Inside the Afton Inn – ‘This place…has seen better days’

“Seen better days,” INDEED – that was the assessment, more or less, of Board of Architectural Review member Duane Vaughan as he emerged after about 35 minutes inside the long-derelict, 148-year-old Afton Inn, upon its 1868 opening originally known as The Montview Hotel.

MODE architect Jim Burton points to outside water damage – wait till you see it from the inside … Photos/Roger Bianchini

On Tuesday, August 15, the Front Royal Board of Architectural Review – well, at least the two male members, toured all three floors of the long-derelict brick monolith at the head of Front Royal’s downtown historic district.  Also along for “the ride” were curious media and members of the town government, including Town Attorney Doug Napier and Planning Director Jeremy Camp.  The tour was led by MODE Partnership Architect Jim Burton, who along with Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Jennifer McDonald, answered questions from the architectural board members both before and after the tour.

After signing physical liability waiver forms and seeing the rather precarious entry way from a first floor entrance to ground level – literally, the first floor was gone – the BAR’s three female members, Mayor Hollis Tharpe, McDonald (“I’ve been in it before”) decided discretion was the better part of valor.  The smart ones I would call them, satisfied themselves with a look in at the side entryway and the immediately visible portion of the crumbling shell of the once majestic downtown hotel.

Preparing to enter, or not …

BAR board member Michael Whitlow enters cautiously.

But the rest of us let curiosity get the better of common sense, alerting each other to gopher holes in the ground level, well ground; and trying not to stir too much dust up in the dank, humid, dark and deteriorating building that has been boarded up, unused for well over a decade.  I really felt for Burton, who by the third floor and back down had resorted to covering his nose with his shirt due to what he informed me was a case of asthma.

“I don’t even have asthma and I’m asking Mike (McCool) for hazardous duty pay on this assignment,” I said as I emerged from what should definitely be a site for a Scy-Fy station “Ghosthunters” episode.

At this point, peering in from outside, several decided the risk wasn’t worth the effort to see more.

“Oh, you will now,” one of the smart group commented of my observation about not having asthma.

As well as captions for all the photos to explain what you are looking at and where in the building, an accompanying article about the question and answer session between the BAR and Burton and McDonald on the MODE demolition and rebuilding proposal now before the town’s architectural board will be forthcoming shortly.  But we at Royal Examiner wanted to get these photos published as an appendix to our video as soon as possible.

Somebody left some modern art behind

Careful of that gopher hole; and oh, by the way – is that foundation stable?

Stairway to the second floor

Above and below, the second floor; and yes that ceiling appears to be sagging as the window buttress crumbles beneath it.

Stairway to the third floor – and no, those aren’t summer snowflakes dotting the photo, but apparently dust particles adhering to the lens of my camera.

Those pinpoints of light in the dark above aren’t stars – but it is light from the daytime sky from holes in the roof.

‘Storage area’

BAR board member Duane Vaughan exits ‘The Twilight Zone’