Excitingly, 22 projects have been awarded Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) Planning Grants! This is the first year that funds have been available for IRF Planning Grants, and these grants are intended to result in deliverables that contribute to more complete and prepared applications for IRF implementation grant applications that are due later this summer.

Recently, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) was appropriated $45 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for Fiscal Year 2022 – 2024 for the IRF program, and $1,277,000 of this funding is being allocated towards the 2022 Planning Grants, with Planning Grant awards capped at $100,000 per project.

The following projects will receive IRF planning grant funds:

• Town of Chase City | Mecca Theater | $100,000
• Town of Halifax | Exxon Main Street Plaza Redevelopment | $100,000
• City of Staunton | Arcadia Project | $100,000
• City of Petersburg | 416 Second Street | $85,000
• City of Lexington | 114 McLaughlin Street | $80,000
• City of Martinsville | American Furniture Revival | $80,000
• Town of Scottsville | Tire Factory | $75,000
• City of Petersburg | Exit 52 | $70,500
• Shenandoah County | Irvin Wholesale Building Meat Processing | $65,000
• Town of Kenbridge | Kenbridge Industrial Site Renovation | $52,000
• Town of Pulaski | Project Growler | $50,250
• Town of Pennington Gap | TOPG Mixed-Use Renovation | $50,000
• Russell County | Dante Steam Building Restoration | $50,000
• City of Hopewell | Lin Property Redevelopment | $49,800
• Charlotte County | Shaw Building Project | $49,000
• Town of Saltville | Food Innovation Center Planning | $40,000
• Town of St. Paul | Deen Building | $40,000
• City of Waynesboro | Waynesboro Downtown IRF Planning | $40,000
• Town of Chase City | Lee and Garrett Buildings | $31,500
• Pulaski County | Pico Terrace School Adaptive Reuse | $31,000
• Highland County | Highland Inn | $27,500
• Prince George County | Continental Motel | $10,450

The IRF program leverages local and private resources to achieve market-driven redevelopment of vacant and deteriorated industrial and commercial properties. The program is targeted toward vacant non-residential structures whose poor condition creates physical and economic blight to the surrounding area in which the structure is located.