Cole Farm Barn 1

UPDATE: Workers fired over construction damage at Cole Farm in Purcellville | LoudounTimes.
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UPDATE: Workers fired over construction damage at Cole Farm in

Purcellville
Tuesday, Mar. 29 by Laura Peters | 100 comments | Email this story
The barn on the Cole

Farm in Purcellville was
significantly destroyed
during construction on
Monday. Times- Mirror
Staff Photo/Hannah
Hager
Most Popular in News

Tuesday, Mar. 29 | 5781 views
The Cole Farm Barn in Purcellville, which sits on the site of the new Harris Teeter project, was UPDATE: Workers fired over
significantly destroyed during construction Monday afternoon after a backhoe trailer ran into construction damage at Cole Farm in
it. Purcellville
Thursday, Mar. 24 | 3564 views
Purcellville Mayor Bob Lazaro says he’s “completely disgusted” by the March 28 damage. The
Three-day operation detains 130
new shopping center, at the corner of Routes 287 and 7, was to incorporate the farm’s barn, criminal aliens, 20 found in Loudoun
silo and house when it was approved three years ago.
Thursday, Mar. 24 | 2605 views
“No one on the council would approve the demolition of those buildings,” Lazaro said. “It’s a UPDATE: Supervisors rename election
districts; vote met with protest
disgrace and disgusting and needs to be made right.”
Friday, Mar. 25 | 2557 views
The mayor says that one third of the barn is destroyed, and a stop work order has been issued Lovettsville mayor suffers heart attack
until they come up with a plan to stabilize the barn and what to do with the left over materials Thursday, Mar. 24 | 2408 views
from the barn in order to incorporate it into the project. County schools’ budget reduced by $7.7
million
Richard Lake, part of Roadside Development, the company in charge of the construction
project, said he was completely surprised that any work was being done on the barn on
Monday.
“We have always instructed that the barn was to be dismantled and what ever could be Stay
salvaged was to be saved for the new structure that has been approved,” Lake said. Connected
Lake also said that the barn had a significant amount of decay and termite infestation. The two
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/cole_farm_barn_dam343aged_from_construction_project/ Page 1 of 22
UPDATE: Workers fired over construction damage at Cole Farm in Purcellville | LoudounTimes.com 3/30/11 4:42 PM
Lake also said that the barn had a significant amount of decay and termite infestation. The two
workers on site Monday believed that the only way to salvage the bar was to push it down,
because it was structurally unsafe, and pull out the pieces that could be saved.
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project. Lake said that the workers made the decision on site and were completely insensitive
to the situation, and didn’t notify him.
“We are extremely apologetic and we feel like we let the town down,” Lake said. “We
completely understand why people are upset and it was never our intention.”
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“The town has done everything they were supposed to do,” Lake continued. “At the end of the News | Sports
day, it’s my responsibility. We’re going to fix it and we’re going to make it right.”
Almost 90 percent of material have already been salvaged from the barn and remain
untouched under a tarp, according to Lake. He says that in moving a barn, it’s unlike moving a
house and you have to take it apart, piece by piece.
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Richie Blick, a realtor who used to live and work in Purcellville says the news made him News | Sports
“physically ill.”
“I am shocked,” Blick said. “Make them rebuild it identical to what was there. Very
disappointing for Purcellville, they have already lost so much to Northern Virginia style cookie
cutter development over the years. This was supposed to be something unique and linked to Join Our
the past.” Email List
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Tracey Shiflett, the zoning administrator for the Town of Purcellville is levying fines of $1,000
per day to Roadside Development, the company working on the Harris Teeter project, until the
matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the Town of Purcellville.
Andrew Sample, a resident of Leesburg, says it’s terrible news about the barn, but his main
vice is with all the construction.
“I hate how Loudoun is getting over run with commercial use,” Sample said. “I have no
problem driving five miles to the Harris Teeter in Ashburn. I’ve been in Leesburg for 30 years,
and my front yard is now the Grenada Mansions. I don’t feel like I live in the country The Loudoun Times-Mirror
anymore.”
The mayor also said that with this project, every building on the site was to be dissembled, is an interactive, digital replica
moved and then restored. of the printed newspaper.
Open the e-edition now.
“They’re going to have to make it right,” Lazaro said. “What is upsetting is that the developer
had reached out and talked to the community and asked what was important to them. What
stood out in a lot of people’s mind is the restoration of those buildings.” View our other print publications available online.
Town Manager Robert W. Lohr said the town and Roadside Development have been working
together for years and have had a great relationship.
“I think everything we’ve received from Mr. Lake indicated is that they want to rectify this
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extremely bad decision on their part and move forward,” Lohr said. “We have a history of five Homes Guide County 2010-11 2011
years working together on this project . It was a significant lapse of judgment on their part.”
“We will take every legal avenue necessary to ensure what was told to the public and approved
by the Council is adhered to,” Lazaro said.
Lake said that he’s doing everything in his power to to make it right and to have a plan that 2011 Future Health and Summer
the town approves within the week, to start construction as early as next week. Leaders Beauty 2011 Camps 2011
The town is holding Roadside Development 100 percent accountable, according to Lohr, and
they will need to get outside consent of how to proceed in construction.
2010 2010 Taste Coming

Comments Home & Garden of Loudoun Soon
Wed, Mar 30 at 02:53 PM by Eric the 1/2 troll:
“Instead, that farm went for several million dollars. I’d say that’s creating
wealth, at least for the heirs.”
That “wealth” did not come from nowhere. It is paid for by the taxpayers who
are staying behind. New schools, better schools, more firefighters (no more
volunteer force), more police, bigger sewage and water plants, new townhall
facilties all to support the residential development and all funded on the tax
payers back - THEN that taxpayer funded residential growth IT allows for an
old farm to be sold for millions. As the taxpayer footing that bill I say thanks
but no thanks.
As to Clarke County. It is SURELY not because of the Blue Ridge anymore

than it is because of the Shenandoah River. It is because Clarke County long
ago downzoned the majority of their county and concentrated future residential
growth around Berryville. One new high school - do you read what you write -
ONE NEW HIGH SCHOOL. How many high schools have tax payers funded at
what level of debt in your nirvana ideal of Loudoun County over the last ten
years? Really growth is BAD for the tax payer - you can NEVER grow yourself
to economic health. It has been proven time and again - over and over. If you
will believe nothing else, believe your own tax bill over the last say 15 years in
LC (if you have been here that long that is).
Wed, Mar 30 at 02:34 PM by McIntosh:
If it were not for the development in Loudoun County, that 10 or so acres of

the Cole farm would not have been worth squat. Instead, that farm went for
several million dollars. I’d say that’s creating wealth, at least for the heirs.
Clarke, because of the mountain, will never really be a bedroom community to

