Warren Paint & Supply Co. partial demolition application unanimously endorsed by public and BAR

The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) public hearing reaction to a proposed partial demolition application from Mark Poe for a long-unused building at 415 East Main Street in the Town of Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District was a 180-degrees from the one in reaction to the SEESUU LLC partial demo application for 131 East Main Street heard at the December 13th BAR meeting. As opposed to 14 citizens uniformly against the demo proposal for sections of the old Murphy Theater building at the intersection of East Main and Church Streets, three citizens not affiliated with the 415 East Main project, including adjacent C&C Frozen Treats (413 E. Main St.) co-owners William and Nina Huck, spoke in favor of the proposal that would help restore a derelict structure to commercial use. The BAR Public Hearing was held January 10th, five days after a site visit by the board and planning staff members.

The third citizen speaker in support of the proposal for the old Warren Paint & Supply Company building was retired building inspector David Rushton, who noted that, “Typically I would object to demolition of part of a historic structure”. Staff notes in the meeting agenda packet dates the building to “circa 1879” and added: “The building is potentially  eligible for the national Register as one of Front Royal’s most intact late 19th century commercial buildings.”

View of the Warren Paint & Supply Co. building from the intersection of East Main St. and Blue Ridge Ave. C&C Frozen Treats is the colorful adjacent structure to right. Below, from the rear off Blue Ridge Ave.

However, Rushton continued to observe that, “The small area that is being proposed to be demolished is just not contributing to the aesthetics and function of the building. I don’t really think it really contributes whatsoever to the aesthetics of the Historic District.” Earlier in his comments, Rushton also noted of the sections to be demolished, “It’s virtually invisible from Main Street and Blue Ridge Avenue. And you really have to go around the back to even know that it’s there.”

The sections proposed for demolition are the one-story structures to the left. Below, a closer look at the two windowless rear sections proposed for demolition.

“I’ve been here going on eight years now, and this building as long as I’ve been here has been the talk of the town to have something done with it,” C&C proprietor William Huck said as the public hearing’s initial speaker. Acknowledging the applicant Mark Poe, who with his wife Yuliya, owns the building, Huck said, “I want to say thank you – really, I want to say THANK YOU!” Both William and his wife and co-C&C owner Nina Huck told the BAR their only concern was that a sump pump function they had restored on the property be maintained as the Poe’s work to restore C&C’s adjacent neighboring structure to commercial use.

“We are 100% in favor of them bringing life back to Main Street in this location. We just want to make sure that the water flow and sump pump … is brought to attention. And say that: Yes, we need to allow this to take place,” William Huck told the BAR.

“We are in favor of that portion being demolished. Again, our issue and concern is the sump pump,” Nina Huck said in support of her husband’s statement, adding, “That somehow (we can be assured) that water doesn’t come back into our building. It doesn’t go off very often, but it does keep water from coming into 413. We did not put the sump pump there, it was there. All we did was replace it with a new one. It is on their property, there’s no doubt that, that sump pump is on the property of … whoever owns the building. But love, love, love – and looking forward to having new neighbors,” Nina Huck concluded, echoing her husband’s enthusiasm for the Poe proposal for their neighboring property.

BAR considers graphics of rear of building at 415 E. Main St. – the two, one-story sections to right, only one of which is visible here, are slated for demolition. Below, BAR and staff begin Jan. 6 site visit at 415 E. Main St. The front section visible here will be restored.

The fourth public hearing speaker, third in rotation following the Hucks, was Joe Gillette, who noted he was the Poe’s general contractor on the partial demolition and restoration project at 415 East Main. “There was talk about tearing the building down. But that wasn’t the first choice obviously for historic reasons. So, we’re saving the building,” Gillette observed of the primary structure fronting East Main and running parallel to Blue Ridge Avenue on the east side.

“As far as the water goes, I’ve noticed the grading’s better behind there because I’ve had to mess with that sump pump in the past. And we will address that when we do the foundation work back there to see if there are issues,” Gillette said of the water issue raised by the Huck’s.

Project General Contractor Joe Gillette discusses the applicant’s plan to restore the old Warren Paint & Supply Co. building to use after decades vacant. Below, the BAR was unanimous in agreeing this partial demolition application meets standards in place to protect the historic integrity of the Downtown Historic Business District.

With the public hearing closed following the four speakers – the applicants, who were present, let their general contractor present their case – the BAR discussed what they had heard and what they had seen on a site visit the previous Friday, January 6, as well as what had been presented by Town Planning Department staff regarding the building and its proposed partial demolition and restoration to commercial use.

A consensus was reached after about five minutes of discussion and it was observed, “It certainly meets the requirements for demolition.” So, on a motion by Collin Waters, seconded by Duane Vaughan, the partial demolition request of Mark Poe for 415 East Main Street was approved by a unanimous voice vote. The one topic 7 p.m. BAR meeting was then adjourned at 7:27 p.m.

Watch the Town video of the BAR meeting and public hearing.