improvement that could be around the corner comes via a bill introduced by Sen. Mark Herring (D-33) and Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) this legislative session. A joint Senate-House conference committee is set to review the bill, which “expands the sales and use tax exemption for the purchase or lease of computer equipment or enabling software by data centers by extending it to tenants of the centers, and by including jobs created not only by the data center operator but also by the tenants of the data center in collectively meeting the level of new jobs required for eligibility for the exemption.” In the past, Rizer noted, the sales and use tax exemption has not worked well for collocation companies. Should the bill pass, however, it will give Loudoun yet another competitive advantage, he said. Rizer summed up his presentation by saying companies, particularly the ones in the collocated data center business, which do not have a location in Loudoun are really losing out. “You’re at a strategic disadvantage,” he said. “[Loudoun] really is a world class choice for data centers.” The forum continued with the unveiling of a video developed by the Department of Economic Development, the Industrial Development Authority and the Loudoun Chamber, where business leaders are featured extolling the virtues of the county’s data center market. A panel of leaders in the data center industry featured Latisys CEO Peter Stevenson, Equinix Senior Vice President Howard Horowitz and Brett Rogers, LEED AP and critical environments consultant with Mark G. Anderson Consultants. Brian Chavis of ARGroup served as moderator. The three men traded accolades of Loudoun’s offerings. Horowitz noted he had been developing data centers in the county for the past 12 years. He cited Equinix’s original campus, which featured six warehouse/flex buildings which over time were converted to data centers. “The tax revenue has tripled over that time on that parcel,” he said. Adding to that point, Rizer noted that for each 250,000 square feet of data center space, the total tax provided to the county is $500 million. With the addition of 2 million square feet of data center space in the last year, “we’re looking at a significant impact with the tax base of Loudoun County,” he said. As far as competition—although none of the panelists exactly sounded the alarm bell—Rogers said other areas in the nation with high fiber connectivity that rival
Loudoun’s have to be considered competitors. Miami, FL, Toronto, Canada, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, and Denver, CO, were pointed out as some examples. But Rogers also said internationalization was “huge.” Horowitz cited Asia as one example. Rizer said neighboring jurisdictions have been getting more and more aggressive in terms of wooing data center users, with states trying to pony up more incentives. “North Carolina recently gave away 70 percent of all taxable income to get a data center. That’s something I would never consider [proposing],” Rizer said. “Everybody is trying to get into this game because this is the growth industry right now. Everybody’s trying to get a piece of this.” A big selling point for Loudoun, though, is the process, Rogers said. He pointed to a site his company is looking at for a Fortune 100 company in the Richmond area. In addition to the limited number of sites, where in comparison Loudoun would have many possibilities, “there’s not a level of organization because [that area] is not experienced in it.” “One of the key things for us is consistency,” Horowitz said. “We’ve all been through the process. Players may change as far as decisions with the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, but the staff—there’s a lot of consistency there. That’s key. We’re businesspeople. Time is
money.” The panelists agreed that there does not appear to be an end in sight when it comes to the desire for data centers. “More and more stuff is finding its way into computing,” Stevenson said. “The network is mission critical. It all has to sit in a data center. Businesses in particular are not building their own data centers because they can’t get the economies of scale we can get. More and more data center consumption is going to continue. We’re at the beginning of the growth. More and more technology is getting developed. [The devices] may be smaller, but they’re packing more computing power.” Rogers noted cloud computing is in its relative infancy and future technologies at work by companies now, including the rise of the smart highway system, smart grid and networked appliances, will continue to drive the need for data centers. “Right now what you are seeing, what’s driving new development is based on real demand,” Horowitz concurred. Rizer said Loudoun is trying to stay ahead of the demand as best as possible, while continuing to market the county as a technology hub. In terms of meeting future data center needs, Rizer said both Dominion Virginia Power and Loudoun Water have become great partners in making sure the power and water supply for data center users remains consistent.