DC. But you can already see it creeping into Clarke as well. One of our
Purcellville neighbors built in a Kingsbridge/Hirst Farm-type neighborhood in
Berryville about five years ago. They’re building a new high school because of
the growth.
As long as we are a free people, we will be free to move and relocate.
And, if DC defaults, barns, farms and grocery stores will be the least of our
problems. Since you love to impune my beliefs, I’ll suggest you, too, should
listen to something other than NPR and the NYTimes.
Wed, Mar 30 at 01:21 PM by Eric the 1/2 troll:
“Not through lack of development—for that try some backwater county in

Appalachia.”
Care to compare public debt and tax burdens for the two?
Wed, Mar 30 at 01:15 PM by RP McMurphy:
McIntire,
I think you are conflating correlation and causality, my friend. “Richest” in the
nation by one measure… average household income. But really, where is that
money coming from and where is it going? The fact is, it’s too damn expensive
for most people who aren’t very wealthy to even live in Loudoun anymore. You
know that most of this money is coming from people who have jobs in DC and
Fairfax and choose to commute from their McMansions/grass farms in
Loudoun. Sure, there’s a hell of a lot of money here, but it’s not being created
here by any means save some business in Leesburg and along the Route 28
corridor.
As a conservative, I hope you know how dependent our current development

model is on an expansive Federal government. If your Tea Party brethren have
their way next time around, prepare for a rude awakening in this “richest
county in the country.”
I should have qualified my previous statement to say that we can’t develop our
way to prosperity in the way we are currently going. Loudoun cannot
sustainably continue functioning as a bedroom community to D.C., taking on
all those that want three acres here while creating wealth elsewhere. When D.C.
defaults, you’d better believe we’re going to be screwed if we don’t do

something to set ourselves apart and diversify the economy. Building another
grocery store in a town of a few thousand is not part of that equation. Still
property tax rates continue to rise and so many say “Open up more land for
development!” as if that’s not the problem in the first place.
Look west to Clark County - they are functioning fine, don’t face near the
budgetary issues we do, and have done a damn good job of keeping growth
where it belongs, despite being in the DC Metro area. Sprawling growth is not
preordained, as much as the developers and their buddies at the LCRC would
like us to believe.
Wed, Mar 30 at 01:09 PM by KS:
To Gullible:
Wow, I guess throwing a brick into a business window is okay. Regardless if
you think trees were cut down by accident or not. Vadalism is okay?
And Ms. Athey:
...you should read your comment over. You are a scary woman. Do you have
kids? Are you teaching them to be so violent?Firing employees isn’t enough?
What would make you happy? Someone should be hurt?
All of you people have a right to your opinions, but when you start putting
down us new Loudouners.. just shows how insecure you all are.
Wed, Mar 30 at 12:51 PM by McIntosh:
Anthony, you’re answering the wrong person. I agree that Fireman’s Field is a
great, little park and, for the record, I love baseball and welcome the series
that comes in the summer!
RPMcMurphy, a park is a park and Franklin Park is pretty darn close to

Purcellville, even if it is county owned. It’s a great, big, wonderful, mult-use
park so I don’t see the need for a second park that would be “just
Purcellville’s”.
You also state “We cannot develop our way to prosperity”. Really? Then how
in the Sam Hill did Loudoun become the richest county in the nation? Not
through lack of development—for that try some backwater county in
Appalachia.
Wed, Mar 30 at 11:44 AM by HH:
You know, why don’t we just take all of the area west of RT9, tear up the paved
roads, remove electricity and bring back the out houses. Would that satisfy all
of the whiners that live in Western Loudoun? I’m serious, you all find
something to complain about no matter what the issue is. We have some
moron that was not paying attention and now all of a sudden it is some kind of
crisis that developer created. This is why we got the hell out of there a few
years ago. Negative attitudes about everything!!!!!
Wed, Mar 30 at 11:04 AM by Pvillian:
This is an excerpt from Roadside Development’s website in their Marketing

description of Purcellville Gateway. Entitled Historic Identiy and Modern
Amenities, it says the following:
“...the this mixed-use development is being modeled after an old farm
plantation. In keeping with the historic nature of the development, the existing
farm house, barn and silo will be relocated and restored to become new
exciting retail uses.
I hope they stay true to their description
Wed, Mar 30 at 10:36 AM by Anthony:
McIntosh—
Fireman’s Field is more than just a baseball field. As someone who enjoys
walking my dog there, taking my kids to play, and enjoying different outdoor
events held there, I would say that FF is a decidedly mixed-use public green
space.
Wed, Mar 30 at 10:27 AM by RP McMurphy:
Pville native,
Question my conclusions all you want, but my family’s been in western

Loudoun for about 250 years. I remember when Kings Bridge was built, I
remember when Food Lion/Bloom was pasture, I remember going to BRMS
when there were cows and donkeys in the field next door. If the town was as
generous with OPM then as they are now, we’d probably have a pretty nice
park. My point isn’t that the town failed at purchasing the land - more that
they seem to have a propensity to spend a lot of money on the wrong things.
loudounres, I respect your opinion a lot and I agree with much of what you
have to say. However, we can expand opportunities in the area while steal
adhering to more reasonable growth patterns. I don’t think anyone suggested
that developers were wholly responsible for the demise of the dairy farming
industry here. I know my grandparents, who were dairy farmers in western
Loudoun into the 70s, attributed it to a growing concentration of dairy farming
in the Valley and the rise of commodity dairy operations.
I just think we need to be careful about how we grow. The inevitable oil crisis
will probably have some many Loudoun residents wishing we had done more to
protect what was literally some of the best farmland in the state of Virginia,
and done more to encourage compact development where it belongs. There are
still some - maybe more than you realize - who make most of their income
farming in Loudoun. I’m just personally not ready to succumb to what so many
here say is the inevitable destruction of a landscape that I still feel a deep
attachment to.
Wed, Mar 30 at 10:01 AM by Loudoun Insider:
I hope someone got photos/video, Concerned. This needs to be investigated by

someone outside of the crooked halls of Purcellville government.
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:51 AM by RP McMurphy:
McIntosh,
First of all, Franklin Park is a county-owned park. It’s also hardly in

