The economic impact of redevelopment of the former Avtex fibers plant could be massive, Avtex’s bankruptcy trustee told a new group working toward that end on Friday.

Anthony Murray Jr., appointed trustee shortly after the company sought Chapter 11 protection from creditors in February 1990, said there are at least 30 acres of empty warehouse space that are not at all or minimally contaminated.

At $40 per square foot, that space could be leased for $50 million, which could be used for remediation of problem areas at the plant that was closed in November 1989 because of pollution violations.

The panel, which was recently made an official subcommittee of the Front Royal Warren County Industrial Development Authority, named itself the Industrial Redevelopment Committee, set its goals and adopted statements that outline its mission and define the role of the group in regards to the authority.

The committee has a central core of seven people: Fred Foster, a downtown merchant; his son Phil Foster; William Barnett and Tom Preston, both town residents; Paul Hockman and Ed Morrison, both members of the authority; and Tom Nida, a former bank president who now operates a financial consulting firm.

There are several advisory members of the committee, including the county and town planning directors, Randy Hodgson and Kimberly Fogle, respectively; Mindy Schryver, and employee of Avtex who now works for the bankruptcy trustee; Murray; Robert Fields, a representative of the FMC Corp., a former owner of the site; and Jocelyn White of Environmental Issues Management, a consulting firm hired by FMC.

A special advisory committee is made up of Delegate Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr.; Windell Dick, an aide to state Sen. H. Russell Potts; Benjamin B. Dutton, who runs the Winchester office of 7^th District Rep. George F. Allen; a representative of U.S. Sen. John W. Warner’s staff; and Andy Hart of the staff of 10^th District Rep. Frank R. Wolf.

Fred Foster was elected chairman, Barnett was elected vice chairman, Phil Foster was elected treasurer.

The committee’s mission doesn’t preclude the redevelopment of other industrial and commercial sites, although Barnett said that’s not on the agenda now.

The panel will identify and assign priorities to sections of the Avtex site according to their potential for commercial use; create an industrial and commercial development site plan; seek funding for expedited redevelopment of priority property; develop a marketing plan; work with all parties to achieve the release of the property for sale or lease; the market the site through the authority.

The committee will try to redevelop the site by working with Murray, FMC, the Environmental Protection Agency, which has the plant on its Superfund list, and local state and federal governments.

A concept that worked at an old Avtex plant in Meadville, Pa., was to transfer the property from the trustee to a non-profit redevelopment corporation.

Fields said businesses sought in Meadville didn’t have large waste steams and ran little risk of contaminating areas of the plant.

"There are ways to foster a non-liability situation" in the case of the land being reused, he said.

The group also decided to meet on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be held in September.

Engineers for FMC and the trustee are defining what areas of the plant have the best potential.

FMC has said it will consider paying for a site redevelopment study.

Discussions about reuse have focused on the parking lot, the building closest to Kendrick Lane that housed the guardhouse , the personnel office and about 20 acres of open space on the north side of the plant.