STAUNTON — With rubble from old Staunton Mall still remaining well over a year following demolition, many residents are wondering when it will be cleaned up and hauled away.
“I’m new in town,” Dean Abramson posted on Facebook in early July. “Wondering about the remains of the Staunton Mall. When will that terrible eyesore be removed? Are there any plans for that property?”
His post received 88 comments, most agreeing that something needs to be done with the debris.
As for the second question Abramson asked, the site, located in Augusta County, was purchased and rezoned in 2021 to allow for a mixed use development of business and residential units. The mall was sold in 2020 to Staunton EM 2 LLC for $3,675,000. The plan was, and possibly still is, an open air strip mall with retail and flex spaces, as well as multi-family residential buildings.
In March of 2021, Virginiabusiness.com talked with Rob Chesson, a Richmond-based developer with The Manakin Cos. LLC, who was associated with the purchase of the Staunton Mall.
Chesson told the publication that the mall was “30 acres of dirt with great visibility and access to the interstate.” He said he planned to replace the mall with a mixed-use development combining retail, flex space and multifamily with retail outparcels.
Efforts by The News Leader to reach Chesson and The Manakin Cos. LLC have so far been unsuccessful. The News Leader did reach Manakin Property Services in Henrico. The president, Katherine Watson, said they are not affiliated with The Manakin Cos. LLC, but it’s a common occurrence to confuse the two. As for the The Manakin Cos. LLC?
“They are difficult to reach from what I’ve heard,” Watson wrote in an email.
As for the first question in the Facebook post, about removing the debris following demolition, that’s anyone’s guess.
“After multiple conversations with the owner over the last couple of years it is our understanding that there were some legal issues between him and the contractor that is completing the demolition, and in turn the project has taken much longer than expected,” Augusta County Administrator Tim Fitzgerald wrote in an email that he has sent to several concerned citizens who have asked about the rubble. While called the Staunton Mall, the property is actually located in Augusta County.
New York-based Metro Industrial Wrecking & Environmental Contractors, Inc. is handling demolition. The News Leader has reached out twice to the company. The person answering the phone both times was very pleasant, placing the reporter on hold before saying no one was available but she’d have someone get back in touch. So far, no one has. There is currently an open OSHA case against the company dealing with asbestos removal.
“We would agree that it has taken entirely too long to remove the old mall, however there is no legal mechanism that the county has to force the owner or the contractor to complete the project by a certain date,” Fitzgerald said. “They have the ability to work on the project at their own pace. With that said the County has had conversations with the owner and has expressed our displeasure with the length of time this project has taken. The owner has indicated that the next couple of months would see a vast improvement in the site.”
Fitzgerald told The News Leader that Augusta County officials continue to stay in touch with the contractor and the owner to encourage the completion of the demo portion of the project.
WAYNESBORO — Badcock Home Furniture and More on West Broad Street in Waynesboro is closing. It’s one of the more than 300 Badcock stores closing across the country after parent company Conn’s HomePlus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
On its Facebook page, Badcock posted Monday that all stores are closing.
Badcock opened in Waynesboro in 2019 at 1301 W. Broad St. A person answering the phone at the Waynesboro location Tuesday told The News Leader that it would remain open for approximately 70 more days or until all the merchandise is sold, whichever comes first.
Shenandoah National Park taking bids for concession contract
LURAY — The National Park Service is offering a 15-year concession contract opportunity to operate lodging, food and beverage sales, retail, grocery, camper services (firewood, showers, and laundry), automobile services (fuel), stable operations and four campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park. This includes all commercial operations at Big Meadows, Skyland, Elkwallow, Lewis Mountain and Loft Mountain developed areas. The new contract is expected to begin Jan. 1, 2026. The deadline for proposals is Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
The contractor is required to complete several major capital improvement projects to upgrade critical systems and restore historic structures. Among the improvements, visitors will notice expanded restroom facilities at Elkwallow Wayside and Loft Mountain Wayside. Guests at the historic Big Meadows Lodge and Lewis Mountain Cabins will dine and relax in restored facilities. Additionally, campers at Mathews Arm Campground will have access to fully electric campsites.
Concession contracts are developed and issued under the authority of the Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998, P.L. 105-391, and its attending regulations in 36 CFR 51. On Tuesday, Aug. 13 and Wednesday, Aug. 14, the park will host a site visit to provide a concession operation overview and facilities tour to interested operators. Operators must register for the site visit in advance, by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Aug. 9.
The Concessions Prospectus and other required information can be found online at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/concessions/prospectuses.htm and SAM.gov. Questions about the prospectus are due Monday, Aug. 19, by 4 p.m. Proposals must be submitted electronically, no later than Thursday, Nov. 7, to [email protected] and should include “Shenandoah National Park Prospectus” in the subject line.
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected] and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: When will Staunton Mall rubble be removed? Waynesboro furniture store closing.
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