Garden Center In Prince William County Sold To Data Center Developer: Report

GAINESVILLE, VA — A garden center in western Prince William County is slated to close after a sale to a data center developer, according to reports.

Prince William Times first reported on the upcoming sale of Merrifield Garden Center's Gainesville location. The $160 million sale went to Black Chamber Partners, LLC, which works in data center development.

Merrifield Garden Center notified customers of the upcoming closure of the Gainesville location after Dec. 31, according to the Prince William Times report. The location had been open for 17 years. Its other locations are in Merrifield and Fair Oaks in Fairfax County.

The site is in Prince William County's Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District, which means by-right data center development is permitted there. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors had asked county staff to draft a plan to remove the overlay district.

Supervisor Kenny Boddye (D-Occoquan) responded to the Prince William Times report in a statement on social media. The supervisor said he has pushed for an end to the overlay district.

"This isn’t just about one sale. It illustrates a system where the deep pockets of the data center industry are almost impossible to compete against," Boddye said. "Under the existing overlay, the developer can build by right — bypassing review by the Planning Department, the Planning Commission, and even the Board of Supervisors. No process, no public input, no enhanced protections or performance standards."

Supervisor Tom Gordy (R-Brentsville), whose district the center is located within, agreed on eliminating the overlay district and said they drive out small businesses. In a statement on social media, Gordy called for data center development to be limited to the most industrial zones at least a quarter mile from homes and schools.

"For 4 years, I have warned that unchecked development and the relentless expansion of data centers would drive land values and property taxes up and family businesses out," said Gordy. "That rising burden forces beloved local enterprises, like Merrifield, out. Sadly, this outcome is exactly what many in our community feared."