Sale, if not plans, for old FRPD headquarters finalized

Above, it’s not ‘Stop’, it’s a GO for the sale and redevelopment of the old FRPD headquarters at 24 W. Main Street; below, sellers and buyers are ready to conduct a little business. Photos/Roger Bianchini

On Thursday, August 31, the sales contract transferring ownership of the former Front Royal Police Headquarters building at 24 West Main Street to private ownership was signed.  The sales price paid up front to the town government is $275,000.  It is the price quoted when a sale proposal first came to the town government in the fall of 2016.

Spirits were high on both sides prior to Thursday’s sale and purchase.  Despite renovation needs, the purchase price appears to be considered a good one by both sides.  The Town will get a vacant, non-tax revenue-producing structure back on the tax roles; and the buyer has a 4,000-square-foot-plus, two-floor brick building to work with.

In fact, one of the two couples in the purchase group brought their young son to the signing.  As illustrated in an accompanying photos, the introduction of a new player in the purchase group led to some wary glances from Mayor Hollis Tharpe, perhaps anticipating some last-minute re-negotiation strategy spearheaded by young Jude Duvall.

That kid looks like a sly negotiator, Mayor Tharpe may have been thinking prior to signing off on a $275,000 sale of the old FRPD headquarters on West Main Street; below, it looks like young Jude Duvall thinks he has the mayor sized up.

But alas, things went off without a hitch as Jude, his parents John and Brittany, partners Nick Heflin, Justin and Jennifer Bond, their attorney Eric Zimmerman and real estate agent Bill Barnett, the mayor, town attorney and town manager moved seamlessly to the contract signing.

It was a sale about a year in the making.  Council cast a unanimous vote authorizing staff to both prepare a sale document; and reword the draft Contract of Purchase on September 12, 2016.  The gist of that rewording was that the sale would occur without guarantees from the Town on any remaining asbestos or other hazardous materials, and would be made “as is”.

The vote of approval of the revised contract itself occurred on November 14, with the initial plan to move to closing the following day.  However, complications arose over permitting for the purchase group’s initial plan to renovate for use as a brew pub.  As explained by town staff prior to the contract signing on August 31, State code requirements for restaurant use in a building with below-ground levels made the original plan impractical.

Members of the purchase group said a plan to use the building as a small-business incubator were still on the table, but that no final decision has yet been made on a use.

FRPD moved out of the 4,032-square-foot former post office in September 2013.  The move was prompted by reported asbestos and mold issues discovered during repair work between the basement and ground floor ceiling-roof.  Space constraints had long been an issue for FRPD.  The 2013 move into the old Warren County Sheriff’s Office several blocks away on Jackson Street, increased the police department’s space to 7,236 s.f.

The Town initially paid Warren County $3,000 a month rent for the old WCSO building; however, that rent has climbed to $4,108-and-change per month ($49,304 annually) for a space that is already too small for FRPD’s needs.

The Town is moving forward on construction of a new FRPD Headquarters on Kendrick Lane, across from the old Avtex site and planned Royal Phoenix Business Park.  That approximately $9-million project will increase the department’s space to 21,600 s.f.  The two-building design is projected to accommodate FRPD needs a quarter century into the future.

And while the future use and length of service to that use for the old police headquarters and post office is less clear, we wish the new owners the best in redeveloping one of the Town of Front Royal’s most familiar downtown landmarks.

Above, following the mayor’s battle of wills with the purchase group’s youngest member, their lawyer Eric Zimmerman presents the new, discount-price offer – JUST KIDDING, folks, just kidding … Below, young Jude Duvall may be thinking that real estate is a convoluted business, sort of like that toy he’s got his eye on.