Business View Magazine | January 2020

244 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JANUARY 2020 values in downtown, alone, more than double since 2000, with about a thousand residential units at 90-plus percent occupancy and restaurants and retail to follow. “Another goal for economic development downtown is attracting employers so that you can have great places, great restaurants, and retail with a thriving employment center. In 2015, Pacific Life established an east coast headquarters in downtown Lynchburg with approximately 300 employees and in 2019, CloudFit Software, a cloud services software firm, announced that they will redevelop one of our beautiful Art Deco buildings that has stood empty for 10-plus years as their new headquarters. CloudFit will hire about 150 people over the next three years. So, in addition to things like breweries and restaurants that are opening up downtown, we also are focusing on this employment piece.” Picking up on the subject of revitalizing and rethinking the city core, Wodicka relates, “We 434.845.5966 | www.YesLynchburgRegion.org Regional Data Population 258,995 Labor Force 126,742 Median Home Price $169,348 Average Annual Wage $42,210 Abundant Resources Education - Eight colleges and universities Workforce - Strong “pipeline” of future talent Water - Excess of 25 million gallons per day TOP 100 Best Small Places for Business & Careers TOP 50 Cost of Doing Business