The Town Center at Aquia is win-win for Stafford County

April 1, 2008 12:15 am

On behalf of Ramco- Gershenson Properties Trust, owner of Aquia Towne Center, I want to thank Supervisor Paul Milde and the Stafford County Board of Supervisors for their favorable consideration of the property's rezoning application last month.

The board's action will permit us to proceed with the redevelopment of the shopping center into a vibrant mixed-use community consistent with the principles of the Stafford residents.

The redeveloped center will offer commercial, of- fice, residential, and recreational opportunities within a self-contained community.

I particularly want to thank Mr. Milde for his enthusiastic support of our efforts. Without his leadership, the result we obtained last month could not have occurred.

I am also grateful for the efforts of Supervisors Dudenhefer, Sterling, Crisp, Woodson, Schwartz, and Brito. Finally, I want to thank County Administrator Anthony Romanello and his staff for their assistance.

Leadership and vision is very important in local government, and I appreciate Stafford's willingness to look to the future and entrust Ramco-Gershenson with the opportunity to create a new kind of development.

Ramco-Gershenson remains committed to working with its neighbors and Stafford County to complete the redevelopment work at the shopping center, already under way.

The new center, to be known as The Town Center at Aquia, will provide a showcase for what can happen when local government and responsible development work together toward "win-win" solutions that benefit all participants.

Edward S. Wizner

Farmington Hills, Mich.

The writer is vice president of development/redevelopment for Ramco-Gershenson Inc.