Purcellville. The only folks that could safely walk there live in Farmington.
Purcellville does not have a real park. Pville native, if you think Fireman’s Field
is “the most important piece of open space” in the town, I can’t help but feel
sorry for you. It’s a baseball field for God’s sake, not green space. The idea of a
park denotes an area that any town resident can enjoy, even ones that don’t
like Babe Ruth League baseball.
Second of all, as others have mentioned, this is a case of demolition by neglect

on the part of the developer. If he cared even a little bit about saving the
buildings on site, he would have weatherized the house and the barn a long
time ago. He’s paying more in fees now than it would have cost to buy the
plastic to protect the structures. Either way, I don’t buy your argument that the
weather has been so bad the past 6 years, it’s done any abnormal damage to
that structure. We’ve had a couple of bad winters, but that barn has seen many
bad winters in its time. I’ve lived through a few of them too, as have many
other farm buildings in Loudoun, many of which remain structurally sound.
You may want to paint me as anti-development, but I’m really not at all. I just
don’t like poorly planned development, like the sprawling grocery-pharmacy-
niche store complex Purcellville is turning into. Beyond that, development-
related jobs are NOT a sustainable economic driver. I like people to have jobs
too, but if our economy relies on a field that the bottom falls out of every 10 -
15 years, we are screwed. We cannot develop our way to prosperity. We are
constantly playing catch-up, while sprawling suburban neighborhoods sap the
town and county of more taxes than they put in. Of course, it’s fitting that you
so-called conservative folks don’t want to admit that your suburban lifestyle is
heavily subsidized by folks like the remaining large lot landowners you so love
to deride.
To me, the American dream has a hell of a lot more to do with finding a happy,
comfortable existence in the most beautiful country in the world. Sorry,
McIntosh, there’s just not enough land around for most to aspire to owning a
large chunk of it and bequeathing it to their kids. Especially when the land is
seen as nothing more than a financial asset, to be sold to the highest bidder…
community and environment be damned.
Your notion of pure property rights does not exist anymore. You have to
answer to the county, or the town, or your HOA. You don’t have a choice.
There are too many people and adjoining bits of land and water are too
interdependent to let people do whatever the hell they want with their property
all the time. Land use controls are a libertarian concept, anyway: your right to
swing your fist ends at my face. When your development screws up my water,
clogs the streets I pay to maintain, interferes with my child’s education, etc, it
needs to be controlled. Sorry dude.
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:32 AM by MCXL:
I notice all the windows are out of the house. How long will it be until the
house is determined to be an unsafe structure? Typical developers ploy.
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:26 AM by ShortHillNative:
I would like to see all this outcry lead to something greater. An outsider to the
county would likely assume that most of us in Loudoun don’t mind sprawl, as
so infrequently do we actually put up a fight to new development (have you
shown Crooked Run any solidarity lately?).
I can’t speak to the the mayor’s role in all of this, as I haven’t followed
Purcellville politics as well as some here, but if you’re fed up, then get active
and vote him out.
A merchant setting himself on fire in Tunisia sparked revolutions across the

Arab world. Sometimes it takes a highly visible incident to put a complex issue
into simple terms and to shake people out of their stupor.
It doesn’t get more visible than 287 and Main St.
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:18 AM by CONCERNED:
Perhaps someone should check further into these circumstances. A backhoe

trailer backed into the barn and did all that damage? I don’t think so. I
happened to be passing by their on Monday after lunch and half of the barn
was already down with what I’m thinking was an excavator sitting right next to
it, still in motion. The roof had jagged edges like it had just been ripped in
half. Also parked at the jobsite, near the house, were two Town of Purcellville
vehicles. There was also a third vehicle, I believe belongs to the Town
Manager, who appeared to be standing by watching what was going on. So, do
your math, that equates to at least THREE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE
EMPLOYEES there at the location while the distruction was still going on. I
know some think this is some old barn, but to those who have not grown up
here and saw it when it was a real working farm it means nothing. And,
doesn’t Purcellville have signs posted that they are designated as a Tree City?
Where are all the trees? All mature trees were removed from this property,
and the only response is how many trees are being planted to replace them.
You cannot replace mature trees. Some of the same, apparently, is going on at
Firemen’s Field. To make way for parking for the NEW TOWN OFFICE.
When is enough enough?
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:18 AM by McIntosh:
Loudounres, well said!
Wed, Mar 30 at 09:03 AM by loudounres:
As a seventh generation Western Loudoun resident, I feel I need to weigh-in.
First, the demise of the dairy farms in Loudoun was not caused by
development. Economics and over-regulation made it nearly impossible to
make a living on a small family dairy farm. The dairy farms shut down well
before developers dreamed of building in Western Loudoun. Both sets of my
grandparents ceased dairy farming in the late sixties because they could not
make a living, not because of offers from developers. They switched to beef
cattle, not because it was profitable, but because it was the only way to keep
their farms in land use and not get forced to sell the land to pay the high taxes
that would result if they stopped farming. To this day, most of the farming in
Loudoun is done for this reason. There are very few people who make a living
farming in Loudoun.
Many old Loudoun families see development as progress. When my parents

grew up in this area, their career choices were limited to continuing to work
their guts out on the family farm and live a subsitence lifestyle, or work for the
government. I think of the career choices that I have had and my children will
have as a result of our shift from an agricultural economy. This is progress.
The old days are gone.
Part of this shift will continue to require us to tear down the old and build the
new. When did old begin to equal historical? There are hundreds of old barns
in Loudoun similar to this one that will no longer exist in a decade or so. Many
will fall down in a windstorm as most of these barns have been allowed to
decay (like this one) due to their obsolescence. If not for the development of
this property, that old barn would have been an eyesore and safety hazard in
the near future and many of the residents would have called for its removal.
Finally, a few of the people posting have referred to the trees on the property
as old-growth trees. There were a few big trees on that property, but old
growth usually refers to trees that existed in the US before European
colinization. The old-growth trees were cut down years ago to make room for
these old farms that are being developed today. That was the progress we
needed 300 years ago, just like development is the progress we need today.
Wed, Mar 30 at 08:11 AM by escortbrisbane:
sad! they’re removing another patch of the very small green area that’s left in
the world. :(
Wed, Mar 30 at 07:57 AM by Hate Sprawl:
Harris Teeter is the new Wal Mart…. destroying communities (literally)
Oh, and before anyone gets upset about name-calling, the “Cuckoo’s Nest”
comment refers to the movie and the user name.
Dear God, when did believing in personal property rights become “right wing
extremist” views? Isn’t the American Dream to be able to own your own
land/house/business and be able to leave something to your heirs?
“the town could have easily bought the property” With WHAT money—the
TAXPAYERS money! So, should it have only been for town residents since we’d
be the ones paying for it? Plus, isn’t there already a beautiful, large park—
Franklin Park?
I never said developers are perfect—they should be required to repair the barn
and hold to the contract that was signed. I said that from the very begining—
carpenters can repair it. You also must know that barn was the Noah’s Ark of
Purcellville—raccoons, skunks, owls, bats, termites, mice. Between the wild
animals and the snow/ice we have had for the last 6 or so years surely took a
toll on this barn. The damage had to be substantial.
I also think if they intended to destroy the barn, it would be completely gone.
Do you really think the developers would have done it part way to have to deal
with this kind of publicity and additional headache?
Also, yes, I am happy to see development going on. I like seeing the site work
because it means there are construction people working. There will soon be
electricians, plumbers, drywall installers, roofers, painters and on and on. All
those construction people have families that need the money. Hopefully, it will
provide jobs to get people off of unemployment and get the economy moving!
You can live (in your Cuckoo’s Nest?), pooh-pooh all development and get
angry at the world, but this land has become valuable whether you like it or
not. In this country we are free to move wherever we want and people want to
live here. Hence, development will occur.
Instead of just doing it haphazard, make it attractive, which I think this will
be. As attractive as a park? No, but since no one offered to donate it to the
Town, that’s not going to happen. Harris-Teeter does a reasonable job with
their centers and it’s a lot better than a 7-11 or, worse yet, a Sheets.
This is really just a case of NIMBY. I’m sure all the people protesting “I’ll never
shop there” are perfectly happy to go to Wegmans or the Leesburg Outlets.
Guess what? Those used to be undeveloped land also.
Lastly, let me reiterate, I do hope they can repair the barn. Look what Clydes
has done with old barn material for some of their restaurants. The one in
Ashburn was from a barn in Vermont. I would think you “greenies” would like
the recycling!
Wed, Mar 30 at 05:51 AM by Pville Native:
There he/she goes again McWrong. The Town did try to purchase the property
and the Cole’s turned the offer down and sold it to a private entity. If
McWrong had been around here for a while he/she would have known that all
of KIngsbridge was part of Cole Farm. McWrong ignores the fact the Town did
purchase and save the most important piece of open space in Town—Fireman’s
Field.
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:45 PM by Loudoun Insider:
This is absolutely despicable. There must be more to this story. Time to start
digging.
Tue, Mar 29 at 10:01 PM by RP McMurphy:
McIntosh, I love how you invariably spout your extreme right wing nonsense,
regardless of the situation. The developer entered into a contract with the town.
He wanted to build something that wasn’t allowed by right, so the town
lawfully solicited a proffer of historic preservation of the existing buildings. The
developer failed to uphold his end of the contract. Yet you, proud torchbearer
of the so-called party of personal responsibility, want to treat the lapse as if it’s
no big deal! Why isn’t it a big deal? Because he’s a developer! And in your eyes,
developers can do no wrong. Inversely, anyone who gives a damn about the
character of the community is a no-growth communist. We’re all standing in
the way of the ultimate life of convenience and progress in Purcellville.
FWIW, the town easily could have purchased the property and turned it into a
beautiful gateway park - if they would stop launching lawsuits against their
own citizens and county, stop making sweetheart land deals with Mayor Bob’s
church to buy a building that has NO historical significance, and maybe focus
on getting the books straight. Purcellville might look like a normal town if
there was a decent park. Imagine that!
Tue, Mar 29 at 09:12 PM by iluvpville:
Come to Heritage Day in the Park at Fireman’s Field in Purcellville on May

