Bloom delayed

Why has construction on the new Bloom grocery store been held up for months? It’s VDOT’s fault, for holding up the permit approval process, according to the shopping center owner, the land use specialist in County Supervisor Penny Gross’s office, county planning department, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. The permit is required because the project needs access to state-mandated roads. Budget cuts at VDOT are delaying permit approvals across the board. The Bloom will be larger than the Magruder’s it will replace. The good news is the permit is expected to be granted within the week, but the bad news is the store opening is now several months behind schedule.