The Town of Occoquan has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia to help revitalize its downtown through the creation of a new public space—Mill Street Pocket Park.
The grant, announced Friday morning by Governor Glenn Youngkin, is part of a broader $5.4 million package awarded to 30 communities across the state. Funding comes through the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The initiative aims to strengthen local economies by supporting the transformation of underused spaces, growing small businesses, and revitalizing commercial districts.
Occoquan was the only locality in Northern Virginia to receive funding in this round.
“We’re pleased to share that we received notice last Friday that our grant application was selected for funding,” said Adam Linn, the town’s manager and chief of police. “While we have not yet received the official award documents or full details about the grant, we’re very excited about the opportunity.”
The $15,000 grant will support the town’s Mill Street Pocket Park Project, which aims to transform a deteriorating and underutilized structure at 172 Mill Street—formerly a pump house owned by the Prince William Service Authority—into an inviting public gathering space in the heart of downtown Occoquan.
“This community-driven placemaking initiative will breathe new life into a long-neglected former pump house… by restoring the structure, installing a large-scale public mural, and creating a surrounding pocket park designed for connection, reflection, and artistic engagement,” Linn said.
Governor Youngkin praised the grant recipients, saying the projects “will create jobs and strengthen these historic downtowns,” and described the revitalization effort as a way to bring prosperity to communities across the Commonwealth.
Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura added that the grants “enable Virginia to deliver targeted support for local economic development priorities.”
