Developer wants parking deck at Spotsy VRE station

Spotsylvania County:

“Owners of the 25 acres that Spotsylvania County wants to buy for a Virginia Railway Express station parking lot say they have a better idea for land in Crossroads Business Park off U.S. 17. The property owners, George Lester and Fitz Johnson, say they have a vision for the development that would include parking decks for VRE commuters instead of a sprawling county-owned surface lot currently planned there.

However, Spotsylvania officials don’t agree with the developers’ plan to lease the parking lot property at the county’s first VRE station. The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors recently approved Crossroads Associates LLC’s rezoning for Crossroads Station, which includes 610 apartment units and commercial space next to the VRE station site. They also hope to develop another 650 acres they own in that area west of New Post. County officials said that while they understand the property owners’ interest, their offer to lease the land for the parking lot is not acceptable.

The county has asked the Virginia Department of Transportation to handle the property acquisition, through its power of eminent domain, if necessary. VDOT’s Kelly Hannon said the department plans to handle the land negotiations ‘as quickly as we can.’"

~Writes Scott Shenk of The Free Lance–Star

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