By JENNIFER BUSKE/ Stafford County Sun

STAFFORD - Silver Companies will begin one of its largest Stafford County projects next month as it breaks ground to build the Quantico Corporate Center on the land once known as Fritter Park.

Silver plans to build a 1-million-square-foot office compound on the 85 acres of land just south of the Quantico Marine Corps base, according to David Newman, the sales and leasing associate with Silver.

“The location is very unique because it is near Quantico and Interstate 95,” Newman said. “Also, the development is sloped, which allows us more flexibility and we can use a tiered approach, building on different levels.”

The Quantico Corporate Center will have six to 10 office buildings and will be the region’s “premier Class A office space address,” according to the company.

The $300 million project will cater to defense contractors, government agencies and the increase in people coming to Quantico due to the Base Realignment and Closure proceedings, Newman said.

“They are actively marketing their project to prospects who are looking to come to Stafford for space,” said Stafford County Economic Development Director Tim Baroody. “They’ve had great conversations with a handful of prospects at this point.”

Newman said Silver has been in active discussions with companies such as BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Anteon.

Besides office space, Silver plans to build a retail component on the land, Newman said.

“With any project this size, you need a retail component to support the office space,” Newman said.

Possibilities for the retail side of the project include restaurants, a day care facility and dry cleaners.

Silver is working with Development Consulting Services on the project. Silver is also partnering with the Moncures, who own the property, Newman said.

The Moncures became the landowners in June 2004 when the government officially signed off on a land swap that traded the county’s 85 acres near Quantico with the Moncures’ 180 acres in Widewater, Baroody said.

James Moncure gave the county 180 acres of land in Widewater in exchange for the 85 acres near Quantico, Baroody said. The Moncures wanted a place to develop and the county wanted an area less topographically challenged that would be better for a county park.

“This is a win-win situation,” said Greg Sager, director of parks and recreation for Stafford. “The property at Fritter is very appropriate for the development they are looking at and my department is excited because we get 180 acres of land that is uniquely designed for park use and is ideal for us.”

Silver has already gotten approval by both the Stafford County Planning Commission and the Stafford County Board of Supervisors to develop on the land. Currently, 360,000 square feet of the plan has been turned in to the planning department, Baroody said.

Silver plans to break ground in January and have the first building up sometime next year, Newman said.

While that development continues, Sager said the county is also preparing for construction on the Widewater property. The county is working on getting its grading permit, and then hopes to get a bid this winter to start phase one of the project.

At $2.3 million, phase one will include rebuilding what was at Fritter Park with a few extra amenities. The county received money to fund the project as part of the land swap. The rest of the money is coming from the 2001 parks and recreation bond fund.

A name for the park is not yet determined and the county is still working on the master plan for the future phases of the park.

“We are looking to add additional fields and putting in trails to access other areas,” Sager said. “The Moncure property is very large and beautiful. It really fits us well.”

Date Published: December 22, 2005

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