Many people have asked about the Council action on the “Prescott House”. Yes, we voted to spend $90k of taxpayer money to make the house weather tight. I supported it and that makes some people mad. It also appears to make just as many happy. I’m not going to embark on a protracted essay in defense of the historic district other than to say this: historic structures constitute a crucial part of our communities identity and they aren’t making them anymore. If we are going to have a “Historic District” we should act to bolster it or reconsider why we have the law in place to begin with.
In any event, for all interested parties, the Council has been asked to reconsider this vote so it will be on the agenda next Monday.
September 18, 2007 at 7:58 am
Well, I’d like to sign up for whatever program it is to get the city to pay for my house repairs. I have water seeping into my basement and I can’t afford to hire a contractor to fix it. Can I get some help with that? My house is also in the historic district.
September 18, 2007 at 8:02 am
I believe that it will be a good thing in the long run. Someone has to preserve the house since the owners don’t seem to want to or are able to. Maybe they will be able to sell it once it looks a little better, and hopefully it can be turned into a bed and breakfast like The Bennett House. Just remember the money will come back to the city, because title won’t be able to change hands without the lein being satisfied.
September 18, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Well said Angela, it’s an investment not an expense. The council did the right thing.
September 18, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Andy, that house did not get in the condition it is in overnight. That house has been unlived in and deteriorating for many years. The people who own that house do not have the money to fix it up but do not want to sell it because of some sentiment towards the house. I am not totally sure it is right to use taxpayer money on a private residence but on the othe hand if that house is lost it will be another home in the historic district that we lose and never will get back. If we keep bulldozing our old homes, we might as well call ourselves Crystal City or Fair Oaks because our old homes are what gives the City some charm. We need to start going after homeowners much sooner when houses start to be neglected. There are several others in the historic district that are on the same road as Prescott Avenue. There still may be time for those houses but it doesn’t look too good for 9300 Pescott Avenue.
September 18, 2007 at 10:29 pm
A better investment, and one that would have benefited far more people, would be to pay for new access to Lake Manassas. We have an 800 acre lake that is owned by the City, and could provide hours of outdoor activities for every Citizen of not just the City, but the County.
Come on City Council stand up and do something positive for the City. Reach out to the owners of the old access point and lets get something done. The excuse that the Lake is a water supply that needs to be protected from terrorist is very weak. Both the Potomac and the Occoquan are water supplies and there are no such restrictions for them.
September 19, 2007 at 7:34 am
Well…I’m glad to see that Hal Parrish has come to his senses…as I thought our friendship was over when I made a public outcry over this subject back in the winter at a “Town Hall Meeting” at Haydon.
I really can’t believe that the city of Manassas would “loan” money without interest, to a home owner in the city because they cannot keep up with their property.
The owners of this property should have sold when they had the chance…but greed and family squabbles have this place in the condition that it is in at this time.
You talk about it being a historical site, however, I’ve yet to locate it on ANY historical registry. Yes it was once a beautiful home, but so was Liberia… which is much older than this house and the CITY owns this property!
Andy, you may want to REALLY REALLY think about this LONG AND HARD….we are not in the banking business.
September 19, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Oh btw…about the lien…if you are not first in line…and if the money is all gone to the first lien holder…guess who gets stuck holding the bag?!?!?! The city….
All of those properties on Lee Ave W. and Center street, that were bought and demolished for what is now empty land but soon to be condo’s…there was a “Child Support” lien on one of those houses…it was NEVER satisfied…so much for that thought!
September 19, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Re: 9300 Prescott
The core issue is what can be done to maintain and enhance the things that are best about Manassas. There is often (and sometimes legitimately correct) criticism of our local government for their efforts. In this instance, many are opposed to the city taking a lien. This is the approach the city has come up with (at least to date) because there has been no private sector solution. For those who believe in private sector solutions, this is your opportunity to speak up.
I personally suggest avoiding getting hung up on whether the property is technically historical or not. The question is whether it is better for our city to have that house maintained and not demolished. If the answer is yes, then let’s do what is necessary: a private sector solution, a public-private partnership, or a purely government solution if that’s what it takes.
Bottom line is don’t let theory trump reality. Don’t let a technical argument about public policy defeat a real opportunity to preserve and enhance the city’s beauty.
September 19, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Then where does it stop?!?!?!?
Whose house will not look right next and the city step in to fix it (or not and some neighbor brings a law suit because the City has already established a precedence)?
I believe it sends the wrong message to SOMEONE…hey…I live in the “historic district” I don’t have to take out a loan to fix my house…the City will do it for me! Interest free and I don’t even have to pay it back…they’ll get paid when or IF I sell my property or need a loan on the property… Sounds like the DEAL OF THE CENTURY to me. The City could be out of the money for years or decades to come…at 4.25% money market interest rate…THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!
The 90K is just to make the house ecstatically pleasing…90K won’t touch anything if the home is not structurally sound and they cannot force the sale of the home unless taxes have not been paid for “X” number of years.
I feel the City is opening itself up for trouble if it proceeds with current course of action. Bad move…just a BAD BAD move.
