By RICHARD H. HRONIK III Daily News-Record Jan 14, 2025
A significant residential development around Harrisonburg’s old Frazier Quarry site could break ground early next year.
Property development firms Bushrod Investments and Birchwood Capital Partners gave city officials an update on the planned Quarry Heights neighborhood on Monday.
After Harrisonburg City Council unanimously approved several rezoning requests to pave the way for the project at a meeting on Nov. 26, representatives from Bushrod and Birchwood said the companies are now seeking permits to begin site work, according to a news release. The companies estimate the project will cost about $220 million from start to finish.
Larry Lichtenauer, a media contact for the project, said that if permits are approved on schedule, site work will begin in early 2026.
David Gildea, principal of Bushrod Investments, said the development would feature about 950 homes making up six neighborhoods.
“Quarry Heights is a master planned community that represents a unique opportunity for the citizens of Harrisonburg,” Gildea explained. “Quarry Heights will offer a better kind of urbanism and seamlessly integrate into the fabric of the existing community and city.”
According to the release, the six neighborhoods will be named West Ridge Summit, Lakeside, Waterman Village, Quarry Lake East, Brickstone and Quarry Flats. The neighborhood will feature a wide variety of housing types. These will range from single-family homes to townhomes and apartments. However, a contractor has not yet been selected to build the homes.
David Strouse, president and CEO of Birchwood, said the project’s design was based on housing that already exists in Harrisonburg.
“The design of this carefully curated residential program was based on existing housing types in the Harrisonburg area and perceived demand in the future, as well as input from the City Council, the Planning Commission and staff,” Strouse said in the release. “The overarching goal was to offer homebuyers a range of choices to meet their particular home size and price point needs, as well as create an attractive and synergistic environment that complements adjacent neighborhoods.”
In addition to the housing units, the development will include two clubhouses with recreational amenities. According to the release, one will serve the whole development, while the other will be designated for residents of the apartment complex. Both clubhouses will include resources like fitness equipment, kitchens, pools, and play equipment.
The project began as a way to repurpose the old Frazier Quarry site, which opened in 1915 under the name Betts Quarry. The quarry company is still active in the area, with plants in Timberville, Elkton and Harrisonburg.
