The pending closure of a long-running blueberry farm near Brandermill is prompting a proposal for a 1,300-home development in the path of the planned Powhite Parkway extension.
East West Communities, which developed Brandermill and nearby Hallsley and Woodlake, is teaming up with Richmond-based Catalyst Development Co. on the plan to develop 400 acres on the north side of Genito Road between Otterdale and Mount Hernon roads.
The mostly wooded property in Chesterfield’s Moseley area includes the Swift Creek Berry Farm & Greenhouse, which has announced it will wind down operations after 2027. The development would straddle the planned Powhite Parkway extension, which is planned to run through the middle of the site.
Called Goode Farm, after the Goode family that runs the berry farm and owns most of the land involved, the project would consist of a mix of residential and commercial development.
According to a conceptual site plan submitted to Chesterfield County, 145 acres would be zoned for “semiurban” residential development, meaning single-family homes on smaller lots; 76 acres for “urban” residential, consisting of higher density single-family and multifamily buildings; and about 100 acres for “transitional residential,” meaning townhomes and multifamily units designed to transition between semiurban and urban neighborhoods.
The project also would include a 5-acre commercial corridor and 55 acres of preserved wetlands and buffer areas, according to the site plan prepared by Townes Site Engineering.
The site consists of eight parcels at 16750, 17100, 17200, 17202, 17204, 17210, 17300 and 17310 Genito Road. Chesterfield has assessed the parcels at over $1.6 million combined.
East West and Catalyst are seeking a rezoning to allow the development, which would be in line with East West’s typical projects but a departure for Catalyst’s Justin Paley, who up to this point has primarily focused on apartment rehabs, new construction and adaptive reuse projects.
Examples include Catalyst’s apartment conversion – with Blackwood Development and other firms – of the former Caravati’s warehouse in Richmond’s Manchester district. Across the street from that building, Catalyst and Blackwood also teamed up with Hourigan Development on a 188-unit, new-construction apartment building.
Daniel Jones, president of East West’s Richmond division, said the Goode Farm project came about through the firms’ Chesterfield roots and the Goode family’s decision to make 2027 the blueberry farm’s final year.
“The opportunity, like many, came to us by way of a personal relationship and quite honestly proximity,” Jones said in an email. “Justin is a Chesterfield native and East West is going on our 55th year in business based in Chesterfield.”
In a prepared statement, Paley said the firms “are deeply grateful for the trust and confidence the Goode Family has placed in our team to guide this cherished property into its next chapter.”
“It is our shared vision to create a thoughtfully designed community that will honor the rich history of the property while reflecting its long-standing role as a valued landmark in Chesterfield County,” Paley said.
The project would include dedicating 200 feet of right of way through the middle of the site for the Powhite Parkway extension. Development proffers submitted with the rezoning request state that the right of way would satisfy Chesterfield’s road cash proffer policy, which typically requires cash payments per residential unit to offset transportation impacts from a development.
Other proffers from the developers include a 15% limit on three-bedroom units in multifamily buildings as well as pedestrian connections and trails. The developers are represented in their request by attorney Kim Lacy with Roth Jackson Gibbons Condlin.
In his statement, Paley said the property plays a critical role in the planned Powhite extension and the project “presents a unique opportunity to advance Chesterfield County’s long-standing vision for improved transportation and responsible growth.”
“The extension of Powhite Parkway through this property positions it well for development that aligns with the goals of the County’s Comprehensive Plan,” Paley said. “We are committed to working closely with County staff and our neighbors to ensure the development of a community that delivers long-term benefits and honors the County’s vision for the area.”
The proposal adds to other residential developments in the works along Genito and around the paths of the planned Powhite and Woolridge Road extensions.
Along Genito, TC Development is planning Dogwood Creek, a nearly 300-home development on 178 acres south of Genito near its intersection with Bailey Farm Road. The Midlothian-based firm also is developing a 443-unit development consisting of townhomes and condominiums on 107 acres northwest of Otterdale and Old Hundred roads, in the path of the future connection of Woolridge Road from Old Hundred to its interchange with Route 288.
In addition to Hallsley, Brandermill and Woodlake, East West’s local developments include Giles at Hanover, Patriots Landing in New Kent and the nearly 800-home Arcadia in the works in eastern Henrico.
As for Swift Creek Berry Farm & Greenhouse, its website states that the decision to wind down after 2027 was prompted by the 2019 loss of its entire blueberry crop, which it called a major financial setback, a decline in sales and other challenges during the COVID pandemic, and the loss of family patriarch Clyde Goode in 2021.
“We did our best to pick up the pieces, launching a new entity in hopes of restoring the farm and continuing the legacy. But the weight of those years proved too much to overcome,” the website states in a statement attributed to the Goode family.
“As a family, we’ve ultimately decided that it’s time to move on from the farm and the property, and to pursue new chapters in our lives,” the statement says. “We are deeply grateful for your continued support and for the 40-plus years of memories, laughter, and connection. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey.”
Note: This story has been updated with street addresses and county assessments for the parcels involved.