THE WARREN SENTINEL

Article date: November 26, 2003

 Avtex properties won’t be offered piecemeal

EDA hopes parking, marketing strategies will boost rental interest

 By: Roger Bianchini

During discussion of progress on remediation of the Avtex property at its Nov. 21 meeting, the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority said it does not now intend to offer individual parcels for sale as they come available.

EDA Chairman Ron Mabry told the board that both the town and county governments had agreed against selling parcels “piecemeal” prior to declaring the bulk of the planned 160-acre commercial and light industrial park ready for use.

The topic was raised when FMC’s on-site remediation supervisor Doug Bement pointed out that the approximate 20- acre piece of property adjacent to the west of the renovated Administration Building the EDA is now housed in, would be available for commercial development soon.  FMC is currently engaged in “borrowing” fill soil from the parcel to cover one of the former chemical ponds known as SB 4.

Bement mentioned that the possibility of marketing individual parcels was discussed at the recent Stakeholders meeting of groups with an interest in the town-county redevelopment project of the federal Superfund site.

The parcel in question never housed any contaminating activity, Bement explained, adding that his federal mandate on remediation permitted him to borrow fill to help complete the pond recovery work.

Bement said FMC would install a drainage system to alleviate concerns from any potential builder about the lower level of the parcel in the wake of FMC’s fill “borrowing.”  Bill Barnett suggested Bement’s verbal promise be put in writing lest the FMC supervisor meet a sudden, unfortunate end without having conveyed the intent to other FMC officials.  Bement also described other drainage issues on the property.  He noted the some north ponds had to be kept open to accommodate storm water run off while work continues at the site.

But he said by next summer several “south basins” should be cleaned and covered..  FMC is checking the existing sewer system beneath recently cleared areas for contamination.  The results of those tests will determine the nature of redesign landscaping and drainage work that will have to undertaken prior to redevelopment.  The Polymer and Shipping 3 and 5 buildings have come down this year, leaving the Powerhouse complex as the major obstacle to completion of demolition work.