14th from 12:00-6:00pm Then stay for the Premier of the Last Hardware Store
(Documentary about the Nichols family). If you do come you will be in for a
treat and tons of great Purcellville History. The day is hosted by the Purcellville
Preservation Association. I am the Secretary of the organization.We restored
the Train Station and the Little Spring House at the entrance to Town.
Tue, Mar 29 at 09:08 PM by Shawn:
McIntosh, I enjoyed reading your posts.
I am moving out to Leesburg (the part of town built in the 60s/70s, I can’t
afford a fixed-up place in the Historic District nor can I afford to spend a year-
plus fixing up a place) in the next few weeks.
I grew up in Front Royal—much of the same debates here as in Purcellville.

Who the **** are we to demand that people live in condos, which is essentially
what the no-growth/NIMBY/BANANA types are wanting? There’s no land left
in Fairfax, really—Ashburn is getting built up and so is outer Leesburg. Where
can and should people go?
There’s well-paying jobs here in Northern Virginia, something that many other
parts of this country cannot say. People are going to come here.
With that said, the developers destroyed a historic building they said they were
going to maintain.
The Town must ensure that there is no way possible the developers can profit
from this (“Oops, guess we’ll just have to put a bank or 7-Eleven there!”) If the
developers can restore the building, then do it.
Tue, Mar 29 at 08:47 PM by concerned:
1. I don’t believe it was an “accidental”

2. More & more people have been moving here
3. People from here- that seem to love the country- are causing ridiculous
pollution by driving our individual vehicles to Winchester, Manassas, Leesburg
, Sterling, Ashburn to eat, play, shop and work
4. Those who love the “country” and “green open space” should think about no
3 when saying that we can just “Drive”
5. We need good restaurants, quality shops (not just thrift /gift/farmers
markets)right here in Purcellville within walking/hiking/biking/short drive
distance
6. Gas will get more expensive- all you rich snobs may not care about anyone
but yourselves (I want to see green)
7. Some of you moved here, and in doing so, helped cause the problems
8. I agree that the barn should not have had an “accident” and the contractor
should have done a better job.
9. Thank you
Tue, Mar 29 at 08:02 PM by McIntosh:
To those of you (particularly those on farms) who are so against the

development in Purcellville, I have some questions. What stipulations have
YOU included for the disposition of your land when you die?
Will you donate it to the town/county to keep it a green space or a park, etc so
it would be “pleasing to the community”?
Is that what the Coles should have done? Not leave that property to their
children as an inheritance? The Coles worked their lives to provide for their
family; are they not entitled to the profits? How is it different than leaving any
other family business? Or were the Cole heirs supposed to just walk away from
several million dollars and donate it to the Town? Would your children do
that?
Or should the Town have bought the land? How (other than raising taxes) was
the Town supposed to pay it? I don’t recall seeing anyone offering to buy it for
the Town.
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:55 PM by bogo:
For those who read my last comment and assume I am a friend of developers,
don’t believe it. I think the town council should be as tough on all developers
as they were on Roadside. There are some pretty ugly things that get approval
from the BAR because the Town Council is always trying to water them down.
Developers should be held to high standards and that is not usually the case in
this town. Roadside has higher standards. Let’s see what happens at the
shopping center where Al’s Pizza used to be. Probably won’t be much of an
improvement.
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:52 PM by P ville HATER:
You people in Purcellville are RIDICULOUS! It is an old barn, that wasn’t

