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Roanoke County Business Partners Newsletter
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July 2019: Volume 19, No. 7
The E-newsletter of the Roanoke County Economic Development Department is designed to showcase the investments and achievements of our existing business partners. For additional information about doing business in Roanoke County, visit
our
website
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Metis Holdings Celebrates the Grand Opening of the
Redeveloped Former Allstate Building
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In a significant advancement for Roanoke County's economy, on June 24, Metis Holdings celebrated the grand opening of the redeveloped former Allstate Building on Electric Road in Roanoke County. The 180,000 square foot facility, now known as Metis Plaza, was purchased in April of 2017 by Metis, a local leader in insurance and risk management services, to accommodate the company's growth in Roanoke.
During the past two years, renovation work has been ongoing to convert the building into multi-tenant space for several growing businesses. To date, the company has secured leases on 90,842 sq. ft. of the building, with Metis occupying 63,015 square feet. Metis has grown from a staff of 25 to more than 125 employees in the last 10 years, and the new building provides an opportunity for the company to continue their growth in a highly visible, high demand corridor of Roanoke County.
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General Inquires
P: 540-772-2069
5204 Bernard Drive, SW
Room 421
PO Box 29800
Roanoke, VA 24018
Administrative Assistant
Mission Statement
To attract and facilitate the growth of innovative businesses, jobs and population that increase taxable investment and ensure sustainable world class community resources.
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Fresh messaging around the innovation economy
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Check out the newly designed Economic Development advertisement recently placed in
Expansion Solutions Magazine, May/June Biotech issue.
This new and fresh messaging around the innovation economy, which supports Roanoke County's alignment with the R&D at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. The new branding is consistent with the County's goals of connecting our community to the innovation corridor and developing entrepreneurial opportunities around innovation.
Expansion Solutions Magazine has a reach to thousands of corporate real estate executives, key site selection consultants and real estate brokers nationwide.
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Workplace Violence Workshop
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Scale Up your Business Workshop
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Bank of Botetourt relocates and expands Cave Spring office
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The Buchanan-based Bank of Botetourt has relocated its limited service office at Springwood Park and opened a standalone full-service office located at 3232 Electric Road. The Cave Spring Office is 2,660 square feet and includes an ATM with deposit capabilities and will continue housing the Bank's mortgage company, Virginia Mountain Mortgage.
The Grand Opening Celebration was Friday, June 7.
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Three schools in Roanoke County earn Virginia's Highest Achievement Award
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Bonsack, Burlington and Green Valley elementary schools earned the Virginia Board of Education's Highest Achievement Award.
To earn the Board of Education Highest Achievement Award, a school must earn a state accreditation rating of Accredited, and meet the following benchmarks:
- 70-percent pass rate on state assessments in science and mathematics;
- 75-percent pass rate on state assessment in English reading and writing;
- No more than a five-percent gap (for schools with two student groups) or a 10-percent gap (for schools with three or more student groups) in English reading and writing between the lowest-performing group and all other students in the school; and
- No more than a five-percent gap (for schools with two student groups) or a 10-percent gap (for schools with three or more student groups) in mathematics between the lowest-performing group and all other students in the school.
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Agroforestry Farming at Catawba Sustainability Center
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Whole-Farm Management and Ecosystem Services Workshop, August 20-21
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More and more folks are learning about these farming strategies and benefits, but teaching and demonstration farms where you can see them in action are often hard to come by. Virginia Tech's Catawba Sustainability Center farm is one of those gems and the Virginia Association for Biological Farming is collaborating with Virginia Tech's Office of Outreach and International Affairs to bring you a Low-Cost opportunity to dive deep into agroforestry, regenerative whole-farm practices, and environmental services markets. Program goals are to help you learn more about these practices in a hands-on setting and strengthen the network of regenerative agroforestry practitioners.
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Catawba Valley Farmers Market
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The Catawba Valley Farmers Market is located at the Catawba Community Center, 4965 Catawba Creek Road (Rt. 779), Catawba, VA 24070. Vendors are set up under the newly-expanded picnic shelter on Thursdays from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m., rain or shine.
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New Marketing Campaign for the Virginia's Blue Ridge
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Europe's leading adventure sports and outdoor lifestyle website is featuring
Roanoke and Virginia's Blue Ridge
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Virginia's Blue Ridge has been featured on Mpora, Europe's leading adventure sports and outdoor lifestyle website, as a result of the Visit VBR public relations program.
Stars and Bikes | Riding the New Capital for Mountain Biking on America's East Coast can be found online
here.
