A group of eight business owners gathered at CENTERFUSE on Friday afternoon to discuss the future of Manassas.

Among the things most said they liked about the city, “the reliable electricity,” said Delegate Jackson Miller (R-Manassas) who also owns Crossroads Realtors in the city’s downtown.

“If the power does go out, it’s usually because of a squirrel, and it’s only out for 30 minutes,” said Manassas Community Development Director Liz-Via Gossman, who led the exchange.

The topics ranged from development to affordable housing. Some in the group said they don’t want to see more apartments and condos built in the city.

Some in the group said they don’t want to see more apartments and condos built in the city. Others advocated for condos that sell for $350,000 and above.

“I see Manassas looking more and more like Clarendon in Arlington,” said one man.

Miller said Manassas has its fair share of affordable housing, and that it doesn’t need anymore. He said the city should not attract any more government-subsidized housing to include Section 8, voucher programs, or tax credit housing.

Others who spoke said the reputation of the city’s school system and higher tax rates force those relocating to the area to settle outside the city limits in places like Brentsville, Haymarket, and Gainesville.

Miller, a Realtor, agreed. “I’m glad you said that, so I’m not the only one saying that,” he told a woman who informed the group she chose a home in Gainesville over Manassas.

“The schools in western Prince William are always highly rated,” she said.

Others suggested the city do more to encourage healthy eating and exercise. Another suggestion: installing new wayfinding signage so drivers can find their way to Downtown Manassas from area artery roads like Prince William Parkway and Route 234.

Friday’s roundtable was part of a series of community conversations city staff are holding as part of an ongoing sampling of public opinion. A final report on the city’s listening tour that has taken place over summer and fall will be presented at Baldwin Intermediate School on Nov. 20.

"We buy bargains and sell cheap" is the business approach for Ollies, according to company spokesperson Jerry Altland.

Come Nov. 1, Ollies will be opening a 25,000 square foot store at Manaport Plaza at Sudley and Rixlew Roads, across from Manassas Mall.

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From police: 

Hit and Run

At approximately 12:20 a.m. on October 4, 2017, Manassas City Police responded to the intersection of Liberia Ave and Centreville Road for a report of a hit and run. The victim told police the suspect vehicle struck her vehicle in the rear, and then fled the scene. The suspect vehicle was reported to be dark in color, possibly a Chevrolet.

Pedestrian Struck

At approximately 6:26 p.m. on October 3, 2017, Manassas City Police responded to the intersection of Godwin Drive at Nokesville Road for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Through investigation it was determined the victim was walking in the roadway and was struck by a vehicle. The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and was flown to a local area hospital. There were no charges filed against the driver.

Possession of a Firearm -**Arrest**

At approximately 12:59 p.m. on September 29, 2017, the Manassas City Police Department responded to 9101 Prince William Street, the Manassas Museum, for a report of a group of individuals loitering in the area. On scene, police spoke with a witness who stated a male subject pointed a firearm at him. Officers identified a 15-year-old resident of Manassas as the suspect. A firearm was recovered at the scene. The juvenile was charged with possession of a firearm and other unrelated charges.

Calico Jacks in Downtown Manassas is moving to the corner of Cente and Battle streets, at 9115 Center Street. 

From an email: 

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Here's  a tasty bit of news: Sam Hem will open a new doughnut shop on Route 28 in Manassas.

"Donut Island" is located at the intersection of Route 28 and Cockrell Road.

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Starting Nov. 1, military veterans who find themselves on the wrong side of the law will have their cases eligible for a special hearing on a new court docket.

The “veterans docket” will deal with veterans issues, and many of the cases it will hear are people wrangling with substance abuse and mental health issues. Many times these can lead to theft and veterans being charged with larceny.

When returning from combat, for the most part, many returning veterans can reintegrate into society. Others may have issues, and cannot shake the horrors of the battlefield.

“It’s very stressful; you lose comrades, you see people wounded, you see things you just don’t see every day,” said Delegate Scott Lingamfelter (R-Prince William, Fauquier), who supported the new docket. “What we saw in Las Vegas, folks, that’s combat, that’s what it’s like. The people who come out of those conditions, they carry a lot of baggage.”

Cases on the docket will be heard at the Prince William County Courthouse at 4 p.m. Mondays. There will be no limit to the number veterans cases added to the docket.

“Mr. Ebert will see that justice is carried out will see in every case, case by case,” said Prince William County Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Bradley Marshall, speaking about his boss, Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert.

Virginia’s Supreme Court this year worked on a new set of standardized rules for the new docket, allowing for the creation of similar programs in other localities. Fairfax County already has a veterans docket. However, officials told us it deals more with probationary measures following the conviction of a veteran charged with a crime.

Prince William’s new veterans docket will deal address veterans charged with crimes before they are convicted.

