Historic District Board Approves Old School Requests
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 27, 2013
Petersburg developer J. David McCormack appeared again August 20 before the Historic District Review Board, and this time the Board approved five requests that they had deferred at their June meeting.
Last December the Town of Cape Charles gave McCormack the Old School, basketball court, and playground parking lot at Central Park plus $41,000 to pay utility connection fees. McCormack has applied for federal and state tax credits totaling 45 percent of his costs to convert the property into a 17-unit apartment building.
In order to receive the tax credits, however, the developer’s plans must be approved by both the National Park Service and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. And under Town code, any significant alterations to the property must be approved by the Historic District Review Board.
“I do not believe that a Certificate of Appropriateness should be provided to the developer.”
– Chairman David Gay
McCormack requested permission to clean exterior walls and repair mortar and masonry; replace a rubber membrane roof with a PVC roof; restore historic windows and replace aluminum frame windows; replicate historic front doors, restore and replicate transoms; insert compatible new doors where historic doors are undocumented; and install two canopies on fire escapes. The Board approved all the requests.
However, the developer still needs to receive a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board, and Chairman David Gay said it is unclear to him how the Board will proceed, because questions remain about the site plans and parking for the apartment building. “I do not believe that a Certificate of Appropriateness should be provided to the developer,” Gay said.
A major issue is the location of a proposed parking lot. The Town’s Historic District Guidelines do not allow a parking lot in front of a building in a residential area. McCormack plans to build a parking lot in front of the main entrance to the Old School, which until recently contained an ellipse with a flagpole in the center. [Read more…]
A-Tisket, A-Tasket, Who Took the Baskets?
Hassan and Stefan make do playing on Cape Charles’ only basketball court (make that “ball court”).
(Wave photo)
OK Then, How About a Game of Softball?
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Cape Charles’ only softball field — but today’s youth just don’t seem to “cotton” to it.
(Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 26, 2013
Eight months ago to the day — December 26, 2012 — Town of Cape Charles staff returned to work after a four-day Christmas break. Town Manager Heather Arcos was still on leave, so Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek was in charge. The previous week on December 20, just one day before the holiday break, Mayor Dora Sullivan had given a Christmas present to developer J. David McCormack and his company, Charon Ventures. McCormack received the Old School in Central Park, the adjoining Park basketball court, the Park playground parking lot, and $41,000 to be used for water and sewer connection fees.
The property was valued on the tax rolls at over $900,000. When McCormack offered to “buy” it for $1 (later raised to $10), Town Council was so impressed by the offer that they declined to request or entertain any other bids.
McCormack was known to Arcos, who, according to McCormack, “by sheer coincidence had a relationship” with his wife, Mary. (click here to watch McCormack video ).
But McCormack and his Echelon partner, Edwin Gaskin, explained to Town managers Arcos and Panek that despite the expectation of federal and state tax credits totaling 45 percent of their development costs, they still could not afford to convert the Park property into a 17-unit apartment building. The sticking point was the water and sewer connection charge of $12,350 per unit.
As residents paying a minimum $108 monthly water bill are painfully aware, the Town recently raised sewer charges over 80 percent because connection fees have not been sufficient to cover debt service on the Town’s new sewage plant. Nevertheless, Town Council reduced connection fees from $20,000 to $12,350. Then, to accommodate developer McCormack, Council further reduced fees to $6,175 for one-bedroom units.
But that was still not enough for McCormack and Gaskin. So Panek persuaded Town Council to give them a special rate of another 50 percent off Town connection fees. McCormack’s one-bedroom units would pay only $3,087.50 per unit tap fee. [Read more…]
Town Businesses Urge Halt to Highway Sewer Line
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 23, 2013
Just as Town and County authorities were running full speed ahead on plans to pipe sewage from Route 13 into Cape Charles, the Town Business Association has asked Mayor Dora Sullivan “to put the matter on hold.”
Vocal members of the Cape Charles Business Association had already told Mayor Sullivan what they thought of the plan at their meeting July 23. But now Association President George Proto has put it in writing.
“There does not appear to be any significant benefit to the Town of Cape Charles from the proposed connection,” Proto wrote the mayor August 19. Instead, “There does appear to be a potential long term downside for the town in terms of the availability of future capacity, even with plant expansion, to contain demand as the town expands through the build out of Bay Creek and as more properties in town are renovated and occupied.”
Business Association Vice President Andy Buchholtz put it more bluntly to the mayor last month: Providing sewerage to the highway “totally promotes growth on [Route] 13,” he said. “The County should be helping drive business into town.”
President Proto listed the following reasons not to pipe county sewage to Cape Charles:
— Based on discussions with Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek, the reduction in sewer charges to Town residents “is believed to be minimal”;
— No technical benefits (such as reduction in noxious odors from the treatment plant) have been identified;
— Accepting sewage from out of town “might cause us to run out of capacity even with expansion,” which “could unduly burden future generations financially”;
— A more cost-effective solution for the County is “to design an expandable county system that could better meet future needs”;
— And finally, a survey of 64 property owners on Route 13 “showed minimal interest (5 yes’s and 4 maybe’s out of 64 surveyed).”