being used, or the farmer would have kept his land instead of turning it into a
Harris Teeter. You say you will boycott it, but they have great wine and cheese
there, so I know you will be all up in there. You are so pretentious.
My statements include all of Western Loudoun and are not just isolated to
Purcellville.
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:49 PM by bogo:
This historic significance of this farm was lost over a decade ago. My first
inclination is to believe it wasn’t a mistake but Mr. Lake has a fine reputation
and Roadside Development is a builds quality projects. I do believe he was
surprised. But let’s face it - if all went according to plan, the barn would have
been carefully demolished but in reality there is little that could have been
reused if it is to meet current building code. It makes more sense to build a
quality replica and make the salvaged materials available to the citizens of
Purcellville who want to reuse them. I personally think Purcellville lost its
charm years ago and should stop pretending to be something it can never be
again. It’s time to build new, high quality, interesting places with green spaces
and amenities. Instead of trying to preserve a past that has become obsolete,
we should be trying to build a town that future generations will want to
preserve.
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:46 PM by bob la' zero:
Lazaro and the slimy types he carries water for are not going to be happy…or
gone from our midst…until they’ve taken everything. They’ll leave behind a
horrible non-descript patchwork grid of truly ugly boxes with parking lots.
Purcellville’s been ruined but I guess it’s still useful to vote carpetbaggers like
Lazaro out—unless the opportunity presents itself to lock him up.
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:38 PM by 3rd Generation Purcellvillian:
Rise Up Purcellvillians! Vote Lazaro out of office! There has been too many
development related things happening during his tenure…..
The Cole Farm should have been made into athletic fields that are green and
more pleasing to the community…
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:29 PM by Ralphie:
A fine to a developer is just a cost factor they are prepared to pay to butcher
old growth trees and a historic barn.
Purcellville needs to change their motto to
“We will soon look like Sterling”
THANKS POLITICIANS
Tue, Mar 29 at 07:12 PM by April Athey:
I know I have commented and vented earlier today already but with the update
I had to say more. A couple people fired doesn’t do it for me. It was an
accident on purpose. The greed as I said earlier is too much.
I really like living in Purcellville and moved here 2 years ago. I love this end of
Loudoun. My family of many generations and I have lived in the county of
Loudoun (mostly Lucketts)forever.
Seeing these disrespectful contractors come here and ruin our history is
unforgivable. I still do not believe they needed to take ALL the tree’s down
either. They should be fined heavier than they are being fined now. They should
have to pay way more than they were trying to save with a FAKE accident
because it would slow them down to dismantle carefully and protect the
materials to rebuild. This shows the lack of respect and their word for the job
they are doing.
I think we should follow their next jobs or ones that they are working on now
in other towns and warn tham all before other places get ruined. We should
email and call all the local TV stations.
You almost want to go up there everyday all day and protect this job in our
town, our County.
Tue, Mar 29 at 06:39 PM by John Smith:
I wonder how stupid thisconstruction company thinks we really are? are you
kidding me, an accident. People along time ago wanted progress, well I just
moved back and I guess they got what they wanted. Loudoun county is
NOTHING like it was when I was a kid and moved out here in 1971. This whole
shopping center thing is DISGUSTING. Hmmmm could not have taken an
existing shopping center and improved, no had to have the land and buildings
destroyed…this whole thing is a joke and now this “accident” Shut up and just
admitted you planned the “accident” I don’t believe it was an accident
Tue, Mar 29 at 06:20 PM by Randy Littlefield:
Rebuild not to real spec’s made new ones now, not a single Carpenter who has
built a real barn on crew.There are only a few of us left who have that
knowledge exist, well progress at the expense’s of our grandfathers and
grandmothers hard work.
Tue, Mar 29 at 05:49 PM by gadeeb:
Wait…Lazaro was driving the backhoe? Priceless.
Tue, Mar 29 at 05:24 PM by Gullible much?:
Mel S,
Don’t fool yourself- the trees you reference weren’t “cut down by accident,
really”, unless you think getting a crew out in the middle of the night to cut
trees down is accidental.
We’ve had example after example from the development community of this
exact situation while residents like you wonder what the big deal is and can’t
understand the anger directed at the more gullible among us.
Tue, Mar 29 at 03:27 PM by Alvin:
So politicians who have ruined Purcellville and wrecked the towns budget now
are upset because a barn got wrecked…..Hypocrisy at its best.
Tue, Mar 29 at 03:18 PM by charlie:
william,
rock on with the club! i enjoy supporting single moms
Tue, Mar 29 at 02:49 PM by Peeved in Purcellville:
Ok…Let’s simplify this for those out there who don’t seem to understand…I
come into your house as a contractor, we sign a contract after negotiating for 5
years, and in that contract I agree to take apart your kitchen(for the sake of
illustration) in an orderly manner so we can reuse the cabinets. Instead of this
occurring i take a sledgehammer to your cabinets, walls, and appliances. How
would feel, and what would your reaction be if that were to happen. Mind you
this is on a larger scale and much more difficult to remedy. I was raised in the
Virginia Gentleman mentality and a mans word is his life, reputation, and
honor. This is a irrepairable act that could be deemed a breach of contract and
should be handled as such. As far as the fines…great, but $1,000.00 per day is
a drop in the bucket.
Tue, Mar 29 at 02:38 PM by stephens lane stormer:
Loosing this historic original barn is a sad loss to the folks who were raised
here. It’s sad for us to see our childhood stomping grounds defaced by the
highest bidder. Replicas don’t provide that, so just burn it and pave it.
Having said that, the rest of this is hilarious! Lazaro’s reaction… the developer
chimming in… the pawn shop comments… Ray Charles at the wheel…
UPDATE! FIRED!
Well the property has now been defaced so go to it boys!
Tue, Mar 29 at 02:06 PM by William:
With all this controversy over a barn, I guess opening a strip club is out of the
question.
Tue, Mar 29 at 01:42 PM by reality:
Purcellville will be the next Sterling in 10-15 years from now. You will be
hearing about how bad the gangs are and how all the illegal’s drink beer in the
barn while waiting for work.
Tue, Mar 29 at 01:28 PM by Peeved in Purcellville:
Open letter to Mr. Lake,

I am a Business Owner here in Purcellville, and have 30 plus years of
experience in the Commercial Construction Trades. CAREFULLY
DISMANTLE….Who did you hire as a contractor and sure hope they have a
large insurance policy so you can backcharge them for the cost of finding 200
year old lumber and materials to match what they CAREFULLY
DISMANTLED…If it were me in charge of that site they would be gone, off my
site now. Reputation is everything and we see, as residents here, what you
think of our town and a historic property we wanted to save. This is just a
continuation of the plunder of this property…how many OLD GROWTH trees
came out of there? Ever heard of pourous asphalt? Let me guess “your” arborist
said they weren’t healthy? Coincidence or Convienience or was it all COST?
Tue, Mar 29 at 01:28 PM by reflection:
Homes and commercial development only occur because there is a demand for
both. Who causes the demand - people. People like you and me. You want to
“blame” something - blame people. Blame every dang last person who has
moved to or near Purcellville in the last 30 or 40 years, because each has had
an incremental part of the growth that you folks are b***hing about. And yes,
you can blame the Coles for selling their farm to developers, you can blame
every former agricultural land owner for selling their properties that have
become homes or commercial. There is plenty of blame, and it all rests on the
shoulders of the people that either used to or currently live in Purcellville. The
blame is in each of our mirrors.
Tue, Mar 29 at 01:08 PM by American:
I understand Harris Teeter is a non union grocery store. I will only shop there
when they open. I will not support thug behavior.
Mel,
I apologize, I certainly don’t intend to come across as “hostile” or “scary”. I

