With a literal bang, an excavator began positioning a 93-acre site in central Henrico to become a major destination for tourists and an economic hub for the county. One by one, county officials guided the machine’s massive claw to tear away the bare walls of the former Best Products headquarters building.
Located along Interstate 95 at East Parham Road, the former Best property is proposed for a large mixed-use development, with homes, stores and businesses, as well as hotels and an arena for touring concerts and sporting events. The Henrico Economic Development Authority (EDA), which is leading discussions with potential partners, sees the demolition as a critical launching point for the Best Products Reimagined development.
“It’s a sign of progress, and you know, there’s been a lot of great plans for this property,” said Andrew Larsen, EDA’s managing director.
Best Products went out of business 30 years ago and its building has been vacant for at least 15 years. Ahead of the demolition, EDA invited former Best employees to the site in April to honor the company and celebrate the future of the property. Site remediation followed and included stripping away the building’s siding to safely remove asbestos.
At the demolition kickoff event in late June, Board of Supervisors Chair Roscoe D. Cooper III topped his suit and tie with a neon vest and hard hat before jumping in the excavator’s cab to tear out sections of the wall.
“What excites me most about this project is frankly the lives it’s going to change,” said Cooper, of the Fairfield District, which includes the Best site. “When you look at what we’re doing here with the proposed arena, the residential, the commercial, it’s going to make a difference for generations to come.”
Larsen said Best Products’ two-story building, which encompasses about 312,000 square feet, was well past its useful life. By clearing the site, the county is removing an obstacle for prospective partners and is putting redevelopment a step closer to reality.
“There’s a lot of room to do some really transformational things,” Larsen said. “It really opens up a lot of possibilities, and it takes a lot of risk off our prospective developers.”
When Dennis Bickmeier, executive director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, was offered a turn in the excavator, his enthusiasm for knocking down the building was matched only by his excitement for how redevelopment will enrich the county.
“The conversations have centered around bold ideas and forward-thinking plans to establish this site as a true gateway to Henrico and our region, to fill a void in our community with an arena that becomes the center for entertainment and serves as the heart of the many sports tourism assets already surrounding it,” he said.
EDA plans to provide information for residents about the construction process and will continue to communicate with neighbors about potential impacts related to construction.
The building demolition is expected to be completed in the fall, with contractor S.B. Cox recycling as many of the materials as possible. Notably, the building’s iconic Art Deco eagle statues will be preserved, either on-site with the new development or relocated elsewhere in the county.
“We’re ready to move quickly, and we’re ready to move alongside partners who see the same thing as we do: Opportunity,” said Cari Tretina, EDA’s executive director. “Because the future of this site isn’t what will be built here. It’s unlocking an economic development center that our region hasn’t seen, and so it’s going to benefit generations to come.”