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PAGE 10 | Loudoun Business
MARCH 2012
The Wine Kitchen Expands To Frederick By Samantha Bartram, Staff Writer Downtown Leesburg regulars know the score when it comes to dining in the quaint, historic area. There are a few spots where you know, usually without fail, that you’ll receive a top-notch experience complete with excellent food, drink and service. One of those acclaimed locations is relative newcomer The Wine Kitchen. In operation since 2009, the diminutive South King Street restaurant offers a small but delectable menu comprised
of locally sourced ingredients meant to pair perfectly with a wide variety of wine selections included in an ever-evolving list. Guests can choose among glasses, flights and bottles of wine, each accompanied by a witty card that enumerates all the beverage’s attributes. It’s an experience Leesburg residents and visitors have come to enjoy, and now, our neighbors up north have the same privilege. The Wine Kitchen’s Frederick, MD, location is open for business, and it’s “the same, but different,” according to co-owner Jason Miller. “In
our Frederick location we have the same desire to provide a simply delicious and fun dining experience for all our guests, just in a different setting than Leesburg,” he explained. The airy space off Carroll Creek Way in Frederick’s downtown area has been outfitted in a similar fashion to its Leesburg counterpart, with the same familiar exposed brick and vibrant, red grape leaf paintings adoring the walls. Patrons walk into a bright receiving area, flanked on one side by a swanky bar and on the other, a comfortable living room-type set up, complete with
cozy couches and a roaring fireplace. The space is noticeably larger than the South King Street location, but retains the intimate feel for which The Wine Kitchen is known. Larger parties can take advantage of a private dining room and, in the warmer months, the spot will offer an option much-coveted by Leesburg folk—outdoor seating. “Before we were in the Frederick location there was nothing but a concrete floor,” Miller said. “We built the whole space so we were able to get exactly what we wanted and are so very pleased with the way it
The Wine Kitchen's new Frederick, MD, storefront looks out onto an attractive walkway bordering Carroll Creek. The swanky spot offers all the fine food and wine diners have come to expect from their experiences at the original Leesburg restaurant, including intriguing flights of reds, whites, local varieties and even bubbly beverages like the ones seen above. Each glass, flight or bottle of wine comes with a clever card that describes all the taste sensations contained within. Loudoun Business/Samantha Bartram
Leesburg Biz Award Nominations Open Nominations are now being accepted for the 11th Annual Leesburg Business Appreciation Awards. Businesses may be nominated for awards in 10 categories. They are as follows: • Ambassador Award - Celebrates a business or organization that has fostered a positive image of Leesburg as a business location or tourist destination. • Community Steward Award - Celebrates a for-profit business that participates actively in the community by contributing its resources. • Environmental Award - Celebrates a business that conducts or participates in activities that benefit the environment through its business practices and policies on an ongoing basis. • Heritage Award - Celebrates a thriving business that has made a long-term
commitment to preserving the integrity and character of Leesburg’s historic downtown. • Home-Based Business Award Celebrates the owner of an independent product- or service-based business, operated from a residence located within Leesburg, who serves as a small business advocate with the business community. • Innovations Award - Celebrates a business that has brought recognition to Leesburg through creative marketing efforts, innovative business ventures and/ or unique product development. • New Business Award - Celebrates a new business started within the last three years that, while respectful of Leesburg’s past, represents the best of the town’s future. • Public Art Award - Celebrates a business that makes a contribution to the development of the town’s public art program, or
actively supports the arts within the Town of Leesburg. • Veterans Affairs Award - Celebrates an individual, business or organization that supports programs for veterans of all conflicts. This award is new this year. • The George C. Marshall Award Celebrates an individual who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to the community above and beyond business contributions. Eligible nominees for all categories must have the primary physical location of the company, organization or business entity within the corporate limits of the Town of Leesburg. Businesses must possess a valid Town of Leesburg business license, be in compliance with all town ordinances and have been in operation for at least one year. Persons nominated for the George C. Marshall Corporate Citizen Award do not
need to reside within the town. Nominations may be submitted online at www.leesburgva.gov/business or nomination forms can be downloaded from the website and submitted by mail, fax or in person. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, March 30. The nominees and award recipients will be recognized at the 11th Annual Business Appreciation Reception Tuesday, May 15, at the Holiday Inn Leesburg at Historic Carradoc Hall. For more information and to RSVP, contact Tara Belote at 703-771-2708 or tbelote@ leesburgva.gov. Businesses that have been operating in Leesburg for 25 or more years will also be recognized at the reception with “Legacy Business” certificates. Nominations for Legacy Businesses may also be submitted to Belote at the above email address.
Loudoun Business | PAGE 11
MARCH 2012
turned out.” As far as the dining experience, in the “same” category, Frederick guests will find a sense of the familiar in the menu style, wine groupings and notable to-go discounts on all bottled wines. But, as Miller alluded, things are just a little different up in Maryland. “We have the same menu set-up and dedication to using fresh and local ingredients as we do in Leesburg. Having said that, the entire menu is different in Frederick than Leesburg. The wine list is set up in the same way as Leesburg with 10 flights of three different wines each, but just like the menu, the wines on the list are all different. We also offer the same $10 off a bottle discount for all wine to-go as we
ED Strategy