have many friends among newcomers to Loudoun, but they at least have a
sense that they are moving somewhere and that the landscape isn’t a blank
slate for every convenience they could ever want within a short drive of their
homes. There are many who have given most of their lives to the Loudoun
community, and it’s disheartening to see remnants of our past paved over to
meet the demands of a growing population. The fact is there are 2 grocery
stores within a half-mile of each other, with another planned. There are 2
pharmacies planned within a half-mile of an existing pharmacy, not including
the pharmacy at Giant. We have another farm being functionally destroyed to
“relieve” traffic on Main St, while the town continues to approve new
commercial and retail development that will only induce new traffic in the very
same vicinity. It’s an insane model for growth and the residents of Purcellville
largely sit idly by and let it happen.
Maybe I’m crazy in that I desire to live somewhere with a unique identity, with
people that have a sense of culture, heritage, and history. Maybe it’s
unreasonable to think that it’s possible to grow without throwing out the things
that are truly special about western Loudoun. Has it reached the point where
us native Loudouners are the outsiders in our own hometowns?
new to story,
by posting that link I wasn’t being rude or putting you down when saying ‘hope
you find this interesting” ment no harm what so ever.
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:53 PM by THE JERK:
HAHA. WHAT A HILARIOUS STORY.
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:38 PM by new to story:
And before the dairy farms there was?

Did the dairy farms research the land before developing it to make sure that
some Native American significant item was not lost? Or did they cast aside
history to make life more “convenient”?
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:36 PM by Mel S.:
To RP McMurphy:
Your remarks just illustrate how hostile some of you can be.It’s quite scary. I
am happy where I live. I haven’t complained one bit about where I live, I was
complaining about the hostile remarks that have been posted.
I remember a few years ago when a certain business opened up right in the
heart of Purcellville. Some residents were mad because they cut down a few old
tress( really by accident).. well, bricks were thrown into the window of the new
business.
Purcellville has been growing since I moved to beautiful Loudoun County 10
years ago.
If you were to of read my post correctly you would of seen I was just shocked
how primitive and hostile some of the remarks have been.
new to story,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2008/02/22/AR2008022202775.html
hope you find this interesting.
new to story, perhaps you should learn something about the town you moved
to then. Loudoun County had a booming dairy industry until the 1970s and
into even the 1980s. There is still an active dairy farm - the last in the county -
just south of town between Purcellville and Lincoln. Loudoun County has a lot
of history that is being cast aside and disregarded to make life more
“convenient” for people like you. Perhaps you can repay the favor by doing
even a tiny amount of research about your surroundings.
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:10 PM by A True Loudoun County Native!!:
If that was a Backhoe that did all that damage, then who was operating it, Ray
Charles????
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:04 PM by new to story:
But why the hysteria? The plan was ”to carefully dismantle the barn and
salvage the material to be used in its reconstruction”. So now the mix of new
to salvaged material will include more new material.
RP McMurphy: “we AREN’t in midwest corn country”, I did not realize this was
dairy country.
Tue, Mar 29 at 12:02 PM by disgusted with growth here:
accident? an accident would of happened if a “hoe” was “backed” into one

side..when each side of the building is striped like that…NO ACCIDENT.. nice
BULL SH** cover up; you can smell that a mile away. All this building is
ridiculous.. “lets move to the country; but kill all the deer,turkeys,bear because
they are nusiance(sp) pave all the back roads cause god forbid i get dust on my
beamer.. oh and for cripes sake I cannot shop for cheaper at bloom or giant I
MUST have a harris teeters….Oh and wait I forgot to b**ch about the neighbor
with hogs and cows…and how dare those kids have horses.. mine are allergic to
them…“oh animal control”.... go back to the city where you belong.
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:59 AM by RP McMurphy:
Mel S, perhaps the better option would have been for you to move directly to
Ashburn, rather than moving to Purcellville and expecting what they have in
Ashburn. We’d all be happier that way. And please don’t say you prefer life in a
smaller town, because clearly you don’t. Residents of Purcellville: Wake up.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too.
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:47 AM by RasputinSays:
Who writes this crap?

“Lazaro said a backhoe tractor ran into the structure by an employee of the
construction company.”
“The mayor says that one third of the barn is destroyed, and a stop work order
has been issued until they come up with a plan to stabilize the barn and what
to do with the left over materials from the barn in order to incorporate it into
the project.”
I mean I’m no grammar Nazi but sheesh, at least act like you are still a real
paper…
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:44 AM by Anonymous:
As someone who regularly has to deal with the construction (literally in my

