By Sean Korsgaard
CP Reporter
When a new Walmart location was announced for Ladysmith in 2015, plans for road improvements and a surrounding shopping center were drawn up almost immediately. Now, almost two years later, after a series of delays to hammer out specifics, we have an expected date to break ground and open the doors
The bad news is, Ladysmith shoppers are going to have to wait a little bit longer. The start date for construction for the Walmart Supercenter is now set for June 2018, with the opening expected for some time in 2020.
Caroline County officials completed their part of closing the deals last year – the Caroline County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the four resolutions required (a rezoning application, zoning ordinance amendment and two special exception permits) — necessary for the proposed store last year – everything else now rests with Walmart, according to a statement from Caroline County Administrator Charles Culley Jr. released last August at the time of the last development in the project.
“County officials remain in contact with Walmart representatives but have not been told what determines their decision-making process regarding timing for the project,” said Culley Jr. “The County continues to press for an opening at the earliest possible date.”
The store is part of a broader, 36-acre retail project that will be located on the southwest corner of Ladysmith Road and Route 712 (Green Road), near the Ladysmith exit off I-95. Upgrades of Rt. 639 are still to go forward in support of the project and the overall development of the corridor to make access to the shopping enter more convenient.
According to Marc Greenberg, a partner at Richmond-based Blackwood Development Co. which is in charge of the development, while the ground for the Walmart Supercenter may not be broken until next year, the next few months will see a number of important developments for the surrounding additional 100,000 square feet of retail and services being developed as part of the project, with a price tag of $20 million.
“We’re continuing to reach out to other retailers, and we should see some developments regarding other stories in the shopping center over the next six months,” said Greenburg. “We’re staying on top of it, but a lot of this hinges on when construction starts and when the Walmart would actually open.”
Greenberg added that Blackwood Development is “excited to move forward with the project” as soon as Walmart is ready.
Though a spokesmen from Walmart could not be reached for comment at this time regarding the development, the company issued a statement late last year regarding the development:
“Walmart is not in a position to comment on the status or timing of the Ladysmith project at the present time, but we will have more to share at the appropriate time. We want to emphasize that the Caroline County Board of Supervisors and staff have been great to work with throughout the process, and we appreciate all the County’s cooperation and assistance.”
The new 158,000 square foot Walmart Supercenter is expected to bring around 300 new jobs to Caroline County when it opens.
As of today, Caroline County is the only county in either the Richmond metro area or Fredericksburg metro area without a Walmart location.
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