In Economic Gloom, Clouds May Part Over Prince William

A new Wegmans recently opened in Woodbridge, part of an area economy a consultant said is more resilient than the national one. (By Lois Raimondo -- The Washington Post)
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Fore said Gainesville has the chance to latch onto mass transit, including nearby rail lines. It is also a good place for a town center development, he said. Such mixed-use, "walkable" communities will be popping up throughout the country, he said.

"I would absolutely love to see town centers here," said Karen Ondayko, one of the roughly 150 chamber members who heard Fore speak Wednesday. "They bring that community feeling and make you not want to get in your car to go to Tysons or Alexandria. I think they would help keep people in the area."

Gainesville is also on the radar screen because it has a community for active older adults, which is another type of development gaining attention as people look to settle rather than flee the area after retirement, Fore said.

Although there is no way to predict when the economy will turn around, Fore said, Prince William might already be bouncing back, as statistics show home sales are beginning to rise. Data from the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems show 834 sales in June, an 83 percent jump from the 456 units sold in June 2007. In Manassas, home sales surged 178 percent, with 37 units sold in June 2007 and 103 units sold this June.

"I think Julian [Fore] brings some good news," said Laurie Wieder, president of the Prince William Regional Chamber. "We have a lot of opportunities here."

Because no one can predict the timing of the turnaround, Fore said, it is important that leaders plan now for development and make sure adequate infrastructure is in place.

Hard times, he said, will not last forever.

"The market goes through cycles, and usually for every 10-year cycle, you get three bad years," Fore said. "Cycles tend to work themselves through, and we will hopefully return to some sense of normalcy soon."