‘Materials Only’ option, Afton ownership considered by CDBG Committee

On March 3, downtown business owners joined the Community Development Block Grant Committee to discuss a “Materials Only” option to reduce exorbitantly high bids on materials and labor to realize downtown façade improvements tied to federal grant money being distributed through the State to facilitate physical improvements to Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District.

It was explained that previous work could be covered by matching grant funds with receipts reflecting eligible work.

Two landmarks of the east end of downtown Front Royal’s East Main Street business district, the popular Main Street Mill Restaurant and the currently vacant old Stokes Mart building, the latter with a pending sale by the EDA to C&C Frozen Treats owner William Huck for redevelopment – Photos by Roger Bianchini. Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.

There was also an interesting statement made by Front Royal Interim Town Manager Matt Tederick concerning ownership of the Afton Inn. The fate of the Afton Inn recently garnered the attention of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, which is involved the CDBG process, as reported in Royal Examiner’s story “Citizen concerns spur DHR briefing to Town staff on Afton Inn obligations”.

As noted in that story the planned redevelopment of the Afton Inn is considered part of the Town’s CDBG project. The Town turned ownership of the Afton Inn over to the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (EDA) in 2014 for marketing for redevelopment. The EDA has entered into an agreement with 2 East Main Street LLC for that redevelopment, which includes the EDA retaining ownership until the renovation project is completed.

However, the EDA’s current financial struggles in the wake of its $21.3 million financial scandal and consequent litigation have stalled that project.

The Afton Inn in limbo

After Tederick called 2 East Main Street LLC the owner of the Afton Inn, one committee member asked if that was true. Current EDA Board of Directors Chairman Ed Daley, a member of the CDBG Committee, reacted to Tederick’s statement with some apparent agitation but remained silent as the discussion continued. Contacted later, Daley confirmed that the EDA remains the owner of the Afton property and said he remained silent to observe the direction the discussion took.

See that direction, as well as discussion of the “Materials Only” CDBG process in this exclusive Royal Examiner video: