Henrico County purchases Bowl America, motel on Williamsburg Road for economic redevelopment

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico County leaders are moving forward with the purchase of two properties on Williamsburg Road, including the former Bowl America bowling alley, as part of a broader effort to revitalize the corridor and attract new economic opportunities near Richmond International Airport.

The initiative, called Rebuild Henrico, aims to transform aging and abandoned structures along one of the area's most visible thoroughfares into assets that serve the community and support emerging industries.

Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson said the effort has been building for some time.

"It's something that we started a couple of years ago, but we're putting a label on it now," Nelson said.

The Bowl America location on Williamsburg Road has sat dormant for several years and is expected to be demolished within months. The county is also in the nearly completed process of purchasing a motel located at 5508 Williamsburg Road. No definitive plans have been announced for either property, but county leaders say all options are on the table.

"It could be anything. It could be a hub for employment, workforce development. I believe whatever we do here, which is what I'm excited about," Nelson said.

Henrico Economic Authority Executive Director Cari Tretina said the county intends to take an open approach to determining the best use for the combined roughly five acres.

"We're going to be really entertaining an organic redevelopment process to find the highest and best use for both these properties," Tretina said.

"We know how to do reinvestment; we've done it before. This isn't the first time, and so we're start again with five acres in hopes that the private sector will partner with us just as they done time and time again," Tretina said.

Tretina said the purchases come on the heels of Richmond International Airport's 100th anniversary and the nearly $3 billion in annual economic impact the airport generates. She said future development could be shaped with that in mind.

"We also want to consider facilities that are going to directly benefit emerging industries like aerospace and defense that we're really positioning airport properties for, and that involves workforce development," Tretina said.

Henrico Deputy County Manager Brandon Hinton echoed the importance of the corridor's connection to the airport.

"The roads leading into and out of the airport are just as important," Hinton said.

Richmond International Airport CEO Dr. Perry Miller said the location of the Rebuild Henrico launch is intentional, as Williamsburg Road is often the first thing visitors see when arriving in the greater Richmond area.

"When people come here, they see everything that's possible for the community as they enter. So, this is a critical step and I'm really truly grateful for effort taken here to improve the views corridors that lead to the airport," Miller said.

Nelson said the county is not looking to acquire the entire corridor, but hopes private property owners take notice.

"We're not trying to buy up Williamsburg Road, but we are trying to encourage cleaning it up so that Williamsburg Road can serve the community," Nelson said.

For longtime residents like Keith Johnson, who said Bowl America is where he first got into the sport, the redevelopment carries personal weight.

"This was the start of my bowling. I loved it. I really did," Johnson said.

"I got into bowling, I got into a few leagues. I got my own bowling ball years after that," Johnson said.

Johnson said he hopes whatever replaces the property makes a meaningful difference for the people who live nearby.

"The purpose is to do something better than what it's been because you don't want the property to be dilapidated and rundown. So, whatever they decide to build, it's going to be beneficial for the future," Johnson said.

County leaders pointed to previous redevelopment successes as proof of concept, including the Sports and Event Center built on the footprint of the former Virginia Centers Common Mall and recent demolition work at the Best Products Plaza.

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