http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2005/02/05historicfarmsol.ht
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Historic farm sold to NCCo developer
Preservationists lose bid to save property
By CHARLOTTE HALE, MICHELE BESSO and ROBIN BROWN / The News Journal
02/05/2005
A historic 236-acre farm that New Castle County had considered buying to add
to a regional park under construction in Glasgow has been sold to a private
buyer.
David Ferry, an attorney for two of the four property owners, said Stephen
J. Nichols has paid $14.25 million for the Barczewski farm, on the north
side of U.S. 40, west of Del. 896.
The property is one of the last large farms in that area. Nichols agreed to
preserve an 1800s-era farmhouse and 10 acres around it as part of the deal,
Ferry said.
The farm dates to the 1700s. It was a working farm for more than a century
and the last working farm in Glasgow.
Structures on the property also are on the National Register of Historic
Places. The Friends of Historic Glasgow said the property has two documented
American Indian camps and earthen bunkers from the Revolutionary War.
Trent Margrif, executive director of Preservation Delaware, said the farm is
one of the most important endangered historic sites in the state. However,
Preservation Delaware did not have the money to buy the farm and preserve it
despite the group's mission to educate the public about the importance of
historic properties. Still, he's disappointed with the sale to Nichols.
"It would appear that the county's past offer was the greatest chance we
had, but that's not to say the county and state can't show interest again
before the property's developed," he said.
The buyer's attorney, Andy Taylor, would not confirm the sale price and said
there are no firm plans for the farm.
However, Nichols intends to talk to land planners, residents and government
leaders before deciding how he will use the property, Taylor said.
Nichols has built a Wawa convenience store, Kohl's department store and the
Perch Creek residential community in the U.S. 40 area.
County Land Use Department spokesman Vince Kowal said most of the farm is
zoned for residential development, with commercial zoning on a small sliver.
The farm also is in a historic overlay district, which would mean a higher
level of scrutiny before any demolition or construction could take place
there.
County Executive Chris Coons said he was sorry the county is losing open
space but is pleased some of the farm's history will be preserved. He said
the county offered $9 million for the farm. Doubts about the development
potential for the property were among the factors that made the county
reluctant to offer more, he said. The farm does not have direct access to
U.S. 40 and has wetlands and other critical natural areas where development
would be limited or prohibited.
Coons also commended County Councilman David Tackett for continuing to work
to get state money to add to the county's offer. Tackett, however, said he
could not put the deal together before June.
"It would have been nice to have gotten the property to increase the
parkland in the area. That was the ultimate goal," Tackett said.
The farm is across U.S. 40 from the Glasgow Regional Park that the county is
building on nearly 300 acres.
Linda Bailey, secretary of the 7&40 Alliance, a Bear-area civic group, said
she was disappointed a developer bought the property. She said there was
community support for the county and state to buy the property, but no
concrete ideas for what to do with it.
"We were really hoping we could preserve the property, either as a park or a
working farm that is rich in history," she said. "I hope we can work with
the new owners to come up with a really neat plan. Perhaps we can do
something unique to preserve some of the historic parts."
She said justifying developing the property will be difficult because there
are drainage concerns and traffic problems at U.S. 40 and Del. 896.
The land was owned by Anne Barczewski and her three grown children. Ferry
represents Barczewski's two sons, Stephen and George. Daughter Joanne
Barczewski Lewis declined to comment. Anne Barczewski's attorney could not
be reached for comment.
George Barczewski said he, his brother and sister agreed that preserving the
house and farm buildings was their top priority. They plan to work with
Nichols on any future plans for the land. He added the siblings rejected
offers from several other developers who wanted to do too much with the land
too fast.
However, keeping the land in the family was not an option, he said, between
paying the taxes and leaving their children to handle it after they die.
"That wasn't a practical answer," George Barczewski said.
Ferry said the family also needed the money to pay for Anne Barczewski's
nursing home expenses.
George Barczewski said the family would have sold the land to the state or
county for farm preservation, parkland or open space if the governments had
agreed to pay the $12 million their appraisal showed it was worth. County
appraisals attached a lower value to the land.
George Barczewski said county officials told the family they no longer were
interested in acquiring the site for open space or parkland because of its
proximity to the county's Glasgow and Iron Hill parks. The state ranked the
property low for farmland preservation, he said. Discussion with Christina
School District about using part of the site also fell through.
"We were very, very disappointed," he said. "Honest to God, we gave it our
best shot."
Contact Charlotte Hale at 324-2792 or [log in to unmask] Contact
Michele Besso at 324-2386 or [log in to unmask] Contact robin brown
at 324-2856 or [log in to unmask]
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