Explaining Council’s selection process on old Electric Department building

It initially appeared that the Front Royal Town Council had rejected the high bid of $275,000 on its old Electric Department headquarters on the 500-block of Sixth Street.  The public opening of four bids received was done by Town Purchasing Agent Cindy Hartman at Council’s February 13 meeting.

520A Sixth St. – the Town’s former electric department administrative headquarters. Photo Roger Bianchini

Four bids were received:

1. $275,000 by a trio of companies, Hike Construction, BG Plumbing, and Arctic Air;
2. $200,000 from Adventure Enablers, formerly known as Rev3 Adventure;
3. $150,000 from B&P Landholdings;
4. the offer of a property trade from VFW Post 1860. That trade for part of the organizations almost 10-acre property at the end of North Royal Avenue extended would give the town government ownership access to riverfront property inside the town limits.  The VFW bid included a study period to allow it to explore the legal parameters of relocating its burned-out headquarters to the 520A Sixth Street  VFW Post 1860 has essentially been homeless since the July 2015 fire that gutted its old headquarters on the North Royal extended property.  A former employee, Lesley Rose Deavers, was recently charged with arson in that case.

Coming out of Closed Session discussion of the bids, Council voted unanimously to accept the Adventure Enablers bid of $200,000.  It was later verified to us by Town Attorney Doug Napier that in Closed Session it was discovered that the $275,000 bid from the trio of companies had actually been received at Town Hall after the 5 P.M. deadline, and was so disqualified.

This Town public property was offered for sale, graffiti wash and all. Photo/Roger Bianchini

Consequently, Council’s consensus was to accept the remaining high cash bid offer, rather than delay a vote facilitating a possible land trade with the VFW.  County land records at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office list the assessed value of the old Electric Department headquarters at just under $390,000; and the value of the VFW’s 9.4 acre parcel at just over $97,000 – of course that assessment is building-less.  The total loss of the Colonel Samuel R. Millar VFW Post headquarters building was estimated at nearly a $500,000.  Local developer Bill Barnett, who helped VFW with its proposal, noted that estimates for rebuilding at the VFW property have been cost-prohibitive for the Post’s assets.

VFW Post 1860, gutted by fire on July 11, 2015. Photo/Chuck Midkiff

Adventure Enablers, which has conducted several outdoor races and events here, has indicated the intent to move its headquarters to Front Royal from the Manassas area.  According to the company’s Facebook page it is currently located between Gainesville and Centerville near Balls Ford Road, not far from I-66.

HEY, I’ve got an IDEA: maybe they can stage a staff race to facilitate a rapid relocation here; once all the legal paperwork has been signed of course – no jumping the gun; but they organize races, they know THAT!!!