NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY
Article date: August 17, 2002

EDA needs another $400,000 for Avtex Work

Funds wold be used for construction

By: Mary Jordan

In order to finish rehabilitation of the former Avtex administration building as scheduled by early next year, the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority will have to borrow another $400,000.

The authority has committed all of the remaining Housing and Urban Development grant funds, Executive Director Stephen A. Heavener said Friday, during an EDA board meeting. The additional $400,000 is seeded for construction work.

Heavener projected in March that the EDA would need the additional funds, however the board of directors voted to wait until most of the work was put to bid and contracts were awarded.

The total cost for the rehabilitation work is $1.3 million. The EDA already has spent $600,000 on design, asbestos abatement, lead paint removal and selected demolition, and $662,000 is under contract, Heavener said.

Heavener said he expects the EDA to be able to move into the building by January or February, with hopes to rent out office spaces soon thereafter.

Also at Friday's meeting:

• In advance of developing a telecommunications policy for EDA-owned industrial parks and future businesses, the board voted to design a request for proposal for telecommunication legal services, identify experienced legal firms and select a firm to perform telecommunications legal services.
• The policy will allow the EDA to have controls in place in order to manage businesses effectively and fairly.
  The board followed up on Chairman Ronald L. Mabry's proposal to form committees associated with key areas of the EDA's Strategic Plan. Directors were assigned to chair a committee, for which they will gather community members to participate.
  
• The committees include Avtex, technology, existing industry, retail, hospitality and new industry.
  Mabry said the committees were designed to the hope of developing a level of expertise to be used for business development and attraction, and as a resource for the EDA board and staff, town of Front Royal and Warren County.
  
• The board approved a request by the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Department and the Virginia Task Force to use the buildings at the Avtex site for disaster training sessions in November.
  
• Director John LaBarca was absent from the meeting.