British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca announced a $50 billion investment into the U.S., including a “drug substance manufacturing centre focused on chronic diseases” to be located in Virginia. Photo: Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
In July, officials with the British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca announced they would be investing $50 billion in the United States for new factories and research centers. According to a press release, this would include a new “multi-billion dollar drug substance manufacturing centre focused on chronic diseases” to be located in Virginia.
However, no official announcement has been made for a specific location.
On August 26, the Richmond Times-Dispatch said the facility would be located in Albemarle County, reporting that was repeated in Virginia Business. Both articles refer to anonymous sources, but also describe how state government has taken action for specific developments.
On August 21, a commission that approves economic development incentive packages met in closed session and afterward voted unanimously to approve deals for three locations, including one in the planning district that covers Albemarle. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Major Eligible Employer Grant Program provides up to $25 million to firms who invest more than $100 million and promise to create more than 1,000 jobs.
Abbey Stumpf, Albemarle’s director of communications and public engagement, says she was unaware that a site had been selected.
On August 13, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors adopted an economic development strategic plan intended to increase the percentage of county tax revenue that comes from commercial taxes. Goal 2 of the plan is for Albemarle to “grow into the mid-Atlantic’s premier destination for biotechnology and life sciences innovation.”
“Albemarle’s biotechnology and life sciences sector is poised for breakout growth,” reads the plan. “With research strengths at UVA, a strong base of emerging companies, and national momentum in biotech and health innovation, Albemarle has a rare opportunity to lead.”
That goal builds on recent momentum such as the new biotech accelerator at the North Fork Discovery Park and the $350 million Paul and Diane Manning Institute for Biotechnology under construction at the University of Virginia. The institute’s first director, Mark T. Esser, is a former vice president for vaccines and immune therapies at AstraZeneca.
Albemarle’s economic plan fits hand in glove with one created by an entity called Go Region 9, which created a Central Virginia Innovation Corridor Strategic Roadmap. That document notes that the U.S. 29 corridor has “large land parcels [that] are available for development within 100 miles of the National Capital Region.”
The Virginia Economic Development’ Partnership’s website lists properties that are certified to be “business ready.” One of them is located at North Fork Discovery Park, which is operated by the University of Virginia Foundation. The 31-acre site is classified as a Tier 4 and listed as eligible for the Major Eligible Employer Grant Program.
Tier 4 means that all infrastructure is either in place or will be within a year.
Albemarle County is also working to bring its Rivanna Futures site up to Tier 4 status. That land is being marketed for the future Intelligence and National Security Innovation Acceleration Campus. Goal 1 of the new economic development strategic plan places the defense and national security sector as a top priority.
