On September 29, Cville Right Now reported that a Publix, a Jersey Mike's Subs and a VIV Nail Salon are slated for Phase II of The Villages at Terrace Greene. The developer's website lists them as "completed deals," and Phase II is expected to be ready in 2027. Four months earlier, the Piedmont Journal Recorder reported something with a bigger effect on when those stores open. It reported that several large retailers and related businesses were believed to be waiting for formal word on a new road before signing construction contracts at Terrace Greene.
That road is the Route 670 Connector. To know when the Route 29 corridor in Ruckersville will actually change, watch its schedule.
What's on file at Terrace Greene as of early October
The announcements and the county paperwork are at different stages. Here is where each named business stood in the most recent public records and coverage.
| Business | Where it stands | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Publix | Listed as a "completed deal" by the developer. A "Grocery Store at Village of Terrace Greene" site plan, parcel 66-A-48, is under county review | Developer website; Greene County Community Development memo, September 10, 2026 |
| Jersey Mike's Subs | Listed as a "completed deal" for Phase II | Developer website; Cville Right Now |
| VIV Nail Salon | Listed as a "completed deal" for Phase II | Developer website; Cville Right Now |
| CAVA and Chipotle | Called "potential restaurant chains" in county advisory committee notes | Ruckersville Advisory Committee notes, September 10, 2026 |
| Dunkin', parcel TMP 60-A-23 | Pre-application held, with a site plan expected "shortly" | Greene County Community Development memo, September 10, 2026 |
Representatives from The Villages, the Timmons Group and Publix did not respond to Cville Right Now's requests for comment, and the developer, Merit Greene, could not be reached. No one has published an opening date more specific than the Phase II target of 2027.
The coverage also disagrees on one name. NBC29's report named a Jimmy John's. Cville Right Now and the developer's Phase II page both list Jersey Mike's. NBC29 also reported that Phase II covers more than 10 acres set aside for shops and businesses.
Why a two-lane road affects a grocery store
The Route 670 Connector is a new two-lane road between U.S. Route 29, Seminole Trail, and Route 670, Preddy Creek Road. It will have one lane each way with paved shoulders. It will meet Route 29 south of the Route 607 intersection, where Cedar Grove Road and Matthew Mill Road cross. The goal is to take pressure off the heavily congested Matthew Mill Road intersection by adding another way onto Seminole Trail.
Ruckersville's main grocery stop today, Food Lion, is at 136 Cedar Grove Road. Cedar Grove Road is one half of the Route 607 crossing the connector is meant to relieve. A second full-size grocery store at Terrace Greene will add trips to this stretch of Route 29, and the connector is the planned answer to that extra traffic.
The design includes a Continuous Green-T intersection where the connector meets Route 29. The county chose it to improve traffic flow and shorten backups at peak hours. The project also changes the Heatherton Drive median opening so the intersections along the corridor are spaced better. When the Commonwealth Transportation Board funding came through, Jim Frydl, the county's director of planning and zoning, put it this way:
"This project represents a major investment in Greene County's transportation infrastructure and future economic development. The Commonwealth Transportation Board's approval of full funding allows the county and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to move forward with confidence toward final design and construction."
The estimated cost is about $18.133 million, paid for through Virginia's SMART SCALE program. The Piedmont Journal Recorder reported that the cost has gone up since the project was first planned, because of design changes and inflation. The county's Route 670 Connector Road Project page is the place to check for updates.
The calendar, in order
Lined up by date, the retail project and the road project have been moving together:
- 2023. Phase I construction begins at The Villages at Terrace Greene.
- 2024. The first Phase I townhomes are rented.
- May 20, 2026. The Commonwealth Transportation Board approves full funding for the Route 670 Connector.
- September 10, 2026. The county's Community Development memo says staff are working with VDOT to prepare and release the request for bids. The Terrace Greene grocery site plan is on the list of submittals under review.
- September 29, 2026. Publix, Jersey Mike's and VIV Nail Salon are reported as Phase II tenants. Cville Right Now reports that initial Phase II construction has begun.
- 2027. Projected start of road construction and target delivery for Phase II.
- 2028. Projected completion of the connector.
The county chose design-build for the road, which means the county contracts with both an engineer and a contractor to design and build it. That choice is what makes a 2027 start and a 2028 finish possible. As of the September memo, no bids had gone out. If both schedules hold, Phase II could open while the connector is still being built. Early Publix trips would then use the Route 29 access points drivers already know, with construction nearby. If the bid process slips, both 2027 dates come under pressure. That is the practical effect of the Piedmont Journal Recorder's report that retailers were waiting on the road.
Where the weekly shop happens until then
For now, Ruckersville grocery shopping still means Food Lion at 136 Cedar Grove Road or the Walmart Supercenter at 135 Stoneridge Drive. Greene Great Valu at 8271 Spotswood Trail is the in-county option toward Stanardsville. Ruckersville already has a Dunkin' at 5920 Seminole Trail. The county's records identify the pre-application site only by its parcel number, TMP 60-A-23.
Terrace Greene's first phase was planned with five buildings, 19 retail spaces and 41,600 square feet of commercial space. The developer's Phase I page still advertises pre-leasing for delivery in the second quarter of 2026, and no list of Phase I tenants has appeared in county reports or local coverage. Phase I's storefronts may fill before the Phase II grocery opens. So far, though, Publix is the only anchor anyone has publicly named for the development.
Two dates on the county calendar
Residents who want a say in what happens around these projects have two upcoming chances.
The comprehensive plan open house. County staff told the Ruckersville Advisory Committee they planned to hold the first public meeting on the comprehensive plan by the end of October. They also plan meetings for residents in other parts of the county, including Dyke and Stanardsville. Staff will present existing conditions and current development trends, and residents can give input on the future of the county's rural and growth areas. The committee notes say the county has received feedback about expanding the future growth area along Route 33, so that topic is expected to come up.
The November 10 Board of Supervisors meeting, 6:30 p.m. A memo on community center and recreation facility funding is scheduled to go before the board. Members of the Ruckersville Advisory Committee plan to attend in support. The county has $125,000 available for a study. According to the meeting notes, staff plan to fill the room with people from local recreation groups, including pickleball players.
The Planning Commission also has a work session on accessory dwelling units scheduled for October 21. The Ruckersville Advisory Committee meets at The Visitor Center Barn, and you can also join on Zoom. Its monthly packets on the county website, starting with the September 2026 packet, are the most direct way to follow the grocery site plan and the connector bids between news stories.
If you're curious how a new grocery anchor and a funded road project could affect your own street in Ruckersville, Patricia Irby is glad to go through the county filings with you. Let's connect over coffee and talk about what's coming along Route 29.