backyard), I have to say that I hated the idea of this project the moment I
heard about it. They are not supposed to start work until 7am, but I know that
some days they have started earlier than that. Then, they destroy the barn. I
blame the contractors. I’m not going to make this into a political debate
because I am less concerned with the politics than I am with the Town itself.
What was a smaller, more country town, is going to turn into more of the
cookie-cutter areas in Loudoun.
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:42 AM by Mel S.:
Wow.. I am just in awe with some of the racist remarks people are posting..
and also the ruthless comments against so much. Makes me regret moving out
to this part of Loudoun County. Purcellville has been a growing town…. it’s not
Waterford or Hillsboro..people get over it.
I welcome the chance to not have to waste gas to drive down to Ashburn or
Lansdowne to go to Harris Teeter. There needs to be another store other than
the filthy Bloom, and Giant.
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:36 AM by Sigre:
It’s appalling to see less green and more asphalt where ever it is. Even more
appalling when theres’ no need. AND EVEN MORE APPALLING when sneaky
moves make pre-meditated destruction look innocent! BOOOOOOO on
Purcellville.I’m glad I didn’t buy in this town!
Tue, Mar 29 at 11:26 AM by Pvillian:
Has anyone noticed the artist renderings signs have gone from the site. There
were two. One on 287 and one on Main. If you go to Roadsides website you
can still see them. They clearly show that both the barn and the house were in
the plans. Since the signs are missing, I wonder if the plans have changed???
Haha, McWrong! That’s pretty clever. Thanks for bringing your prepubescent
debate skills to the table, pville native. Notice that you said not a single
RESIDENTIAL rezoning has happened since 2001. The rezoning and
conditional use permits for this site were approved in 2008 by the same band
of jokers that is currently running the Pville clown show. The conditioned
proffers were too vague for anyone to reasonably believe that they would
protect the historic integrity of the site. Furthermore, you may notice that I
listed the Marsh administration as somewhat responsible for the state of things
in Pville (as in, the irresponsible residential rezoning at the turn of the
century), but you’d rather ignore that in your weak argument.
Don’t you see? There is no “making this better”. The barn is destroyed. Pretty
soon, Crooked Run Orchard will be destroyed. Much of Purcellville’s small
town character has been destroyed on Mayor Bob’s watch. He’d rather launch
frivolous lawsuits against his own county, eye more powerful political positions,
and serve as lapdog to PHC and PBC crowds than deign to the typically
unglamorous job of being a small town mayor. Yeah, the barn is the issue at
hand, but it’s also symptomatic of a town government that lost its way a long
time ago.
Tue, Mar 29 at 10:37 AM by Pville Native:
Too bad Mc. Wrong is trying to make this into a political debate. Not a single
residential rezoning has been approved in more than a decade in Purcellville.
To blame the current Council for developments approved in 2000 and 2001 is
not only flat wrong, but a disservice to the debate. Mr. McWrong fails to point
out the Council has twice rejected annexation requests that would have resulted
in hundreds more residential units. Next he will be blaming the Cole family for
selling their property in the first place.
Let’s focus on getting this right and I applaud the Town for keeping the
developer’s feet to the fire and fixing what they have done.
Tue, Mar 29 at 10:36 AM by sickofsprawl:
Purcellville, you can be outraged but you cant’ be surprised. If you go to bed
with dogs (e.g., Lazaro and other carpetbaggers), you wake up with fleas.
new to story, your smarmy comments aside, the Cole Farm complex is
historically significant to Loudoun County. It doesn’t take a president owning
something to make it significant. The fact is, this was one of the best preserved
examples of a late 19th c/early 20th c dairy farm complex remaining in the
county. Will that impress someone looking for a reference to someone specific
in a history book? No. Is the Cole Farm historically important to people who
actually give a damn about Loudoun’s history and heritage? Of course. The fact
that the farm was found eligible to be listed on the NRHP a few years ago
demonstrates just how much of a travesty this mess is.
Purcellville tries to have its cake and eat it too, by believing that any national
developer cares enough about our local concerns to meaningfully incorporate
old farm buildings into an Everytown, USA kind of strip development. The
town lost an opportunity to transform a really unique feature (to the town…
remember we AREN’t in midwest corn country) into a meaningful eastern
gateway for Purcellville. Now, we get a pile of building scraps that can’t be
reused and ANOTHER grocery store to add to the town’s growing collection of
groceries and pharmacies. The sprawling mess that is Purcellville would be
funny to me if I didn’t have fond memories of the town before the
Lazaro/Marsh admins set it on a path of unsustainable growth and faceless
development.
Tue, Mar 29 at 09:54 AM by new to story:
What is the significance of the Cole Farm barn? Architecturally it looks like
most of the barns in midwest corn county. Was it owned by George
Washington perhaps?
Tue, Mar 29 at 09:45 AM by Disgusted:
I agree, there is no way this was an accident caused by a backhoe. The building
is stripped on all sides.
Tue, Mar 29 at 09:20 AM by Don Chace:
While I support the Harris Teeter development in principle, the sloppy and
disrespectful handling of the project, especially the trashing of the Cole Farm
barn and wiping out of all trees is inexcusable !
Tue, Mar 29 at 08:50 AM by April Athey:
I was very upset to see all the tree’s taken down. When I moved here I didn’t
know about the project. So it was a shock to one day go by and see the tree’s
gone. I do not believe they needed to take all of those tree’s down, it’s sad.
Personally I am not going to shop at the store or anything else that goes up
there.
To me this was no accident to the barn. Seem’s like some people on the job do
not know what the plan’s are or it’s people who do not care, it’s just
disrespectful. A backhoe would not do that kind of damage to the walls on all
the sides and roof. It looks like the walls were just ripped off. The windows are
still there.
Seriously where are the supervisors on the job? Do the people of Purcellville
have to take turns managing the site to protect it?
Is there so much greed that they think they can MAKE an accident to work
faster, pay fines and get the barn moved faster with new materials? I just feel
there is no way this was an accident. This makes me sad to see what they have
done.
I also wonder why if they are trying to preserve everything, why has the
window of the house up stairs been open all winter?
I hope this turns out better than it is going right now.
Tue, Mar 29 at 08:33 AM by zzzzz:
no one should be surprised by this….happened before in other areas of the

county. remember the house in Kirkpatrick (I believe) that was put up on
blocks, moved and then left to sit exposed to the elements while the builder
just kept building all their new houses. then when the folks moved it they
complained about it being a hazard and by that time the building had to be
condemned. nothing anyone could do to the developer because the proffer
language was so vague.
Tue, Mar 29 at 06:51 AM by Crooked Run Orchard Supporter:
Lazaro is an idiot. That siding was peeled off like it was by a backhoe running
into the barn? I don’t think so. He was probably in on it from the get go, so
he can come out and try to act all tough and be the hero.
Tue, Mar 29 at 06:43 AM by Tess:
Wow, that sucks.
I’m cool with driving to Leesburg to shop, but as far as where I live, I’d prefer
it to be quiet and small. Unfortunately, all I hear anymore is about the buildup
of this town. Makes me sick that land can’t ever just be left alone without
someone needing to build, build, build on it.
Mon, Mar 28 at 08:29 PM by Al Koholic:
Hope that equipment operator is not working at the new over priced town
office
Mon, Mar 28 at 08:06 PM by McIntosh:
Oh, Jason, such sharp repartee. But, no not from Manassas—although the
great grandfather did fight there. Where are you from?
Mon, Mar 28 at 07:57 PM by RP McMurphy:
Warner Workman, it’s called zoning and land use laws. The same laws that
prevent your neighbors from running a sex shop out of their basement. The
same laws that prevent fat rendering plants from operating where we shop and
eat. They fall squarely within the police power of localities and, believe it or
not, it is done so YOU can enjoy your private property without threat of
nuisance from your neighbors activities. It also increases your property values.
In this particular case, a large retail store (like the Harris Teeter that’s going in)
was a conditional use on this particular piece of property. The property owner
wanted a use that wasn’t by right, so they had proffer the preservation of the
existing structures as a trade-off for building a larger retail structure. They
could have built a smaller retail structure and done whatever the hell they
wanted with the existing structures, but they chose not to. Hence, they agreed
to the conditions and the town agreed to let them build their larger structure.
It’s pretty simple. Welcome to post-1920s America.
Mon, Mar 28 at 07:35 PM by Warner Workman:
Why does the town think it has the right to lord over and exercise dominion
over private property. What gives them the right as to what buildings stay and
what building goes. It is private property, the county/township should have
minimal say as to what is built and what stays. Another example of
government out of control.
Mon, Mar 28 at 07:10 PM by Jason Dengler:
McIntosh,
Move back to Manassas!
Yeah, life would be so much better if we were all still in the 1940s. No tract
houses, no bypass, no cable, internet, cell phones and we could all shop at the
IGA. Maybe we could all become Amish.
Sorry, I like conveniences.
Mon, Mar 28 at 07:02 PM by tickedoff:
I too went by the site this afternoon and couldn’t believe what had happened!
It needs to be fixed before work continues.
Mon, Mar 28 at 06:51 PM by Disgusting Deception:
This was just an innocent mistake, right? Right??? Surely they couldn’t, ah,
you know ..... ahhhh. This was a mistake, right?
Mon, Mar 28 at 05:49 PM by Mona Womack:
When I drove by the site today I thought surely I was seeing things. How could
the barn be partially destroyed? The barn and silo were to be incorporated
into the new design. I’m sickened by this.
Mon, Mar 28 at 05:28 PM by Dave Williams:
How long till the house also has an “accident”?

