Nestled along Virginia’s I-295 corridor between Richmond and Petersburg, Meadowville Technology Park is recognized as one of the Commonwealth’s premiere Class A master-planned technology parks. Owned by the Economic Development Authority of Chesterfield County (the EDA), the park is home to Fortune 500 companies and corporate giants like Amazon, Niagara Bottling, Medline, and soon to be Plenty Unlimited and The LEGO Group.
The technology park is the epitome of municipal economic investment, decades of calculated planning, and a shared vision of success. Spanning over 1,300 acres, Meadowville Technology Park is a key player in the economic narrative of not only Virginia, but the entire East Coast. Its strategic location at the crossroads of Interstates 64, 95, and 85, shipping ports on the historic James River, and Richmond International Airport positions it as a vital link to global markets.
Meadowville Technology Park certainly performs at the bleeding edge of economic growth for our region—but how did the park come to offer such impressive development opportunities for Central Virginia?
The park’s current success is a culmination of municipal leadership, investment, and a long-standing relationship with the founders and leaders of Timmons Group. Founded originally as a land surveying company in 1953 by namesake J.K. Timmons, Timmons Group is now a full-service civil engineering and technology firm based in Richmond. During his tenure with the company, J.K. Timmons and his team were the manpower behind gargantuan development projects in Chesterfield County, including the survey of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike, Salisbury, and Reeds Landing.
While J.K. Timmons did not directly oversee the work accomplished at Meadowville Technology Park, he did have a unique relationship with the property before it sold to the Economic Development Authority in the 1990s: He and several other influential Richmonders owned most of the land and used the riverfront property for an annual Dove Hunt.
J.K. Timmons and his partners agreed to re-zone the property in a partnership with the EDA, which allowed Chesterfield County Economic Development (CCED) to transform Meadowville into a landmark that would attract world class jobs and investment.
The EDA then began purchasing the property over a number of years to specifically chase the semi-conductor fabrication market. When that market went “offshore”, the County re-imagined the property as a multi-tenant technology park. Through the leadership of CCED, the park now offers robust infrastructure solutions to its tenants and neighbors, including a county-owned and operated wastewater system and water tower, an expansive electric power and natural gas network through local providers, and telecommunications services.
“The success in attracting world leading companies to the County over the last decade is directly a result of the vision and work the County and its allies have done in developing Meadowville Technology Park into one of the finest industrial locations in the nation,” said Garrett Hart, Director at Chesterfield Economic Development.
The economic landscape of Chesterfield County is as diverse as its residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest data, Chesterfield County has experienced some of the most constant population and financial growth out of any locality in the Commonwealth. With a population of nearly 380,000, the County’s unemployment rate is consistently lower than the national average, a number kept steady by the continued investment at Meadowville.
“Meadowville Technology Park lives up to its potential for attracting world class jobs and investment to Chesterfield County,” said Tim Davey, Principal at Timmons Group. “The park exemplifies decades of strategic planning and collaboration with EDA and many County departments. Timmons Group is proud to support Chesterfield County Economic Development in their mission of bringing the best corporate entities to Meadowville and bolster our region’s financial security and success,” he continued.
Embracing the mantra “Connect Here,” Meadowville Technology Park has evolved beyond the role of business park to become a portrait of collaborative growth, regional innovation, and financial success. As Chesterfield County, Chesterfield Economic Development Authority, and Timmons Group continue to mold its future, the technology park stands as a testament to the influence of community prosperity that is brought forth by visionary planning. If the team that coalesced to bring Meadowville to life knows one thing, it is that the road to successful economic development is worth the wait.
