Public officials and real estate executives broke ground on the new Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station house at Potomac Shores on Saturday.
Many community members met to both celebrate the completion of the $24 million, 350-spot parking garage and the beginning of the 20,000-square-foot station house project. Along with the station house will be two levels of retail space: restaurant space with indoor and outdoor dining and any number of retailers, such as ice cream or coffee shops.
A press release stated that the station house is designed to feature an arch pass-through for station access, which leads to a paved boardwalk overlooking the Potomac River. The boardwalk has been designed to connect to the Potomac Shores Trail System.
Located near the Potomac Shores Town Center, the hope is to spur further economic development and investment in the area, the real estate executives present and integral to the project stated.
Biddle Real Estate Ventures (BREV), a New York City-based firm, was responsible for the building aspect of the project and spearheaded the building efforts of the site's parking garage.
"Today marks another step forward towards our dual goals of welcoming VRE service to Potomac Shores and bringing retail investment to the Marketplace within the Potomac Shores Town Center," Peter Chavkin, a managing member of BREV, said. "We’re grateful for the leadership of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors as we continue to advance these projects."
Many members of the Prince William County government were in attendance for the groundbreaking, including the Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large DeShundra Jefferson. "New commercial investment here at Potomac Shores will spur economic development that benefits all of Prince William County. Our county will continue to bring all resources to bear to move this process forward to completion," Jefferson said. Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey also spoke at the groundbreaking, stating this is an important step in the county's goals."The completion of the VRE garage and groundbreaking for the Station House at Potomac Shores brings us closer than ever to our long-held goals of VRE Service and commercial development within this community," Bailey said. "I intend to work closely with relevant agencies and with private sector partners to see these goals realized."
Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin said this project will benefit the county as a whole.
"Improved transportation access and economic development that benefits our county as a whole have been a focus for me ever since I took office," she said. "Today’s milestones at Potomac Shores mark a major step forward and I look forward to continued progress."
The station house is expected to be completed in the final months of 2025. It is anticipated that the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority will acquire land adjacent to the station house next year as well, which will further the goal of 1 million square feet of commercial space in the area, a press release stated.