The lede:
“Conclusion
This study demonstrates the requirements and costs to effectually relocate the HR AREC to alternate sites owned by the City of Virginia Beach, and it highlights two material considerations.
First, the study shows the significant work and costs that would be required to replicate the soil conditions and to establish a buffer zone in accordance with regulatory requirements for a new site.
Second, the study shows that active ground soil research projects are generally not transferable to a new location. Rather, ongoing projects will need to be phased out and terminated while simultaneously initiating new research work at a new location. Thus, the HR AREC would temporarily require some redundant equipment and labor during an approximately two-year transition period, which is included in the total project costs for land development.”
Emphasis ours.
Download Executive Summary & Study:
SAVE Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center 
AREC is a critical community resource for public enjoyment and education on sustainable practices, environmental issues, beneficial and native plants to best serve our area, assistance with plant diseases & pest identification and proper controls, water stewardship, tree care and benefits, teaching elementary children about horticulture and responsible practices, in addition to their mission of agricultural and horticultural research. AREC serves the entire Hampton Roads community and its current location is ideal since it is easily accessed from Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and the Peninsula.
The proposed 5.5 year plan would disrupt the ongoing research, do away with the many irreplaceable trees (many of which are over 70 years old) and eliminate the demonstration, trial and learning gardens at the present site. The mission of the Research Station is Urban Horticulture, so the fact that they are in an urban location makes sense. Moving to a farm community does not make sense as it is less accessible for all of Hampton Roads and there is already a farm oriented AREC in Holland (south Suffolk). Additionally, it will take years to attempt to recreate what already exists at Diamond Springs Road. Rather than spending years and taxpayer money to make farmland usable for the needs of the research extension, why not fund the improvement of the current location and transfer your development goals and focus on other real estate that will not cause the loss, expense and disruption that the current proposal does. Nancy Brown Virginia Beach, VA
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Hereâs some info:
2022
Last year the General Assembly approved a $500,000 bill to fund a report to âReport on the plan to relocate the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, including timeline, suitable location requirements, and building and moving costsâ. * The report, which was due December 15, 2022, was completed and submitted to Virginia Tech and the General Assembly. The report has not been posted to Virginiaâs Legislative Information System (LIS), where bills are tracked.
2023 Virginia Legislative Session (short session)
Simultaneously, bills were introduced to the Senate (SENATE BILL NO. 1068) and House (HOUSE BILL NO. 1843) Offered January 11, 2023, Prefiled January 9-10, 2023, which included the relocation of the AREC as one of 19 capital outlay projects in the Commonwealthâs capital outlay plan.â 229 Virginia Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Experiment Station Priority 1 Relocate Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center $75,000,001 to $100,000,000â. * The Senate bill has been referred to the Finance and Appropriations Committee and will likely be referred to the Capital Outlay Sub-Committee. * The House bill has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee and will likely be referred to the General Government and Capital Outlay Sub-Committee.
More information and tracking
More information can be requested from your local and state representatives. * To see who introduced the bills, track the progress of the bills, see committee and sub-committee members, meeting dates & agendas, and to access the links to view committee and sub-committee meetings and provide feedback you can go to:
Senate https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1068 https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1068
House https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1843 https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1843
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