Friends of Historic Glasgow (Delaware)

Bidding for farm in NCCo hits snag (6/9/2003)

News Journal article

Bidding for farm in NCCo hits snag
Owners of property weigh other options

By MICHELE BESSO
Bear Bureau reporter
06/09/2003

What New Castle County officials hoped would be a relatively simple purchase of 235 acres near a planned regional park in Glasgow has become a bidding war.

County officials said last week they were not sure they would be able to purchase the Barczewski farm property across Del. 896 and north of U.S. 40. They said the property owners disagreed over whether to develop the land or keep it as open space.

"I'm still hopeful, but the situation is more tenuous that I thought it was," County Councilwoman Karen Venezky said.

County officials have had preliminary discussions with the owners of the Barczewski farm, and County Council earmarked about $6 million in its capital budget last month to pay for the property. Venezky said she hoped the farmland, which is home to some historic buildings, could be preserved as open space, perhaps as an add-on to the planned 300-acre regional park on the northeast corner of U.S. 40 and Del. 896.

That park probably will include a lawn for concerts and festivals, an "adventure play area" with an interactive water feature for children and 34 acres of woodlands. A master plan for it was unveiled Wednesday, and the park may open within a year to 18 months.

The Barczewski family has not decided whether to preserve its land by selling to the county or to sell it to a developer for more money, Venezky said at last week's meeting of the 7&40 Alliance, a Bear-area civic group.

County officials said they were approached by the family about purchasing the property, and Venezky said officials were misled into believing that the property was restricted as open space.

David Ferry, an attorney for two of the four family members, said there is no such restriction.

Ferry said Friday he received a purchase offer from the county. He said the appraisal was too low, however, and the family has requested its own appraisal.

"When we get another number, we will make a counteroffer to the county," he said. "We don't have any specific number in mind, but we're certain it's worth a lot more than that because of inquiries made by others for substantially more money. We just want to get a fair price for it."

Ferry would not comment on the other offers. The Christina School District has made a request to build two new schools on the property, district spokeswoman Lisa McVey said. Venezky said she was made aware that a developer had offered the family $13 million for the property. "We think that's way off the mark," she said. "We are bound by the state to pay close to the appraisal. But we hope to get the property."

Anne Barczewski, the family matriarch who is in a nursing home, her two sons and a daughter all have an equal stake in the sale of the property, Barczewski's lawyer, Tom Posatko, said. He said her real estate interests are being represented by a neutral party.

Ferry said his clients, the two sons, don't care whether the property is developed. Joanne Lewis, Anne Barczewski's daughter, has said previously she wants the property kept as open space, Ferry said. Lewis' attorney was unavailable for comment Friday.

The Barczewski property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and dates to the 1700s. The property contains a main house known as "La Grange" that dates to the 1800s, a small cottage and several smaller buildings. American Revolutionary War bunkers are located there.

Reach Michele Besso at (302) 838-3187 or mbesso@delawareonline.com.

Email us
historicglasgow@earthlink.net

Links

Bidding for farm in NCCo hits snag