Board of Architectural Review denies Afton Inn demolition

For years, come rain, shine, sleet or snow the Afton Inn has been an admitted downtown Front Royal eyesore, now adjacent to the new Town Hall, could that be about to change – or not … Photos/Roger Bianchini

After a 55-minute work session discussion on Tuesday night, the Front Royal Board of Architectural Review voted unanimously to deny an application to demolish the 149-year-old Afton Inn.  For two decades the massive 3-story brick structure has stood largely derelict and deteriorating at the head of Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District.

The Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority has been marketing the property for the Town for two years since the Town agreed to a swap of the old Town Hall building that the town government had outgrown for the Afton Inn.  After several proposals to renovate failed due to cost variables, the EDA brought Northern Virginia Development group MODE Partnership’s proposal to demolish and rebuild to the Town on July 28.

Several work sessions and an August 22^nd public hearing indicated a mixed public opinion.  However, several downtown business owners urged approval of the demolition plan with guarantees a historic-based rebuild would occur.  But the late introduction of an alternate renovation plan submitted by Winchester-based Urban Development Partners swayed the Architectural Board to its preference for preservation over demolition.

Not good enough – MODE Development Partnership’s representation of a replacement structure. Courtesy Graphic MODE

In fact, the two-page UDP proposal sent to the EDA four days before the BAR vote was called “a Godsend” as architectural board Chair Angela Toler and Vice-Chair Joan Harding discussed the pending decision.

That proposal from the Winchester group mirrors the MODE proposal to some extent, describing a first floor “restaurant/retail space complimented by 8-10 studio lofts on the upper floors of the existing building and any added space.”

However, the Urban Development Partners expand the possible use of those loft spaces beyond the upscale apartments proposed by the MODE group, stating, “These studio lofts would be intended as extended stay (executive suites, upscale hotel) rooms.  We believe this will bring more revenue to Old Town Front Royal compared to traditional apartments,” adding, “However, we would reserve the right to convert these units to apartment use if the executive suites were not successful.”

The UDP group also presented the type of concise redevelopment schedule the BAR appeared to be seeking from MODE were they to have approved demolition – “with Part 3 of the VDHR (Virginia Department of Historic Restoration) tax credit application filed no later than 10/31/2018,” adding that, “All construction activities on site would be complete no later than 6/2019.”

We asked EDA Executive Director Jennifer McDonald, who was present for the vote, about the new Winchester group proposal, which she verified she had received the previous Friday, four days before the BAR vote on the MODE proposal to demolish to make way for new construction at the Afton Inn site.

“They sent me an e-mail through Patrick Farris (Warren Heritage Society Director) on Friday.  I know nothing about that development group.  That building has been vacant for years, for sale for years – it has not been a secret; it’s been in the newsletters; it’s been in the newspapers; it’s been in marketing pieces of ours, it has been discussed at town council meetings, at board of supervisors meetings, at EDA board meetings.”

We asked McDonald where the BAR vote to deny Phase 1 of the MODE Development Group proposal – demolition – leaves the EDA, which had forwarded that proposal as an essentially financially self-funded redevelopment opportunity for the Town of Front Royal?

“I will take their decision back to those developers and the EDA Board of Directors and see how they want to move forward, to see if those developers want to continue looking at the demolition or possibly renovating and see if my board would like to appeal the decision to the town council.”

Changing appearances, changing eras

One interesting observation about the historic value of the building at issue came during the work session discussion.  BAR board member Duane Vaughan said he didn’t really have an interest in preserving the Afton Inn – “The Afton Inn doesn’t have a very pretty history,” Vaughan noted referencing Royal Cinemas owner Rick Novak’s public hearing question, “What’s so warm and fuzzy about that building?”

“Nothing,” Vaughan agreed of its later incarnation as the Afton Inn.  However, he elaborated that the business opened in 1868 as the Montview Hotel did have more historical value to the community – “It was a short walk down from the train station; if people came here on the train that’s where they went to stay.  There were no cars.”

However, that pre-automotive age charm has been missing since the early part of the 20^th century after the hotel’s ornate front porch structure was brought down.  And it seems the timing of that loss of character may have been a metaphor for a greater change that was occurring, not only in Front Royal, but across the nation and the world.

Harding commented she had been told a car accident involving a Presbyterian minister and a Model T automobile were involved in the loss of the hotel’s porches.  “It was taken out by the Lord,” Harding observed.

“He had never driven before,” Vaughan observed, without elaborating on whether he was talking about the minister or the Lord.

Essentially, the Board of Architectural Review said ‘we want this back’ – WITH the 149-year-old brick and porch structure more characteristic of the Montview Hotel of the building’s first half century. Courtesy Photo/WC Heritage Society

From left, Duane Vaughan, Joan Harding, Nancy LeHew and Michael Whitlow ponder a tough call on the future of Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District.