Crossroads and Comebacks

After Losing 1,100 Jobs in Two Years, this Small Virginia City Bets on Homeownership, Festivals, and Fiber Infrastructure to Rebuild its Economy

Emporia, Virginia, finds itself at a critical juncture. The seven-square-mile city just lost 550 jobs when Georgia-Pacific shuttered its plywood plant in May, following Boar’s Head’s closure in nearby Jarratt. Yet City Manager William E. Johnson III sees opportunity where others might see a crisis. “We are a resilient community,” he says. “We are in a great region. We have good regional partners, and we are going to continue to push and move the community forward in a positive direction.”

That resilience draws from Emporia’s unique position as what Johnson calls an “urban rural community.” The city offers amenities typically found in larger urban centers, including public transit, while maintaining the character of a small Southern town. Located strategically at the crossroads of Interstate 95 and U.S. Routes 58 and 301, Emporia sees 60,000 vehicles pass through daily. The city boasts fiber infrastructure at key development sites, a recently renovated YMCA with a $10 million aquatic center, and the Emporia-Greensville Recreation Association Park that hosts regional softball tournaments.

“We have our outdoor physical fitness studio. We have our walking trail, we have the YMCA,” Johnson explains. “It is just a great place to live and work and we’ll continue to grow the community and bring other exciting activities to our community.” The walking trail connects the EGRA park directly to downtown Main Street, part of a broader effort to create connectivity throughout the compact city. For a community of just 5,766 residents, these assets represent significant advantages in attracting businesses and residents seeking quality of life without sacrificing modern infrastructure.

Historic Districts Meet Modern Development

Main Street in Emporia tells two stories simultaneously. The 1781 Greensville County Courthouse anchors a downtown where Spivey’s Meat Market has served customers for over 50 years, while fresh DHCD grant money promises to transform 28 building facades. Economic Development Director Shanetta Beck leads the charge to blend preservation with progress.

“We are working with DHCD to become a Main Street community, which involves our business owners and giving them the opportunity to put a stamp in the community,” Beck explains. “We’re trying to create a walkable block that fosters a community where people can live, work and play in the same area.” The recently awarded $100,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development will improve facades across both of Emporia’s historic districts, creating visual cohesion while preserving architectural heritage.

Downtown’s existing businesses typify the community’s evolution. Ruby’s shoe repair shop maintains old-world craftsmanship, while three mental health agencies occupy the intersection of Baker and Halifax. The historic bank building on the corner stands “picture perfect,” according to Beck, with offices above street-level storefronts. Southside Housing Development transformed the old Independent Messenger newspaper building into a vibrant community hub. “They purchased this old building, renovated it and turned it into something much more than it’s ever been,” Beck notes. “They offer homeownership classes there, meetings, and event venue space. It has vibrant colors that attract people directly to downtown.”

Johnson envisions boutique restaurants joining the existing delicatessen along Main Street. The recent announcements of Waffle House and The Twisted Crab signal renewed commercial interest, even as the community works through recent industrial losses.

A Holistic Approach to Homeownership

Emporia’s housing challenge runs deeper than construction. With 65% of residents renting rather than owning, Southside Housing Development Corporation CEO Dianna Bowser tackles the problem through comprehensive support systems that address financial literacy alongside brick and mortar.

“We are a nonprofit community development corporation,” Bowser explains. “We go into communities that are in need of revitalization. We assist in bringing homeownership opportunities, but we’re not just building single family housing and multifamily housing.” Her organization operates from the transformed Independent Messenger building, offering pre-purchase counseling, post-purchase counseling, and foreclosure prevention services to residents across the region.

The bilingual financial opportunity center addresses barriers beyond language. “We provide resources to help people manage their financial wellbeing, improve their credit, help them with benefit support and workforce development,” Bowser says. “We help them create resumes, build skills, find jobs, and provide digital support. Most people now have to apply online, so digital training is one of the things we also do.”

Southside’s first four modular homes in Emporia sold to first-time buyers, though Bowser discovered the cost savings weren’t as significant as anticipated. “Modular was a very good experience, but it’s just as expensive as stick-built,” she notes. “The difference with stick building is that we provide opportunities to hire local subcontractors and labor. So, we’ll probably try some of both.”

The organization pivoted from plans for multifamily housing due to development costs. “We decided we’re going to switch to homeownership. We feel that’s more important for Emporia and will stabilize Emporia by having more homeownership opportunities,” Bowser explains.

Infrastructure, Incentives, and Opportunities

Despite recent setbacks, Emporia maintains significant advantages for business development. The city owns 37 acres at the Norwood site along Highway 58, where 60,000 vehicles pass daily, plus nearly seven acres in its industrial park. Private developers control another 35 acres in the same park, all within an enterprise zone offering substantial incentives.

