The first phase of the Rockingham County Technology Park, located just north of Harrisonburg on U.S. 11, is almost complete, and county officials say they will soon seek bids for the second phase — landscaping.

According to Rockingham County Administrator Joe Paxton, the first phase of construction, which included designing the 365-acre park and constructing an entrance to the facility, should be complete by the end of September.

The cost of phase one, including design and construction costs, was $3.2 million, said Deputy County Administrator Stephen King.

Getting Technical

The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors voted in 2003 to create the technology park, they said, to bring in businesses that otherwise would not locate in the county.

Work on the first phase of the park was scheduled to be complete by 2004, but weather and other problems pushed that date back to this year, Paxton said.

Now, with the completion of phase one nearing, Paxton said, the board will begin seeking bids on the second phase, landscaping.

During the second phase, King said, the park will be landscaped and two ponds with fountains will be built at the entrance.

The second phase is expected to be complete in about a year, Paxton said.

Once the second phase is complete, Paxton said the county will begin soliciting companies to fill the park.

According to King, the county will market the park to technology-based businesses that will not interfere with the private industries that already exist in the area.

“The county can use the park to attract the type of industry we desire without competing with private businesses,” King said. “[We want] technology and research-type companies.”

© 2005 Daily News-Record