The Warren Sentinel

Article date: May 27, 2004 

Soccerplex, connector road discussed by EDA

By: Roger Bianchini 

Several projects involving property on or adjacent to the Avtex cleanup and remediation site were discussed during the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority meeting of May 21.

County Administrator Doug Stanley said the initial phase of land clearing and grading work on the much discussed,  much delayed Soccerplex project is anticipated to be completed by July.  FMC Remediation Manager Doug Bement has agreed to have the work done in exchange for other on-site considerations, primarily the use of fill dirt from the site.  FMC Corporation, as the sole surviving former owner of the sprawling rayon and synthetic fibers manufacturing facility built in 1940, is a mandated partner in the Superfund cleanup project.

The goal on the Soccerplex front is to get two to four fields into playable condition while negotiations to overcome the stalled financial involvement of the U.S. Soccer Federation continue.

While the USSF has contributed $128,000  to the project, it has hedged on a larger commitment that would lead to construction of a regional tournament level facility at a seven- field complex on a non- contaminated portion to the south east of the 467- acre Superfund site.  EDA staffer Jennifer McDonald noted that a $1 million revenue shown on the site Capital Improvement Plan for the Soccerplex project this year had to be deleted due to the USSF impasse.

In another matter peripheral to the Avtex site Town Manager Rick Anzolut Jr. informed the EDA that discussion with Roanoke engineering firm Mattern & Craig on design aspects of a west side connector road that would run along the eastern boundary of the property were proceeding lethargically at best.

Anzolut explained that a VDOT analysis of limiting environmental aspects of the project, complicated by the projected route’s proximity to the Avtex property, had only recently been received and forwarded to the engineers.

The long-discussed west side bypass is proposed to run along Shenandoah Avenue past Warren Memorial Hospital on the north side of town, cut across a short portion of Kendrick Lane to a right of way between Avtex and R-MA that would connect a newly constructed two lane road to Kerfoot Avenue which continues to Criser Road on the south side of town.

After nearly a year of developmental discussion Anzolut said he’d hope to progress to the design and environmental engineering phase of the project by now.

“It’s just a simple negotiation on the engineering estimate on a contract.  That we’re not satisfied with the figure being discussed is not unusual,” Anzolut later observed.  However, he did indicate to the EDA that if the engineers cost estimate wasn’t reduced it was likely the town would be looking for another engineering partner on the project.