Article date: August 11, 2000

By Roger Bianchini

At its meeting of Aug. 7, the Front Royal Town Council unanimously approved the adoption of a resolution allowing the Front Royal/Warren County Economic Development Authority to apply for a $100,000 Derelict Structures Grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The money will be used in the redevelopment of the old Avtex administration building on Kendrick Lane.

The EDA plans to turn the building into office space and has already secured a prepaid lease agreement with FMC Corporation in the amount of $200,000 to rent a portion of the renovated building for the term of FMC’s anticipated seven to 10 year presence as part of the federally mandated Superfund cleanup. FMC was the only remaining existing and financially viable former owner of the property and was cited by the federal government to participate in the Superfund cleanup project.

Total cost of the administration building renovation project is estimated by the EDA at $1.163 million.

Among the project costs listed in the EDA’s grant resolution proposal are $275,000 in asbestos and lead paint removal; $38,000 for architectural services; $750,000 for building renovations; and a $100,000 contingency fund. The Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) will handle the asbestos/lead paint removal, which is the first step of the project.

Two-hundred-and fifty-thousand dollars is cited as the budget for the ACOE’s initial removal demolition phase of the administration building redevelopment. All of that amount will be paid by an already secured $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

It was also noted by EDA director Steven Heavener that the ACOE has been delayed in starting the removal demolition phase and that the work is not anticipated being finished before early 2001. At that time the architectural contract will be put out to bid.

The EDA’s explanation of project finances also noted additional redevelopment costs are being incurred by "green -design" techniques which include geothermal heating, photvoltaic electric and natural lighting. The "green design" aspect of the project is being pursued as part of the goal of making the Avtex Superfund redevelopment project a national showpiece for a federal-state-local environmental reclamation project. It is also believed that additional redevelopment costs will be balanced by later savings from the environmentally sensitive "green-design" aspects of the project.

Current funding sources for the project include the federal and state grants totaling $375,000; the FMC lease agreement of $200,000, and the approved loan amount of up to $450,000.

Heavener acknowledged for the record at Monday’s council meeting, the help of Diane Hartson in identifying the possible state and federal funding sources for the project. Hartson is currently attempting to gain consulting contracts with the town and county government for lobbying efforts for the localities at the state and federal level. Hartson is a former local and state government reporter for the Northern Virginia Daily.