By GEORGE WHITEHURST/ The Free Lance-Star

Massaponax-area shoppers will have more places to spend their money in the coming year, including a Home Depot and a CarMax.

The Timmons Group filed an application on Sept. 9 to build a CarMax lot at Southpoint II. Spotsylvania County hasn't yet issued a building permit.

And a Home Depot will be part of the Silver Cos.' planned expansion of its Cosner's Corner shopping center. The company has submitted a rezoning application for almost 38 acres at the intersection of U.S. 1 and the Spotsylvania Parkway.

The expansion would increase the retail space at Cosner's Corner to 1.5 million square feet. By comparison, Central Park and Celebrate Virginia South will have about 2.4 million square feet.

And Dawn Prince-Hoover, Silver vice president for commercial sales and leasing, said yesterday that the company should announce as many as eight more big-box retail stores for Cosner's Corner by next week.

If Silver wins this latest rezoning at Cosner's Corner, it can move forward with bringing a fourth Home Depot to the Fredericksburg region. Silver worked to bring the home superstore to Fredericksburg, North Stafford and, most recently, the intersection of Harrison Road and State Route 3 in western Spotsylvania.

Jud Honaker, president of Silver's commercial division, said the company has developed a good relationship with Home Depot executives.

"We know the person in the real-estate department," he said. "He's a first-class person to work with. In fact, the whole company has been great to work with."

In order to win the needed rezoning, Silver has pledged to provide rights-of-way on land adjacent to Interstate 95 should a new interchange be built off the U.S. 17 Bypass near Cosner's Corner.

Additionally, Silver will fork over $1.5 million--in addition to its previous $1 million commitment for a Spotsylvania Parkway bridge across I-95. Funding for that will come from a special taxing district that encompasses Cosner's Corner businesses that is already financing some other road improvements in the area.

Honaker estimated the cost of the bridge at $8 million to $10 million, adding he doesn't expect much help from the state on the project.

Silver also has agreed to a variety of design, lighting and stormwater management requirements from the county.

The company's rezoning request comes just as construction is about to begin on the SuperTarget slated for Cosner's Corner.

"I believe everybody in the area is going to be happy to have a SuperTarget in the area," Honaker said.

He added that Silver is making a major push to lure more restaurants to Cosner's Corner.

"We've been fortunate to have gotten a lot of good, high-quality tenants down there, but I don't think we've gotten as much food as that area needs," Honaker said. "So we're really making a real push to get some more restaurants down there."

A number of eateries have signed contracts for the development, including China Jade, Panera Bread, Five Guys and MaggieMoo's.

Prince-Hoover said retail establishments that have signed with Cosner's Corner include Rockaway Bedding; Asylum Skate, Wake and Board; and Dress Barn. Chevy Chase Bank and Bank of America also will be locating there.

"What we have is a wonderful mix of tenants who are in Central Park who are also committed to Cosner's Corner," Prince-Hoover said.

Southpoint II's developer, W.J. Vakos & Co., could not be reached for comment about the CarMax store coming to its new center, which is anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter. A Lowe's is under construction.

The Richmond-based CarMax is the nation's largest retailer of used cars. It operates 65 used-car superstores in 29 markets and seven new car franchises, all of which are integrated or co-located with its used-car superstores.

Date published: 10/25/2005
 
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