Hanover shopping center being built on former Wigwam site

Wigwam Crossing to include 22K square feet of retail space

Published August 24, 2020 by Sydney Lake

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the location of the shopping center. It is being built in Hanover County.

Construction began last week on a 22,000-square-foot shopping center in Hanover County on U.S. Route 1 near Virginia Center Commons, Richmond-based asset disposition group Motleys announced Friday.

Wigwam Crossing is being built on the site of the Wigwam, a log-cabin building that was a landmark restaurant and dance hall from the 1920s into the 1960s. The development is being built in two phases, with the first including up to 12,000 square feet of retail space divided among several shops, offices and restaurants.

“I’m excited to revitalize this property, which has been in my family for decades,” Motleys President Mark Motley, owner and developer of the project, said in a statement. “I was just waiting for the right time to develop it into something special. Despite the pandemic, I am optimistic about the future of the economy, and believe this project will be good for the area.”

Located at 10392 Washington Highway, the Wigwam will be remodeled to include a 5,000-square-foot ballroom, which will be used for events including weddings, receptions and meetings. The original log cabin interior will remain intact.

“I look forward to giving the Wigwam new life as an upscale event center,” Motley said in a statement.