Spotsylvania Economic Development Department year-end report

BY BILL FREEHLING

Date published: 3/30/2008

BY BILL FREEHLING

Median income, the number of startup companies and available commercial space all increased in Spotsylvania County last year.

Those were among the findings in a 2007 year-end report compiled by members of Spotsylvania's Department of Economic Development.

The report was provided to the county's Board of Supervisors earlier this year. It gives an overview of the efforts taken to attract and retain businesses, and details the county's commercial growth during 2007.

Here are some of the findings:

The department focused its marketing and advertising campaigns on attracting companies that provide employment opportunities in professional/technological fields--including government agencies and contractors.

The county made 19 non-retail commercial project announcements in 2007--representing both new businesses and existing-business expansions. The projects accounted for about 300,000 square feet of new space and more than 500 jobs. Thirteen of the 19 projects are categorized as professional.

Here is the breakdown of those 13 professional projects: three engineering, four defense, three medical, two technology and one financial. These 13 projects created about 320 jobs.

About 51 percent of the county's work force commuted out of Spotsylvania in 2007. The average commute time was 39.4 minutes, which is in line with the totals in Stafford and Prince William counties.

Median household income rose 3.5 percent, to $69,889, in 2007.

Spotsylvania experienced about a 20 percent increase in the amount of marketable non-retail commercial space in 2007.

Ninety-one startup companies formed in Spotsylvania in the first quarter of 2007, triple the number in the first quarter of 2006.

Davis Defense Group, Syntronics, Welford Engineering Associates and AES Consulting Engineers were among the businesses that invested in Spotsylvania last year, said county Economic Development Director Russell Seymour.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com

Date published: 3/30/2008