Press Release

Lieutenant Governor Bolling Presents State, CSX Grant to City of Hopewell

-State Grant and Public-Private Partnership to promote downtown revitalization-

Ibbie Hedrick
804-225-2487
ibbie.hedrick@ltgov.virginia.gov

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Hopewell - Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today joined local officials and private sector partners to present a downtown revitalization grant to the City of Hopewell.

Lieutenant Governor Bolling presented a check for $7,500 in public and private sector funds to Hopewell Downtown Partnership for construction of a recreation and family-friendly environment on a park site along the Appomattox River. The grants will also focus on creating a safe downtown retail district by implementing security cameras and increasing lighting in low-lit areas.

Bolling said, "I am delighted that the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development has decided to give a $2,500 Downtown Improvement Grant to the City of Hopewell to facilitate the construction of a new family friendly recreational complex along the Appomattox River. I also thank our friends at CSX Corporation for matching this grant with a generous award of $5,000 to help support this important project, which will make Downtown Hopewell's retail district more attractive and help attract new businesses and jobs to the area. This is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together to help strengthen our communities and improve the quality of life of our citizens."

Lisa Atkinson, Deputy Director of Community Development for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, said, "The Commonwealth is very committed to Hopewell's revitalization efforts, and we are excited for what lies ahead for Hopewell. Virginia Main Street was excited to welcome Hopewell as a designated community last year, and through our Enterprise Zone program, we continue to look for ways to create more jobs and bring new businesses to the city."

"This partnership with CSX could not be more fitting as the rail lines through Hopewell have been so vital in the history and current growth of our city," states Hopewell Mayor Christina Luman-Bailey. "From General Grant's Headquarters at City Point during the Civil War, to the establishment of major manufacturers in the area, the rail lines have always been a major factor contributing to the success and significance of our city. We couldn't be more pleased with the support we have received from Virginia Main Street and the people at CSX, which have really helped turn our ideas into a reality."

The project was made possible through a $2,500 Downtown Improvement Grant administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and $5,000 in matching funds from CSX Corporation, Inc.

The final report issued by Governor McDonnell's Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation recommended additional funding for Virginia's Main Street Program to help communities develop strategies to stimulate long term economic growth and promote economic and physical revitalization of historic downtowns.

"The Hopewell Downtown Partnership has come a long way," states Board President Jim Poe. "We are now really starting to build momentum in the downtown, and with the recent grants from CSX and Virginia Main Street, we will be able to make some noticeable differences. Poe continued, "These grants will help to create a safe and inviting atmosphere downtown through additional lighting, security camera's, restoring problem areas and creating a recreational environment along our city's greatest asset: the confluence of the James and Appomattox Rivers."

Quintin C. Kendall, CSX regional vice-president for state affairs, said, "We are pleased to support Governor McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling's Opportunity at Work Agenda through this grant to the City of Hopewell. CSX has been creating jobs and strengthening Virginia's economy for nearly 180 years, and we are excited to continue our partnership with Virginia communities where we live and work."

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. CSX operates over and maintains more than 2,000 miles of railroad track and employs over 1,220 people in Virginia. In 2011, the company handled nearly 1,190,000 carloads of freight in the Commonwealth and invested more than $71 million in its Virginia network.

To learn more about CSX Corporation, Inc., please click here.

To learn more about the Virginia Main Street Program, please click here.

For additional information contact Ibbie Hedrick at 804-225-2487 or ibbie.hedrick@ltgov.virginia.gov.