Celebrate Annaburg Park’s Renovations on Saturday

Update Oct. 18 at 9:20 a.m.: An earlier version of this article stated the total budget for the project is $9,000. The city has actually spent $4.4 million — including the price of purchase — to date on the project. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday to celebrate the years-long work at Annaburg Park, a historical home at 9201 Maple St. acquired by the city in 2019. The home was built in 1892 by Prussian-born entrepreneur and brewer, Robert Portner, as a summer retreat and a recreational space for neighbors. The home then became a nursing facility, but in 2019, was purchased by the City of Manassas to preserve the historic resource and create another park. Since the acquisition, the city has completed major renovations on the home, some of which will be celebrated at the Saturday ribbon-cutting ceremony. A few of the renovations include a new slate roof, new paint, repairs to the wooden floors, new doors and windows, installed an ADA-compliant ramp, new lighting fixtures and updated landscaping. Archeologists also uncovered the foundation of the Portner Tower, a structure that predates the home. According to the city, much of this work was necessary to maintain the home's structure. "As with any unoccupied historic home, there was a lot of moisture damage, peeling paint and plaster, and damaged floors in the house. The priority was to stabilize the structure by replacing the home’s original slate roof, metal cornices and wood box gutters, and exterior paint removal that helped fix moisture problems," Lisa Sievel-Otten, acting communications director for the city, said. The city has plans to continue restorations on the home including installing a fountain at the top of the driveway, five historic markers, new restrooms and finishing the trim work on the first floor. Sievel-Otten said there isn't a timeline for the rest of the project. "There is no timeline for the rest of the project — including the master plan for the grounds — as it will be evaluated in the next budget. The fountain should be the next thing installed, and then the restrooms," she said. To date, the city has spent $4.4 million on the home, including the price of purchase. Annaburg was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022, a National Park Service designation that places national significance on the home and protects the structure.  Due to this designation, the city maintains the structure and its history.

"Robert Portner was also a great benefactor of the city and is famous in his own right. Residents supported several community conversations and responded to surveys during the master planning process and have expressed much support for saving the home and for creating a surrounding park," Sievel-Otten said. "Preserving the 3.5 acres of green space around the house also satisfies a desire residents always express in our surveys for more parks and recreation spaces."

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place Saturday at Annaburg Park (9201 Maple St.) at 1:30 p.m. Attendees can also enjoy an art show following the ceremony.