A notable piece of NoVA property will become a data center. Merrifield Garden Center’s owners have reportedly sold their 38-acre Gainesville property for $160 million.
A sign posted at the retailer says, “After 17 years in operation, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors to the Gainesville location of the Merrifield Garden Center. We anticipate that our last day of operation at this location will be December 31, 2025.”
According to the Prince William Times, the land was purchased by Black Chamber Partners LLC, which is part of a private equity firm focused on Northern Virginia data center development. The Gainesville property — located at 6895 Wellington Rd. — sits within the county’s data center opportunity zone overlay district, which allows data centers to be built by right.
The $160 million sale equates to more than $4.2 million per acre. According to land records, the owners bought the property in 2004 for about $2.3 million and opened the garden center in 2008.
Merrifield Garden Center also operates two other Northern Virginia locations in Falls Church and Fairfax. The centers stock a large collection of indoor and outdoor plants plus shrubs and trees. They also sell a variety of seasonal home décor and host special holiday events including visits with Santa.
Feature image of Fairfax location courtesy Merrifield Garden Center