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As Chair of the Eastern Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority (EVRIFA), and as a member of Williamsburg City Council, I am proud to welcome you to the inaugural issue of The Common Ground.
EVRIFA was created with a simple but powerful purpose: to give our region’s communities a place to come together to invest in major industrial sites and projects that no single locality could—or should—take on alone. Through EVRIFA, twelve localities collaborate to identify opportunities, prepare sites, share risk, and ultimately share in the returns that come from successful regional investment.
We chose the name The Common Ground intentionally. It reflects both the literal work we do—preparing land and sites for development—and the collaborative spirit that makes EVRIFA work. Common ground is where different communities align around shared goals, shared investment, and shared success. It is where regional thinking becomes regional action.
This year marks a watershed moment for EVRIFA. As the Hampton Roads Playbook moves from vision to implementation, EVRIFA is expanding its role as the region’s implementation arm for site development. Our focus is on turning strategy into investable projects—preparing the sites that will attract private capital and support growth in Defense, Energy, Aerospace, and Logistics industries that are central to our region’s future.
In many ways, 2026 is a year of transition—from planning to execution, from alignment to action. Through Common Ground, we invite you to follow along as EVRIFA takes on this next chapter: advancing key projects, strengthening regional partnerships, and building the foundation for long-term economic opportunity across Eastern Virginia.
If you have questions relating to EVRIFA, would like additional information or to discuss potential projects, etc., please contact Executive Director Steve Harrison. Steve will also be more than glad to make an updated presentation on EVRIFA to your governing body.
Thank you for your service to your communities and for your commitment to regional collaboration. We look forward to working together—and sharing the progress—throughout the year ahead.
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