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Boswell's Corner May Be Revamped
By JENNIFER BUSKE
jbuske@staffordcountysun.com
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Restaurants, hotels and other new businesses are just some of the developments Stafford County officials envision appearing in Boswell's Corner, community members were told during last week's public forum.
Hosted by the county's economic development and planning departments, the Jan. 25 public forum was designed to introduce the community to Stafford's vision of how to revitalize Boswell's Corner.
"I thought it went very well," Stafford Supervisor Jack Cavalier, I-Griffis-Widewater, said. "It was well received, particularly by business people that work in the area and the citizens that live around there."
Stafford Economic Development Director Tim Baroody presented the plan to the roughly 100 community members and landowners that attended the event held at Hilldrup Moving and Storage. The vision, which is included in Stafford's economic development strategic plan, addresses how Boswell's Corner could potentially be developed over the next several years.
"I've worked with Mr. Baroody and I think we have taken a good step in the right direction," Stafford planning commissioner Bill Cook said. "If you look at what they envision versus where we are now, it will take a lot of work. But, I think it's great and I'd like to see it come to fruition."
The plan, which was presented to supervisors last summer, includes restaurants, hotels, offices and green space, Baroody said, noting his department also envisions a six-lane road lined with trees to run through Boswell's Corner.
Another portion of Boswell's revamping includes Quantico Corporate Center, which is Silver Companies' $300 million project. The project is just south of Quantico Marine Corps base and the first part of the 1 million-square-foot office compound is set to open by this fall, Baroody said.
Baroody said the county is looking to revitalize several areas in the region including the courthouse area, Falmouth and U.S. 17. The county wanted to particularly look at Boswell's Corner because of the Base Realignment and Closure proceedings, which will bring about 3,000 jobs to the region.
"This proposal gives us the opportunity to break away from the stigma that we are a bedroom community and just housing people for jobs up north," Cavalier said. "This will expand the job opportunities here as well as our tax base."
Baroody said the county does not own the land in Boswell's Corner, but he has met with several landowners to discuss the vision. "We are clearly relying on the private sector to make this happen," he said. "We're working as the facilitators. I think we have made good progress and have done what we said we would, which is put some dollars toward master planning."
Baroody said the county has also hired new employee Brad Johnson to help guide the redevelopment activities at Boswell's and at other locations throughout the community.
"This is an open book at this point," Cavalier said about the Boswell's Corner vision. "We are certainly willing to listen to input from the businesses and community as a whole."
