The $40 Million Question (Government Gone Wild!)

The Alexandria Times ^ | March 13, 2008 | John Arundel

[khnyny]

A dispute over the proper valuation of 10 acres of property in Eisenhower Valley has two of the city’s oldest families and the Sanitation Authority pitted against each other, with the sellers asking for $40 million and the city holding out for $10 million less.

The Hoof-Fagelson Tract, formerly a go-kart track that now serves as a maintenance parking lot for Thrifty Rent-A-Car, is landlocked on one side by Carlyle development, and on the other side by I-495.

While the tract sits next to Alexandria’s Waste Treatment facility, it also adjoins a proposed $150 million office and retail development at Carlyle. Freedman’s Cemetery and a Dominion power station box it in on the other two sides. “The property is the only site feasible for expansion of the wastewater facility,” court documents stated.

The tract’s two equal-share owners, commercial real estate proprietor Charles Hooff and practicing attorney Bernard Fagelson – who at 95 still reports to work every day – say they just want the fair market value for their land, which has been in their families’ names for five decades.

The city’s Sanitation Department wants the land near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to expand its wastewater plant, and has asserted its right to eminent domain. The city has filed motions in Alexandria Circuit Court to secure the land for the potential construction of pump stations, an odor-control facility and other operations for its wastewater treatment plant on Eisenhower Avenue.

In 2003, the Virginia Department of Transportation bought two of the acres for $3.7 million, a price Hoof characterized as “obscenely low.”

[khnyny]

Expect a lot of stories like this one in the news. The SCOTUS ruling enabling "government" more ability to take private citizen's property, in Kelo vs. New London, was probably one of the worst SCOTUS decisions in history.

[FreedomPoster]

At least expanding a wastewater plant is something that most would consider a reasonable use of eminent domain. As opposed, say, to redeveloping the site with a private hotel.

[khnyny]

True, but it seemed that at one point, there was plenty of available property to expand the plant. The question is, why target these owners and not the others? The answer is $$$, imho.

[Iron Munro]

While the tract sits next to Alexandria’s Waste Treatment facility,
it also adjoins a proposed $150 million office and retail development at Carlyle.

Schhhwweeeet!!!

I smell a great employment opportunity!

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