Continued From Page 3 see a highly motivated workforce working as a private sector sales team would. And, they said, they wanted to see it happen aggressively, if that means hiring new people or reallocating existing resources. Ideas about national travel, Flynn and Rizer were recently in Dallas, and international travel were discussed, and Buona pointed to California as an area not considered to be overtly business friendly where some successes may be found. “Go put out a hard core press and see what we can do,” he said. “All’s fair in love and war. The same goes for Fairfax, if they’re our major competition. There is no gentleman’s handshake, and I’ll say that on the record.” That does not mean supervisors are looking to toss people out of the department or create instability, with Williams noting that is the “last thing anyone wants to do” and encouraged Flynn and his leadership team to come to the board if there were unintended consequences of its actions or requests that need to be considered. For all of the push for commercial development, supervisors made it clear they were not talking about abandoning support for rural or small businesses. “I don’t think it is too many people on rural side, but not enough on the commercial side, which is a different thing,” Letourneau said. County Chairman Scott K. York (R-At Large), the only returning supervisor on the committee, said in addition to adding to the commercial tax base and Loudoun’s unique draw for commercial businesses, the rural economy also helps keep down the infrastructure burden. “The problem we are in is not because of the rural economy but because of the housing and the infrastructure we have to put in to support it,” York said. “It does
do in Leesburg,” Miller said. “Our goal is to create something that people are familiar with between the two locations but also once they have been to one, they still want to go to the other.” This reporter certainly felt that way after visiting the new creek-side spot in early February. Although I’ve taken many meals at the Leesburg Wine Kitchen during the past three years, it being just a short walk from my home, I came away after dining in Frederick feeling as though I’d be back despite the added distance. It was a fun change to find familiar characters on the new menu, but with a little twist. Instead of the chicken and waffles I so enjoy in Leesburg, in Frederick, take money to sustain [the rural economy], but if you can sustain it some of the growth won’t take place. If agriculture doesn’t work, there is the option of building houses which would put more strain onto the county.” Flynn said the department is committed to working with the towns on their own economic development, many of which are small businesses, and to becoming better partners with the town leadership. “We meet with them every other month with a small business group. We recently were at a regional shopping center convention and partnered with the towns there,” Flynn said, adding that the county also is planning to put detailed information about each town on the main department website for businesses that might be interested in locating in one. Consideration and discussion also was given to the possibility of expanding the county’s cluster development process, which was initiated under the previous Board of Supervisors. While the county only has focused on information and communication technology and government contractors, two areas that are ideally suited for Loudoun, the data center sector, Loudoun’s biggest growth industry, was suggested as breaking off to its own cluster, as well as ideas of looking at new clusters, such as bio-technology, health information technology, retail or hospitality. The committee suggested the Economic Development Commission be charged with analyzing and recommending which areas might be the best fit for Loudoun. Supervisors also were interested in learning, in addition to what has drawn businesses to Loudoun, what the deterrents have been. One of the biggest, Rizer said, is that Loudoun does not have the large amounts of empty office space when compared with neighboring Fairfax, a situation that will take the county off any short list of a company looking to move in the next few months to a year.
there’s the fried biscuit chicken with red Russian kale, oyster mushrooms and mashed red potatoes. Leesburg standards like delicious gnocchi, dressed up differently according to season and the chef’s whim, are replaced in Frederick by stunning house-made pappardelle pasta, served at the moment with local mushrooms, cipollini onions and pears. Of course there’s a wine on hand for anyone’s taste, or, speaking of one of the “different” aspects Maryland diners will enjoy, guests can elect to have a tasty cocktail. “One thing we offer in Frederick that we cannot in Leesburg is cocktails. We have a great specialty cocktail list with some unique offerings like a spiced pear martini,” Miller said. “We have been selling [approved] projects. We have been working with those developers and working closely with those developers,” Rizer said. “We held a lot of meetings with companies, but most developers will not build on spec anymore. They can’t get financing or they won’t take the risk, which is understandable in this market.” Rizer noted that one recent acquisition was willing to wait for space to be built in Loudoun; another was not and went with a different location. Flynn noted, however, there are other ways to keep Loudoun in the running. “Recently there was one that was over [the square footage] we had,” he said. “We proposed what we could. We had sites that could meet them in a phased development for their needs. If we don’t have full 300,000 square feet, but have we have 100,000 square feet, we can take it and show how we can take that and make that 300,000 they need, and in what timeframe.” Overall, Rizer said, the time it takes for businesses to get through the review process has not been a deterrent for recent prospects, especially since the onset of the “fast track” review process approved by the previous Board of Supervisors. The new policy allows “top of the stack” review and Rizer said that is often a selling point for businesses. “Any time so far that a company requests a timeline, a reasonable timeline, that has been met,” he said. The Dulles Rail project (See Story, Page 1) also has become a major point for businesses, with Rizer noting one gave Loudoun’s inaccessibility to rail in the near future as a reason for not selecting a home within the county. Flynn said in a recent presentation in Tysons Corner to commercial brokers, the question was posed “Is Loudoun in the rail project?” “We spent about 10 minutes talking about it,” Flynn said. “To them it was a very important question.”
There’s been a lot of recent change for Miller and his counterpart Mike Mercer, so for now, they’re focusing on doing what they do best whatever the geography—maintaining The Wine Kitchen’s commitment to a quality dining experience. “The only plan we have up our sleeve is to continue to put out the freshest, tastiest product for the best price possible in a fun relaxed environment,” Miller said. For details including directions, hours and menu details for any of The Wine Kitchen’s locations, go online to: www.thewinekitchen.com.
“It opens up an entire new workforce in the county for us,” Rizer said. “I think there are companies that think there could be challenges around workforce. Metro, yes, makes it easier for our residents to get to the city and it opens up workforce opportunities for people coming to Loudoun County.” Supervisors are expected to receive a document showing the reasons businesses gave for ultimately not selecting Loudoun as their location.
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