The University of Mary Washington Foundation has announced two companies that have signed leases to operate in Eagle Village. ELS Language Centers and EverSewEnglish LLC have signed leases to conduct business in the mixed-use village adjacent to the university, according to Jeff Rountree, CEO of the University of Mary Washington Foundation and president of Eagle Property Holdings LLC.
“In the true spirit of a mixed-use development, we are pleased to welcome a global leader in language services and a specialty bag and tote company to Eagle Village. The variety of business types locating within the Village creates a dynamic and growing business center for the City of Fredericksburg and a friendly place where people can live, work, learn and shop,” said Rountree.
The UMW ELS location represents the Princeton, N.J., based company’s first center in Virginia. ELS offers international students English language learning services and university placement assistance. It is the largest group of campus-based English language instruction centers in the world, with more than 55 study locations in the U.S. and Canada and 20 international branches, including at 50 sites on university campuses.
The new ELS office will feature facilities for small classes and training sessions, computer labs that house a Learning Technology Center and business offices. They will offer services to support UMW and surrounding universities throughout the region. Construction on the 5,000 square foot ELS center offices and classrooms will begin within the next month, and classes will begin to be offered November 1.
ELS students will be able to live on campus, thereby increasing their opportunities to practice their English skills with native speakers. Additionally, all ELS Centers offer home stay accommodations with English-speaking host families.
“ELS provides added value to the university and the community at large. It will help the university recruit more international students by providing intensive instruction of English as a Second Language to international students, and it will add to the diversity of our campus and the region,” said UMW Provost Jay Harper.
EverSewEnglish, the brightly decorated specialty store located between Glass America and Best-Way Rentals, was founded in Fredericksburg in 2003. The company manufactures a variety of custom handbags, including classic totes, purses, diaper and laptop bags and backpacks.
Clients may purchase a bag from designer and owner Jennifer Church’s collection or design their own bag. EverSewEnglish offers one-on-one and group design sessions and special events, including “Tote Gatherings” and the “Tote-ally Surprised Experience.” The business held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony last week.
Eagle Village, owned by the UMW Foundation, is a 23-acre pedestrian-friendly residential and retail mixed-use village in the former Park & Shop retail center. Phase I of construction, featuring an apartment-style residence complex, office, retail and restaurant facilities and a multi-level parking garage, was completed in July 2010.