“Given these concerns the business association urges the town council to put the matter of the PSA [Public Service Authority] line on hold and not to proceed with further work which would commit the town and expend county funds,” Proto wrote. [Read more…]
AUCTION RESULTS: Occhifinto Opts for Oyster
Aqua Restaurant and Marina owner Robert Occhifinto makes another winning bid. (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 20, 2013
Northampton County’s newest land baron Robert Occhifinto bought three out of five County properties offered at a bankruptcy auction yesterday at Aqua Restaurant. The properties are in or on the road to Oyster, about seven miles northeast of Cape Charles. Occhifinto dabbled in bidding for other properties, but never seriously.
Two Bay Creek houses, including one built by developer Dickie Foster, were the big-block items. Foster’s former house, known as Heron Pointe, crossed the auction block at an even $1 million. Its tax assessment is closer to $3 million.
All the auction properties belong to the Madonia family, whose tomato growing business on the Eastern Shore and Florida is in receivership.
Another Madonia house in Bay Creek, “Magnolia Plantation,” did almost as well, despite its tax assessment being over a million dollars less than the Heron Pointe property. Magnolia Plantation sold for $950,000.
Perhaps the premier home in Bay Creek, built by Dickie Foster and later sold to Batista Madonia, Jr., #2 Heron Court sold for little more than one third its tax value. (Wave photo)
Two properties in Chincoteague and one in Painter were also part of the auction. A Chincoteague house sold for $257,000, and a .14-acre waterfront lot brought $47,000. The Painter house was the lowest bid of the day at $41,000.
[Read more…]
Action at the Auction: 3 Minutes of Bay Creek Bidding
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
August 20, 2013
Watch this 3-minute video of auction action yesterday as buyers bid on Heron Pointe, the former home of Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster. (Click bottom right of image for full screen view.)
OPEN LETTER:
Old School Cape Charles to Historic District Review Board
August 20, 2013
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Cape Charles Historic District Review Board meets at 4:30 p.m. today (Tuesday) at Town Hall to further consider an application by developer J. David McCormack to convert the Old School, basketball court, and playground parking lot at Central Park into an apartment building and private parking lot. Town Planner Robert Testerman has recommended that the Historic Board approve the developer’s application, even though it has not been approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and yet-to-be-met conditions have been stipulated by the National Park Service. On the eve of the meeting of the Historic Review Board, the community group Old School Cape Charles has submitted an open letter documenting why the Board should wait until the developer meets conditions required by the relevant state and federal bodies.)
TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT REVIEW BOARD:
Old School Cape Charles is committed to the common good of our town. One of our town’s most valuable assets is Central Park, which until recently included the Old School, the basketball court, and the playground parking lot.
In order for an historic property to receive tax credits it must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, (Click to read) including the following:
A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.
Converting our historic Old School, playground parking, and basketball court into an apartment house and private parking lot is a far cry from creating minimal change to the building and its use.
The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.
The developer wants to call the side of the building the front, even though there will be no front door. Not only will the historic character of the building be lost, but the developer hopes to attract vacationers to rent the apartments. Town Council’s giveaway of a park resource thereby becomes competition to vacation and other rental property owners. [Read more…]
Town, County Meet Tonight on Route 13 Sewage Plans
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 19, 2013
Plans are proceeding to pump sewage from commercial properties on and near Route 13 to the Cape Charles treatment plant, with a joint meeting of Town and County planning commissions set for 7 p.m. tonight at the Northampton County social services building near the Courthouse.
A public hearing is also set for Monday, September 23, to give feedback to Northampton County Board of Supervisors on the idea.
Without waiting for a public hearing, the Board of Supervisors has funded 25 percent of the anticipated cost for sewer infrastructure in this year’s tax rate. The remaining 75 percent would be generated by a Special Tax District for the commercial properties affected.
County Supervisors also signed a contract July 22 with the firm Hurt & Proffitt for engineering services to the Public Service Authority developing the plan.
Town of Cape Charles staff will prepare an analysis to determine the portion of wastewater treatment costs to be allocated to the Special Tax District.
PSA Chairman Bob Panek estimates an added tax of 52 cents per $100 property value for commercial lots in the Special Tax District, which will nearly double their County taxes. They would also pay a monthly sewer bill, with the amount yet to be determined. [Read more…]
Live Auction Today at Aqua for Bay Creek Homes
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
August 19, 2013
The long-awaited date has arrived for the sale of properties owned by the bankrupt Madonia family. Houses and land will be auctioned 3 p.m. today (August 19) at Aqua Restaurant, while 31 farm properties will be auctioned 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Exmore Moose Lodge.
Properties on the block include #2 Heron Pointe in Bay Creek South, formerly owned by Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster, who sold it to Batista and Evelyn Madonia.
Once considered the prime property in Bay Creek, the long-vacant house now suffers from overgrown shrubbery. It was recently assessed by Northampton County at $2,786,300. [Read more…]