“The vast majority of these vets do return with no residual effects of having served there, but for those who do, that’s why we have the special docket,” said Delegate Richard Anderson (R-Prince William), who called a press conference to announce the creation of the new veterans docket.

Officials hope the new program will be able to connect struggling vets with important healthcare services, like the ones to be offered at a new veterans care center to be built in Vint Hill, near Haymarket.

The National Park Service will spend $817,000 to repair a historic Stone Bridge at Manassas battlefield. 

From a press release: 

Historic Stone Bridge — near the site where the first shots were fired during the first battle of the Civil War— is about to get a major facelift. Construction to stabilize the bridge foundation, repair historic stone masonry and repave the surface begins the week of October 9 and is expected to wrap up in January 2018. The bridge will remain open during most of the work.

Missing and damaged stones on the exterior of the bridge will be replaced and repaired using techniques employed when the bridge was completed in the 1880s. Additional work includes repairing damage to the center pier caused by years of erosion and replacing the deteriorating cement coating on the underside of the bridge. While some contemporary methods and materials will be used to ensure long-term durability, this work will not change the bridge’s historic look and feel.

For one to two weeks in late November and/or early December, the bridge will close while crews replace the surface people walk across. For safety, visitors are reminded to remain cognizant of the construction work and follow any detour or routing directions. The parking area near the bridge will remain open throughout the project.

During the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), Union artillerists positioned east of the bridge fired the opening shots of the battle over the stream crossing on the morning of July 21, 1861. Originally built around 1825, Stone Bridge survived the First Battle of Manassas only to have Confederate forces destroy the span in March 1862. Union army engineers constructed a temporary wooden span over the bridge ruins in 1862, and the Union Army of Virginia used this wooden bridge during the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in late August 1862. The present-day Stone Bridge was completed in the 1880s on the site of the earlier bridge, and remained open to vehicles until the mid-1920s.

This important project was funded, in part, through a Virginia Department of Transportation, Transportation Alternatives Program grant.

From an email: 

The National Park Service (NPS) is actively working to remove paint that was poured and sprayed on the General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson monument at Manassas National Battlefield Park. The vandalism happened overnight and was discovered at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 4.

Vandals poured a large quantity of white paint on three of the four sides of the polished granite base, and “Dead!!!” was painted in gold spray paint. NPS law enforcement park rangers are investigating the incident; anyone with information is asked to call 301-714-2235.

NPS preservation experts have started to remove the paint from the monument, and are assessing the best methods to remove remaining paint, oils and residue.

The monument was erected in 1940 at the site where Jackson first received the nickname “Stonewall,” at the First Battle of Manassas on July 21, 1861.

Photo: National Park Service 

MANASSAS — One of the city’s most historic structures is crumbling, and Manassas officials will hold a public meeting asking for residents input on whether or not to save it. 

The 35-room Annaburg Manor, located at 9201 Maple Street, was built in 1892 and was one of the first homes in then Prince William County with air-conditioning. 

Later used as a nursing and rehabilitation complex in the 1960s through 2007, the property is now owned by Novant. 

From an email: 

You may already have heard about this, but just in case you haven’t, I thought that you might be interested…

 

The City of Manassas Architectural Review Board (ARB) will be holding a special meeting on Wednesday, October 11th at 7:30 pm to hear public input on the proposal to create a Historic District to protect the Annaburg mansion and grounds. 

 

The meeting will be held in City Council Chambers on the first floor of City Hall.

Attached fyi is the [PDF] memo and attachments prepared by city staff for the ARB, which held its first work session on Annaburg on Tuesday, September 12th, as part of its regular meeting on that date.

Also, below is a link to a video of that work session (it’s about 30 minutes). 

I think that the two big take-aways from that meeting are that all members of the ARB expressed the belief that Annaburg is a very historic structure that must be protected, and that there is grave concern based on the information presented by the property owner (Novant/UVA Health System), that the structure is clearly not being properly maintained in accordance with the requirements of the city’s property maintenance code. 

Members of the ARB repeatedly suggested that what seems to be occurring is demolition by neglect.

Here’s the video link.

 

If city leaders do not grant the property historical protection, it could be demolished to make way for a new subdivision.

 

From city documents:

“The site is currently zoned R-2S, Single Family Residential. This zoning would permit the subdivision of the site to develop with single family homes by right. As previously noted, the Caton Merchant House (SUP # 1984-02) is located on the eastern end of the site. This legally non-conforming use is located in a separate building from Annaburg Manor. Without the protection of HOD zoning, a building permit could be filed and approved administratively for the demolition of Annaburg Manor. With the HOD zoning, demolition could only occur via the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness by the Architectural Review Board, or other avenues as provided in the Zoning Ordinance.”