Sunday, August 22, 2010

SU working on a deal to regain the Beltone Hearing Aid property?

The Pub was informed from a credible source last week that SU is working to make a deal to regain the Beltone Hearing Aid property at 1650 Apple Blossom Drive beside TV3-Winchester.

The current Beltone land was once in the real-estate portfolio for SU but for some reason, SU officials sold that land years ago (1985 timeframe) for $90,000 to the present Beltone owners.

The perception is that SU has a plan in place with the hopes for the closure of Millwood Ave and the hopes of sealing a deal to regain the property at 1650 Apple Blossom Drive.

Wonder what the plan is?  Seems logical for an ideal location for an official campus entrance to be constructed.  SU admins have made that known that they really have no official entrance to the campus.

If there is really a safety issue with students crossing the street, it seems like the Apple Blossom Drive section below Sheetz down toward the Beltone Hearing Aid area is the most dangerous vs. the Millwood Ave section in front of  OBT and TV3.

If SU gets the closure of Millwood Ave in front of OBT/TV3 and regains the Beltone Hearing Aid property, then if not mistaken, SU will own everything from vacant lot beside Bob Evan's up along Millwood on both side to the Beltone property and SU's new business school.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

SU company sued after eatery closes

The Pub made a comment about this back on March 8th.




SU company sued after eatery closes
August 21, 2010
By Vic Bradshaw
The Winchester Star
    

WINCHESTER- A local restaurateur has filed a lawsuit seeking up to $1 million from a company owned by Shenandoah University, saying changes it made led to the demise of his long-standing family business.

George James Sempeles - who took over the restaurant his father founded at the site in 1964 and operated it as Jimmy's Steak and Seafood Grill - has sued Shenandoah Hotel Property LLC (SHP) for breach of contract.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Frederick County Circuit Court. It requests a jury trial.

The suit details an array of changes made at the hotel property at 1017 Millwood Pike (U.S. 50) that opened as a Holiday Inn and now is a Quality Inn. It claims those changes negatively affected Sempeles' business, which he closed on or about Feb. 24.

Follow this link to read the complete story ...
http://winchesterstar.com/articles/view/su_company_sued_after_eatery_closes

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Discovery Musuem location in the Park debate

Does anyone remember a debate like this back in 2004 on the DM location in Jim Barnett Park?

I sure do not recall any such debate, wonder why or maybe I missed it?

Friday, May 21, 2010

What is a "park" and why was the DM location chosen in Jim Barnett Park?

Not showing any disrespect here, but just wanted to remind everyone that a "park" is:

1. An area of land set aside for public use, as:
a. A piece of land with few or no buildings within or adjoining a town, maintained for recreational and ornamental purposes.
b. A landscaped city square.
c. A large tract of rural land kept in its natural state and usually reserved for the enjoyment and recreation of visitors
.

Is not Jim Barnett Park becoming more and more commercialized with more buildings while losing valuable green space?

Times have changed and the lease has expired, why not explore keeping the DM downtown to hopefully keep a draw of visitors on the walking mall to patronize those businesses.

After having dialog with two former Park-n-Rec board members, they basically had NO say in the deal as City Council and DM members worked it out.

Wonder why DM and the 2004 City Council members/Ed Daley were so gung ho about the Park?

Wonder if it will eventually have some connection with SU?

Wonder who will benefit the most with the DM in the Park?

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Park perception - Now transitioning into a private club?

If Discovery Museum officials are all about constructing a “green” building, then why would supporters even consider building on basically the last desirable green space in Jim Barnett Park?

Anyone can clearly understand why DM officials wanted the building in Jim Barnett Park with the sweetheart deal that was given on a 40-year lease for $1 annually on the land, but that deal has expired.

Wonder why this green space was even offered up by the prior Parks & Rec board and City Council back in 2004?

Has not Jim Barnett Park already sacrificed enough green space? Most notable, back in 1995, the community lost free use of 7.2446 acres of the former Rouss Park, which was open space that included an unsecured baseball field that is now home to Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre. Shenandoah University got the deal of the century when it purchased the Rouss park property for $1.5 million at 0 percent interest on a three-year note for that high-profile green space.

Why would I state “deal of the century”?

- SU paid $8.09 per square foot for the former Exxon station property lot at 710 Millwood Ave., now an SU parking lot beside Bob Evans, on May 14, 1993.

- SU purchased Rouss Park for $4.75 per square foot on Aug. 17, 1995. 

- SU paid $9.71 per square foot for the property at 647 Millwood on April 1, 1996, a former service station property lot that is basically now the parking lot at TV3-Winchester.

As Shelly Lee pointed out in The Star on May 4, the museum is educational, but how is it going to be affordable for all children with the rate of admission jumping from $7 at the present location to $10 if it’s constructed in the park?

Several folks have already shared their thoughts in The Star with alternative possibilities because there are so many vacant and under-utilized buildings in Winchester in or close to the downtown with ample parking.

Kudos to the current Parks & Rec board members who did a heckuva job in drawing up all of those questions on the Discovery Museum that were featured in The Star on April 24.

The vision of WPRD is that it strives to develop, provide, and maintain quality programs and facilities that meet the growing needs of our diverse community.

The perception is that Jim Barnett Park is transitioning into a private club if individuals don’t have necessary funds to participate.