Two Biz's Sign Eagle Village Leases

• Press release from Office of News and Public Information, University of Mary Washington

The University of Mary Washington Foundation announced two additional companies have signed leases in Eagle Village. ELS Language Centers and EverSewEnglish LLC have signed leases to conduct business in the mixed-use village adjacent to the university.

The UMW ELS location represents the Princeton, N.J., based company’s first center in Virginia. ELS offers international students English language learning services and university placement assistance. It is the largest group of campus-based English language instruction centers in the world, with more than 55 study locations in the U.S. and Canada and 20 international branches, including at 50 sites on university campuses.

The new ELS office will feature facilities for small classes and training sessions, computer labs that house a Learning Technology Center and business offices. They will offer services to support UMW and surrounding universities throughout the region. Construction on the 5,000 square foot ELS center offices and classrooms will begin within the next month, and classes will begin to be offered November 1.

ELS students will be able to live on campus, thereby increasing their opportunities to practice their English skills with native speakers.  Additionally, all ELS Centers offer home stay accommodations with English-speaking host families. 

EverSewEnglish, the brightly decorated specialty store located between Glass America and Best-Way Rentals, was founded in Fredericksburg in 2003. The company manufactures a variety of custom handbags, including classic totes, purses, diaper and laptop bags and backpacks. 

Clients may purchase a bag from designer and owner Jennifer Church’s collection or design their own bag. EverSewEnglish offers one-on-one and group design sessions and special events, including “Tote Gatherings” and the “Tote-ally Surprised Experience.” The business held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony last week.

Eagle Village, owned by the UMW Foundation, is a 23-acre pedestrian-friendly residential and retail mixed-use village in the former Park & Shop retail center. Phase I of construction, featuring an apartment-style residence complex, office, retail and restaurant facilities and a multi-level parking garage, was completed in July 2010.