“Right now, it’s free water and sewer hookup and building permit fee waivers for that district,” Beck emphasizes. “If anyone wants to build here in Emporia, get them to give us a call.” The economic development office fields inquiries at 434-634-5056, promoting sites that include the vacant Charah building, formerly Quick Cret’s cement facility, ready for commercial or industrial use. Four and a half acres of commercial land remain available behind the new Chick-fil-A location.

Infrastructure readiness sets Emporia apart from many small cities. “If you’re in the downtown area, we are infrastructure ready. There’s water and sewer throughout downtown,” Johnson confirms. “We’ve done some improvements to our water and sewer infrastructure. We’re also seeking grant funding for water and sewer to run down Route 58.” The Norwood site offers fiber connectivity alongside highway access, positioning it for logistics, manufacturing, or data-intensive operations.

Beck focuses on achieving Tier 4 certification for the Norwood property while marketing existing assets. “We’re working on road access design to the Norwood site. It sits right on Highway 58 where we have 60,000 cars come through a day. There is fiber there as well,” she says. “We’re hoping to attract a business that brings jobs to the area with the recent closing of one of our larger facilities.”

Responding to Economic Change

Georgia-Pacific’s May closure delivered a gut punch to Emporia, eliminating 550 jobs in a city of fewer than 6,000 residents. Combined with Boar’s Head’s 2024 shutdown in neighboring Jarratt, the region lost over 1,100 positions in less than a year. Yet city leaders refuse to surrender to despair, instead channeling energy into community building and cultural development.

“Sometimes you don’t always get the thank yous or the attaboys, you get, ‘Well, why didn’t you do this?'” Johnson reflects on public service during difficult times. “But it’s great for us right now. We have some momentum despite losing Georgia Pacific’s 550 employees. We are a resilient community.”

Beck transformed adversity into action by launching new community festivals that celebrate Emporia’s diversity. “We have three brand new festivals that we’ve created in the last two years that have been growing,” she says. “We have Cinco de Mayo—we did that twice. This will be our third annual jazz festival this year. And we’re having our first ever Juneteenth celebration on June 21st.”

The city’s recreational infrastructure provides additional anchors for community cohesion. The YMCA’s $10 million aquatic center opened in 2024, while the Kaboom playground project brought volunteers together to build facilities for children. “Volunteers came in and built a brand-new playground for the children,” Beck explains. “We’re trying to fundraise for a skate park if we can get that in the years to come.”

Private investment continues alongside public initiatives. Station 67, a planned sports complex featuring indoor basketball, volleyball, and pickleball courts, promises to create gathering spaces for youth programs and nonprofit meetings, reinforcing Emporia’s strategy of building community resilience through shared spaces and experiences.

Building Tomorrow’s Emporia

Emporia’s 18-month roadmap captures immediate needs and long-term ambitions. Johnson prioritizes three critical initiatives while acknowledging the challenges ahead. “One, pushing the developer to build the sports complex. Two would be to continue to create jobs in our community, especially with the loss of Georgia Pacific,” he outlines. “And one of the most important things we’re working on right now is to have a new police department built here in our city, a much-needed facility for the officers and dispatchers and that whole public safety team.”

Beck focuses on retaining young families through expanded homeownership opportunities. “I believe it’s a vital time to have our younger community want to stay here,” she emphasizes. “I want to make sure they understand what we’re trying to put into the community to ensure they can raise their children here. With the help of Southside, I think we’re on the right path.”

Healthcare expansion represents another key priority. Bon Secours hospital seeks to add specialist services, but physician recruitment requires housing options. “We want to make sure they’re looking to expand their specialties,” Johnson explains. “Providing more homeownership and improved rental opportunities will hopefully help them achieve that with more specialists coming to our community.”

The city aims to capture workers who currently commute from surrounding areas. “We have school teachers, Greensville County Public Schools, Southside Regional Jail, Greensville Correctional Center, which is about a 15-minute ride from here,” Johnson notes. “A lot of those individuals live outside of Southside. We want those individuals to live here.”

Emporia’s story exemplifies small-city resilience in modern America. While industrial closures test its economic foundation, the community responds with infrastructure investment, cultural programming, and strategic development. The next 18 months will determine whether this Virginia crossroads can transform from a place people pass through into a destination they choose to call home.

AT A GLANCE

Who: City of Emporia, Virginia

What: Independent city rebuilding after loss of 1,100+ industrial jobs through housing initiatives, downtown revitalization, and infrastructure development

Where: Southern Virginia

Website: www.ci.emporia.va.us