Virginia Beach Economic Development Authority Approves EDIP Grants To Osen-Hunter Defense Systems, LLC and Lynnhaven Motor Company

July 2, 2012

Osen-Hunter Defense Systems, LLC, a service disabled veteran-owned small business devoted to specialized training for military, law enforcement and intelligence community teams, has announced plans to move its operations to a new 15,000-square-foot office/warehouse facility in Virginia Beach’s Taylor Farms Commerce Center. The company is currently leasing 2,500 square feet of space on Laskin Road. The five-year lease represents a major expansion for the company that has been in Virginia Beach since 2006.

“Osen-Hunter is to be congratulated on the strong business growth that has led to this six-fold expansion of its building needs,” said Warren D. Harris, City of Virginia Beach economic development director. “This success illustrates again the high levels of innovation and customer service to be found among the Virginia Beach small business community.”

This expansion will create 14 new full-time jobs with average annual salaries of $81,800. The new positions will include a manufacturing comptroller, product development directors, several training and logistics specialists and fabricators/assemblers. The Virginia Beach Development Authority approved a $50,000 Economic Development Investment Program (EDIP) grant to assist Osen-Hunter with its growth based on the capital investment and job creation within the City.

Osen-Hunter is a family of companies built to provide security, operational support and training for government, military, corporate and individual clients operating in high-risk environments around the world. Other locations include Austin, Texas and Barboursville, Virginia.

Bobby Beasley with Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate and Allen Pyle of Pyle Realty negotiated the transaction.

The Virginia Beach Development Authority also authorized an EDIP grant to Lynnhaven Motor Company (doing business as Gabriel Automotive Enterprises, Inc.) in the amount of $40,000. The company has purchased a 1.43-acre site on Maxey Drive for $300,000, and it plans to move its retail automotive sales operations currently at 1784 Virginia Beach Blvd.

The development of the property will occur in two phases. The first phase is the construction of a 3,000-square-foot sales facility and 100 parking spaces. Phase two includes an optional 3,400-square-foot auxiliary repair facility.

“This investment by Lynnhaven Motor Company is more proof of the success of the City’s YesOceana.com program,” said Michelle Chapleau, business development manager for the Virginia Beach APZ-1 Program. “Working with the local business and real estate communities, we were able to attract new investment and activity to the area around Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana to replace previous land use that did not support the City’s partnership with the Navy to protect this vital military installation.” The property is located within the Accident Potential Zone 1 (APZ-1) of NAS Oceana, and this use is a conforming business as defined by the YesOceana.com program.

The total amount of capital investment by Lynnhaven Motor Company is $750,000, including the site purchase and construction of the building and in addition to $14,000 of business personal property.

Bill Overman with S. L. Nusbaum negotiated the transaction on behalf of Lynnhaven Motor Company.

The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international business and industry that results in the creation of new capital investment and jobs that increase the per capita income in the community. The City of Virginia Beach is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a population of 434,000 and is the 39th largest city in the United States. The City of Virginia Beach is recognized as the best run cities in America, by 24/7 Wall Street in 2012, and in 2011, Virginia Beach ranked number one for economic growth potential by Business Facilities. In 2012, the Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council, one of only 29 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. In 2011, the Department won an Award of Excellence for its marketing efforts from the International Economic Development Council. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.

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