Posted by Chris Colgan on Thursday, October 16th, 2025 7:00pm.
By Chris Colgan | Real Nova Network
Credit: PrinceWilliamTimes.com
For decades, Merrifield Garden Center in Gainesville has been a go-to destination for holiday shoppers, plant lovers, and families looking for that perfect Christmas tree. Its greenhouse, gift shop, and festive events made it one of the most beloved businesses in western Prince William County.
But this year marks the end of an era. The 38-acre property has been sold to a data center developer for an astonishing $160 million, a price that works out to more than $4.2 million per acre — one of the highest land sales ever recorded in the county.
According to property records, Merrifield’s Gainesville location sits within the county’s Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District, an area where data centers can be built by right. That zoning status, combined with strong demand from technology companies, has driven prices for land in this area to record levels.
The buyer, Black Chamber Partners, LLC, is part of a private equity group that specializes in data center development and already manages several projects nearby. Merrifield’s sale underscores just how valuable Prince William County’s industrial land has become in the digital age.
The property had been assessed at $26.5 million, including buildings and land. Merrifield’s owners originally purchased it for just $2.3 million in 2004 — meaning the site’s value increased nearly seventyfold in twenty years.
Merrifield Garden Center’s Gainesville location opened in 2008, featuring a 12,000-square-foot store, a 37,000-square-foot greenhouse, and a cozy café that became a gathering spot for locals. Its holiday displays, Santa visits, and family-friendly events helped cement its reputation as one of Northern Virginia’s most festive shopping experiences.
The company announced that the store will officially close by December 31, ending nearly two decades of service to the community. Other Merrifield Garden Center locations in Falls Church and Fairfax will continue to operate.
The sale of Merrifield Garden Center reflects a broader transformation taking place across Prince William County, where land zoned for technology use has soared in value. Data centers — which store and process massive amounts of digital information — have become the dominant economic force in the region, bringing major tax revenue and infrastructure investment.
However, that same growth has also raised concerns. Many residents worry about losing small businesses, open space, and the local charm that once defined the county’s communities. Environmental advocates have also noted that properties like Merrifield provided green refuge for pollinators and wildlife in an increasingly industrial corridor.
With its prime location and zoning status, Merrifield’s 38 acres are almost certain to be developed into a large-scale data center complex in the coming years. Local leaders have already begun discussing the need to review the overlay district and how it impacts existing commercial and retail areas.
For longtime residents, the sale is bittersweet. Merrifield wasn’t just a garden center — it was part of Gainesville’s identity. Its closing serves as another reminder of how Northern Virginia’s explosive tech expansion is changing the region’s landscape, culture, and sense of place.
Merrifield Garden Center’s final holiday season marks a turning point in the story of Gainesville. It captures the tension between progress and preservation, between the promise of new investment and the loss of local tradition.
As data centers continue to spread across Prince William County, the question becomes clear: what kind of community will this next chapter of growth create?
Credit: Reporting originally appeared in Prince William Times (PrinceWilliamTimes.com).