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Board reduces threshold for Business License Tax
In a move to demonstrate the business-friendly environment in Roanoke County, the Board of Supervisors recently raised the threshold of annual gross receipts for entities required to pay the County Business License Tax from $125,000 or more to $135,000 or more; and requires entities below the threshold to pay only an annual $50 license fee.
This threshold adjustment supports small businesses, impacting 260 businesses in Roanoke County.
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Treetop Quest Ribbon Cutting, July 1 at Explore Park
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Roanoke County is opening a new aerial adventure course at Explore Park with a ribbon cutting on Monday, July 1. This event marked the completion of the first phase of Treetop Quest's development, including 55 obstacles over four skill levels, and zip-lines up to 160 feet long. A state-of-the-art continuous belay system provides industry-leading safety while allowing for participants as young as age four to enjoy the course. Additional course elements will be added in the coming years. The attraction is projected to draw 25,000 visitors per year.
The opening of Treetop Quest fulfills a key amenity identified in the Explore Park Adventure Plan, adopted by the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors in 2016. This attraction will provide synergy with other amenities recently added to the park including campgrounds and tubing by Blue Mountain Adventures, cabins and yurts by Don's Cab-Inns, a brewery and bistro by Twin Creeks Brewing, the Mayflower Hills Disc Golf Course and new special event
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Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport Report
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May traffic was up 6.1% year over year at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport as 2019 continues strong traffic growth
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The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport continues to see 2019 traffic increase with May traffic up 6.1% on a year over year basis. May 2019 saw 65,026 passengers fly via ROA compared to 61,261 in May of 2018 an increase of 3,765 passengers. Year to date passenger traffic is up 9.65% versus 2018 with 277,757 passengers served this year compared to 253,314 in 2018.
Strong community support, additional capacity, and improved airline operational reliability have all played roles in the continuation of sustained passenger growth, which began in September of 2016. May 2019 saw in increase of 3,765 passengers versus May 2018, which equates to 121 more passengers flying ROA each day. Year to date 2019 traffic is up an average of 161 passengers a day versus 2018. At this pace, the airport is on track to have its busiest year since 2000.
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Roanoke County Library Events
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Virginia International Trade Events
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Registration is now open for VEDP - International Trade's new calendar of events!
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Face-to-face meetings are critical to international business. We help Virginia companies meet potential customers and partners through trade missions and trade shows.
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Trade Missions
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Trade Missions are customized visits of business meetings arranged on your behalf. These meetings are pre-qualified based on your export market objective. Our schedule of upcoming Trade Missions includes:
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Trade Shows
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At select international Trade Shows, Virginia's booth provides the ideal base for co-exhibiting companies, allowing you to exhibit your products and services and network with prospective customers. Our schedule of up upcoming Trade Shows includes:
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AUSA 2019 - Oct. 14 - 16, 2019 - Registration Deadline August 16, 2019
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Arab Health 2020
- January 27 - 30, 2020 - Registration Deadline November 22, 2019
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OSHA COMPLIANCE TRAINING
Roanoke Higher Education Center
call 1.800.875.4770.
For more information,
contact Carla Jackson at 540.767.6010 or
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Exploring Blockchain Webinar
Thursday, August 1
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
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Kegs and Barrels
Saturday, August 3
3 PM to 8 PM
Green Hill Park
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FastForward is a grant that will pay tuition to earn industry-recognized credentials in a variety of fields
Upcoming Open Houses
July 16, 2019
Nov 19, 2019
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Leadership Academy for the 21st Century
August 2019 - March 2020
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Project Management
Certification Course
This course is a prerequisite to the Project Management Institute PMP certification exam.
Tuesdays, August 27 through November 12, 5:30-9 p.m.
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Lean Foundations
September 25, 2019
9 am - 4:30 pm
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Business of Brewing
January 27-31, 2020
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Implementing LEAN
the lean conference
March 4-5
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Let us help you find new avenues to grow your business!
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| Roanoke County Business Partners Show on RVTV |
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On the July Roanoke County Business Partners, we interview Chris Carey, President of Metis Holdings at the grand opening of Metis Plaza - the redevelopment of the former Allstate building into a multi-tenant office complex that includes a fitness facility and restaurant.
Next, we speak with Philip Thompson, Deputy Director of Planning for Roanoke County, to learn about the latest on the draft plan for Oak Grove Center and how Metis Plaza serves as a catalyst for redevelopment in Oak Grove.
Lastly, we participate in the grand opening of the Bank of Botetourt standalone full-service office located at Cave Spring Corner, which includes an ATM with deposit capabilities and will house the Bank's mortgage company, Virginia Mountain Mortgage.
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Stay Connected
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