Investor Spotlight: City of Hampton Economic Development

The City of Hampton’s Economic Development, led by Charles “Chuck” Rigney, has caught the attention of top businesses and developers from around the country.  In fact, some of the most successful and innovative companies are investing in Hampton.

So why has this urban waterfront city become a hot spot on the East Coast? You can attribute it to:

• A unique mix of growing and established business clusters
• • Advanced manufacturing
  • Aerospace technology
  • Land, sea, air unmanned systems
  • Homeland defense & security
  • Professional services
• Abundant local and regional workforce development assets
• A highly educated workforce
• Competitive cost of living and business costs
• State-of-the-art business parks

Hampton is home to high-tech aerospace and defense facilities, major medical centers and institutions of higher education, including NASA Langley Research Center, Langley Air Force Base, National Institute for Aerospace, Sentara Health System Careplex, Hampton University and Virginia Peninsula Community College.

Higher education opportunities abound in Hampton and the surrounding region, offering the skilled and educated workers needed in any business environment.

• 300,000 military veterans and retirees in the region provide a pool of experienced, reliable talent with a variety of skills
• Approximately 15,000 people exit the military each year and choose to stay in Hampton Roads to live and work
• 22 institutions of higher learning across the region

Hampton is in the heart of a top-40 U.S. metro area with a population of more than 1.7 million; airport, interstate, port and rail access; and an economy diversifying beyond traditional defense, port, and tourism anchors.  From a colonial seaport to an aerospace leader, the city has been defining innovation for more than 400 years.  See why key industry leaders have made the decision to Choose Hampton!

Huntington Ingalls Industries/Technology Solutions Division (HII/TDS) Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence at Hampton Roads Center North Business Park

The Huntington Ingalls Industries/Technology Solutions Division (HII/TDS) Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence completed construction of their second building in December 2021, on their 20-acre campus. The 150,000 total square feet will be used to assemble hull structures for Boeing’s Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) program for the U.S. Navy. The facility is purpose-built for unmanned systems prototyping, production and testing.  HII/TDS partnered with the Hampton Economic Development Authority, the City of Hampton, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and the Hampton Roads Alliance to secure the project. More than 250 high-quality jobs will be created to support unmanned systems design and production at this new Center of Excellence.

Virginia Tech Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC)

Virginia Tech’s new Seafood Research Center will open in January 2022 on South King Street, Hampton. The facility will focus on the quality of wild caught and cultured animals and products, business/marketing support for the commercial aquaculture industries, thermal processing, intensive saltwater recirculating aquaculture, and education/outreach for industry and consumers.  The new $9 million seafood research facility will be a raised two-story building with 21,700 sq ft. of space.  It will offer office space, an updated microlab and classrooms.

Drone research and development in Hampton

Hampton is becoming a hub for unmanned systems. With research at NASA Langley Research Center and companies such as Longbow, Advanced Aircraft Company, and the new Huntington Ingalls’ Unmanned Center of Excellence, new technology is being developed and commercialized in the city. Unmanned systems in the land, sea, and air have the potential to be an increasing part of Hampton’s economy.

Private companies and NASA-Langley Research Center showcased new state-of-the art unmanned aircraft at Fort Monroe in Hampton.

Harbor Commerce Center

W.M Jordan Development is currently building two new speculative buildings, each 115,000 square feet of Class “A” industrial space.  These buildings should be ready for occupancy by January, 2023.

For more information on the City of Hampton Economic Development, please visit: https://hampton.gov/241/Economic-Development