Staunton streetscaping, Mount Crawford Buc-ee's confirmed and library happenings: The Digest
Churchville Avenue streetscaping
STAUNTON — City Council adopted a resolution at Thursday, Sept. 28, that will allow for the streetscape project to be extended along Churchville Avenue from Albemarle to Thornrose.
The resolution approved submittal of an application to the Virginia Department of Transportation for revenue sharing funds to pay for eligible costs of the project.
The project includes milling and repaving the street, a new brick sidewalk, moving overhead utilities underground, new street lights and additional landscaping. According to city officials. the project was included in the Capital Improvement Plan FY2024-FY2028 and the Staunton Greenways Plan, adopted by City Council in December 2020.
Implementing the streetscape plan along this block will complete an enhanced pedestrian route from downtown, by way of Central Avenue, along Churchville Avenue to Gypsy Hill Park.
Rodney Rhodes, Staunton's senior planner, told council that the rest of the project from North Augusta Street to Albemarle Avenue was completed in 2012 and this block was in the plans at that time but was too costly.
Rhodes said it would be funded in 2027.
The preliminary cost estimate for the project is $2,209,506 with VDOT revenue sharing funds of $1,104,753. The remainder of the funds will come from city's reserves. Approximately $283,000 of the city’s matching funds would come from left over funding from the Central Avenue streetscape project, with the remainder most likely coming out of the new sidewalk reserve.
Rockingham County getting a Buc-ee's
MOUNT CRAWFORD — What was rumored to be true in July has been confirmed. A Buc-ee’s Super Center is coming to the Shenandoah Valley.
S.L. Nusbaum Realty Company, which has offices in both Norfolk and Richmond, put out a press release confirming that Buc-ee's Mt. Crawford, LLC has purchased 21.30 acres located at Interstate-81 & Friedens Church Road in Rockingham County from Lispen LLC for $6,581,753.30. The location is just off the Bridgewater-Mount Crawford Exit 240 off I-81.
The property will be constructed as a Buc-ee’s Super Center, comprised of up to 75,000 square feet of retail space, 120 fueling positions, multiple EV chargers and parking for over 650 cars, including bus and RV parking, per the release.
Buc-ee's is headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas, which is south of Houston.
Buc-ee's opened its first store in 1982 on the border of Lake Jackson and Clute, Texas. Over the past two decades, the chain has opened more than 25 Super Centers throughout the south. This will be the second Virginia store for the Texas-based retailer with the first, in New Kent County, planning to open in 2027. According to the release, the store plans to open a total of four locations in the Commonwealth over the next few years.
Staunton library book sale
STAUNTON — Shop thousands of used books, movies and more at this annual fundraiser for the Friends of the Staunton Library this week through Friday, Oct. 6 in the Gypsy Hill Park Gym at 116th Regimental Road.
Most items are priced at $1 or less and cash and checks will be accepted. All proceeds support Staunton Public Library events, services, and improvements.
Monday night is open to current Friends of the Staunton Library members only, and the sale is then open to the public Tuesday through Friday. Please bring your own bags or boxes for your purchases.
Schedule:
Monday, Oct. 2, 5-7 p.m. — Preview Night, limited to current Friends of the Staunton Library members only. Join at the door or ahead of time online.
Tuesday, Oct. 3 - Thursday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. — Open to the public
Friday, Oct. 6, 9 a.m.-noon — sale day
Self-publishing panel
STAUNTON — If you've written a memoir, how-to book or novel and are interested in self-publishing your book the Staunton Public Library will be holding an author panel to help provide you information on Tuesday, Oct. 10 from 3-5 p.m.
Join four local authors for a discussion on self-publishing for print and e-books and take the next step in getting your story into the hands of readers. Authors Maggie Duncan, Michelle Tillery- Duval, Allison Garcia and Judith Dreyer will share their experiences self-publishing fiction and non-fiction books.
A Q&A session will follow the panel discussion, so come with questions. After the panel, authors will be available for additional conversations, and you can purchase their self-published books.
Learn about the avenues for self-publishing, how to assemble a team of editors/designers/beta-readers to support your work and tips and tricks for marketing your self-published book. This is an opportunity to learn about the process from those who have been there, done that and published the book.
For more information contact panel organizer Heather Cole at heatherscole@rocketmail.com.
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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton streetscaping, Buc-ee's confirmed and library happenings: The Digest
