Published: November 16, 2007 10:06 pm      

Infrastructure plans final for Bluestone Tech Park

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Infrastructure plans for the proposed Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park were finalized Friday morning by Tazewell County officials, and will now be submitted to multiple state regulatory agencies for approval.

The first phase of the project, which involves infrastructure development at the 680-acre site near Bluefield, Va., will be advertised for bids by March, Tazewell County Administrator Jim Spencer said.

“I think this is just another stepping stone in moving forward with the Bluestone,” Spencer said. “Once we get the approval, we will be ready to go out to bid by March. We hope to have all of the permit approvals back by March.”

The 680-acre Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Center planned near Bluefield, Va., proposes to incorporate a workforce training center, offices, hotels and a conference center, retail stores, residential units and a nine-hole golf course — all within a single development.

Rick Chitwood, project manager with the engineering firm of Thompson and Litton, outlined the final phase 1A plans Friday with several state regulatory and funding agency officials. Spencer said those in attendance at Friday’s meeting included Travis Jackson, the regional director with the Rural Development funding agency; Debbie McReynolds with the Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission; representatives of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership; representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation; representatives of Appalachian Power Company; representatives with the towns of Bluefield, Va. and Richlands, who have signed on as partners on the Bluestone project along with the town of Pocahontas; and various others officials, including David Anderson, Earl Griffith and Seth White, all Board of Supervisors members.

Chitwood said phase 1A of the project consists of two contracts, including intersection improvements for the project near Route 460 and turn lanes.

“That would be funded primarily from Virginia Department of Transportation revenue sharing funds and from local funds,” Chitwood said. “And then contract 2, phase 1A, would basically build the bridge and the roads into the interior portion of the park, and also the utilities, including the water sewer and broadband. There is a water pump station we will be building as well as a 250,000 gallon water storage tank and some walking trails.”

Chitwood said the county hopes to utilize some of the existing logging roads at the site, which will be enhanced into new walking trails. Chitwood said phase 1B would involve the construction of a large-scale workforce training center. New residential housing units, as well as a possible golf-course, would be included in phase two as well.

Chitwood said officials hope to have construction on phase 1A completed within a year.

Spencer said the Bluestone project is critical to the future growth of Tazewell County.

“Tazewell County’s number one export is not coal,” Spencer said. “It’s not gas. It’s not hardwood products. It is children. Unless we do something to have jobs available for our children, and we can operate the best educational system in the United States, but we will continue to export those kids to other areas. It’s got to be quality jobs where you can make a good living.”

The Virginia Tobacco Commission awarded the county a $1.78 million grant last month for the phase one infrastructure development of the technology campus.

Spencer said the infrastructure — including water, sewer and roads — must be developed at the Bluestone site first before construction can begin on the workforce training center and other aspects of the technology park.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com