What course of action can they take…WELL…as law is written right now, they cannot do anything…(from what I’m hearing, kind of like the sign at the corner of Liberty & Prince William Street)…until it is Condemned UNFORTUNATELY.
September 20, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Rednecks rule, once again (thanks for trying Andy) š
September 26, 2007 at 10:00 pm
I doubt it Tudor Hall…the only rednecks are the idots who own the house and due to family squable don’t want to fix it or sell it…GREED.
September 27, 2007 at 7:29 am
If they don’t want to fix it or sell it, how is that GREED?
People do things [or sometimes don’t do things] for a lot of different reasons, so I wouldn’t jump to such conclusions.
September 27, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Here’s a private sector solution to consider. If the city wants to ‘invest’ in this property, then do it another way. Why not offer the owner a price and turn it into a Bed&Breakfast. Most historical ‘old towns’ have real charm and inviting warmth about them. And the City could have the revenue stream with the commercial base which is what they need. Just an idea.
September 28, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I think that some miss the real point here, which is not that the City would have been stepping in to rescue an irresponsible homeowner, but, rather, that the city is stepping in to protect civic infrastructure in order to protect the City’s much broader, much larger, economic base. Manassas has only two favorable attributes relative to the neighboring jurisdictions with which we compete to attract quality economic development and new residents with favorale demographics (i.e., highly educated, high income, upwardly mobile), and those two attributes are our fundamental infrastructure (airport, water impoundment, electric utilities) and our unique historic and cultural infrastructure… namely, Old Town Manassas. Old Town is not just an attractive and quaint place, not just the heart and sole of our community, but also the most desirable amenity that Manassas has to offer. Because of Old Town, Manassas is a REAL community, with a REAL center, with a REAL sense of place. Because of that, it attracts tourists and their dollars, and it attracts to Manassas a positive demographic which we could not otherwise attract given the mediocrity of our schools, the City’s inferior and rapidly decaying housing stock, and the paucity of open space, parks and other recreational resources. Old Town is the only game in town to keep the City from tilting into permanent decline. That being said, the structures that form the heart of Old Town must be protected. Andy, you have access to the numbers… can you tell us what percentage decline in the assessed value of all real estate in Manassas would correlate to a loss of $90,000 in real estate tax revenue (the amount of the proposed advance to stabilize 9300 Prescott), and also what that percentage would correlate to in actual dollars per residential housing unit? Losing 9300 Prescott will be another nail in the coffin of Old Town, and by extension, another nail in the coffin of Manassas as a whole. I think folks might be surprised just how little $90,000 represents (expended as a secured advance, protected by a lien, and NOT an expense) when viewed as a measure to protect and enhance the value of ALL of our homes, rather than as a move to rescue one irresponsible homeowner.
September 29, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Thank you Tudor Hall, well said, I hope Andy is listening and the Council might rethink this again.
October 4, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Andy,
I am very sorry for my intemperate comments in the past. I should never visit bvbl.net before coming to your blog. I know, and all Manassas citizens know, you are trying to do the roght thing. You are one of us, and you have defended us from the barbarians (and I don’t mean the immigrants). It would be so nice to have you engage on your blog, however, rather than just posting a single comment and washing your hands of the discussion thereafter. I really am sorry for a less than respectfull response on some occasions. BUT, you have not lost the confidence of the people of Manasssas, despite your short romance with BVBL and the other I-Hate-Everybody-And-Everything-Crowd defined by BVBL. We all know you’re still one of us, and we still welcome you. We’re just waiting for you to to inhale deeply and express what you really believe. We will all fall in behind you. You have what it takes to be a real leader. Please show yourself.
October 4, 2007 at 8:32 pm
right thing, not “roght thing” as I typed in my earlier response… I type faster than I think, just one of many of my less-than-perfect attributes.
October 5, 2007 at 7:23 am
I agree, and I would go so far to say that having BVBL linked on this site, when there must be many other more reasonable and intelligent conservative blogs available to link is rather disconcerting. It doesn’t really reflect what I hope is an open mind on the part of our city counsel, IMO. I can understand if the three blogs linked are more local than others, but if that is the only choice then Iām worried. Bigotry and hate are just as big a problem in our country as illegal aliens and fighting one with the other is not the approach we should be using.
October 5, 2007 at 7:27 am
Good comment Tom. The truth of the matter is that I really haven’t given the links much thought. There are certainly other good blogs and sites deserving of links. I do like to read BVBL and the others linked there but your point is well taken. I’ll look into adding some others.
October 5, 2007 at 8:10 am
I’ll be honest that I first visted that site from your link here, and I got a chuckle from it. Then, as I read more I realized it wasn’t some parody, it was real. That was a big eye-opener and it wasn’t a good feeling.
Thanks for having this site, it’s nice to come read other opinions and see your posts.
July 10, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Is the house on 9300 Prescott for sale. If so, is the 90K listed above the asking price. I would like to purchase it. However, here is my question should the house be purchased is there a referendum that mandates how the house has to be used.
Any information that can be provided would be helpful.
Thank you,
Ms. Souza