THat would nicely clear the way for the developers to do whatever they want.
Mon, Mar 28 at 05:26 PM by RP McMurphy:
McIntosh, once again you demonstrate that you have no idea what you are
talking about. Like a (diminishing) number of historic barns throughout the
area, the Cole Farm barn was structurally sound and able to be moved. What
the pictures show, on the other hand, is the willful destruction of about 1/3 of
the structure and most of its facade. The siding cannot be reused in the fashion
it was removed. Furthermore, the project approval was conditioned on a
proffer of reusing this historic structure. Maybe it isn’t a big deal to you down
at Hirst Farm, but to those of us who have a lifetime of memories and sweat
equity dedicated to Loudoun, this is a painful symbol of what is becoming all
too common here. I guess I can understand your sentiment if I consider the
paradigm that nothing is sacred anymore but the almighty dollar.
Mayor Bob can do all he wants to try and make this better, but he’s equally
responsible for the unplanned, unnecessary growth that is currently happening
in Purcellville. He’s can’t make this right, he can’t undo the damage he’s done
to Crooked Run Orchard, he can’t put the town on the path to fiscal solvency,
he can’t unspend the millions of dollars he spent to extort money from his own
county, and he can’t hide the fact that he’d compromise pretty much any one of
his “beliefs” if doing so was politically expedient. I’m angry with Mr. Lake and
the contractors, but they’re just a symptoms of a deeply entrenched disease in
Purcellville.
Denise—I’m only talking about the damaged part! Most of it is still standing—I
saw it earlier.
They’re planning on moving it anyway—it’s an old barn and I’m sure there will
be some damage when that occurs. I’m also sure there are enough carpenters
and craftsmen who can repair/rebuild the part that was damaged.
But let’s also get a grip—it’s been sitting empty for several years and between
wood rot, termites, critters etc, there’s probably already a lot of damage that
will have to be replaced before it can be used anyway.
Mon, Mar 28 at 05:01 PM by home is where the barn...was:
I feel like the “ruin” of this iconic barn is fittingly symbolic of the “ruin” of
Purcellville as a community. The barn could no longer stand the pressure from
the grotesque over growth that has strained a once quiet and picturesque rural
community. I hope the Town of Purcellville is happy with its new look and
soon to be four grocery stores because now they have to live with it. This stop
work is merely a tourniquet being applied to a limb that has already been
removed.
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:58 PM by Richard Lake:
March 28, 2011

Citizens of The Town of Purcellville
This open letter goes out to the citizens of Purcellville. We are sincerely sorry
for what took place at the Cole Farm today. It has been and remains our
commitment to reestablish these buildings at the corner of Berlin Turnpike and
Main Street. To bring these buildings back to life as a centerpiece to the
Eastern Gateway of the town.
We had given clear instructions to our contractor to provide us advance notice
of the date of commencement for the work on the barn and to carefully
dismantle the barn and salvage the material to be used in its reconstruction.
We were both surprised and upset to learn that work began this morning on
the barn and that a good portion of the barn was taken down without the
anticipated safeguards. We have issued a voluntary stop work order to our
contractor and scheduled an on-site meeting to review the current conditions.
We have asked our contractor to salvage, catalogue and stockpile components
of the barn already down, as originally planned. We will not begin work again
on this structure until we have a clear plan to dismantle the remaining
structure for its re-use. We will present this plan, together with our plan for
the relocation of the house and silo, to the Town’s Staff so they are aware of
our means and methods.
Again we want to extend our apology for the events that took place today. We
will make every effort to correct the issue and to utilize the components of the
barn in its reconstruction, providing the town with the benefit it anticipated.
Roadside remains committed to delivering a quality project to its tenants and
this community.
Sincerely,
ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT, LLC
Richard S. Lake
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:49 PM by Bronx Betty:
It is called demolition by neglect, as the house on the property has had the
upstairs windows open all winter, and NO ONE at the Town said anything?
huh? the mayor is outraged? Bull! He could care less. And I am sure he will
be drooling all over the Crooked Run Orchard, as he has assisted Tim Brown in
getting the property to go to sale at auction. His revenge is best served cold, as
he said on election night last year. But, unfortunately, there are as bunch of
cowards in and around the town, and he knows it. Just a few people keep
barking and biting back. Time for some rioting at town hall!
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:40 PM by Denise:
<It’s a barn—surely, it can be rebuilt in an exact replica! How hard can it be?
>
With that sentiment,lets tear down the [insert name of any historic building];
preservation be darned-replicas for all of them; not hard at all and we will
have lower maintenance expense. Silly.
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:39 PM by Heather Elias:
Photos of the barn here: http://ow.ly/4o7LK
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:25 PM by Kent:
You GO Mr. Lazaro! I applaud your reaction here and efforts to hold the
builder to their plans. I drive this site each time and just become ill - but
think, “no, it’s going to be beautiful with charm.” Money talks - and let’s face it
it’d be much easier to demolish all of this and build ticky-tacky, cookie-cutter.
That’s not what we voted for nor what you approved.
Mon, Mar 28 at 04:09 PM by AFF:
The mayor is surprised?
Developers in LoCo have been making empty promises and bulldozing historic
trees and structures in the middle of the night for years. The development
across from Purcellville Vets was supposed to incorporate a historic barn into
their finished plan but when the time came ... “so sorry, we ran out of money”
If you’re surprised by this occurrence you haven’t been paying attention
Mon, Mar 28 at 03:59 PM by Tom:
I live across the street in Main Street Village. When the builder of our
development received permission from the town council, it was agreed than an
old barn on that property be restored, too (but for a community center). A year
after I moved into my new house, the barn was torn down. When will we ever
learn?
It’s a barn—surely, it can be rebuilt in an exact replica! How hard can it be?
Mon, Mar 28 at 02:56 PM by Tim F:
Three supermakets within 1/2 mile of each, one right across the street. What
kind of planning is that!! We need a couple pawn shops and check cashing
stores at the Purcellville Gateway.
Mon, Mar 28 at 02:56 PM by randy:
You can “significantly Destroy” a barn by backing into it with a backhoe? Must
have been one hell of a backhoe!
Mon, Mar 28 at 02:33 PM by Dave Levinson:
While the whole 287/Main St. building process has shocked the community, in
terms of rapid changes, it has been on the books for several years. As someone
who takes pride in our historic community, I’m also realistic and acknowledge
the need for SMART progress. I’ve also captured this entire build out for future
reference and appreciation.
Mon, Mar 28 at 02:24 PM by grouch:
its a shame that all this bull sh*t building is going on and the dang building
had to be moved anyway…
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UPDATE: Workers fired over construction damage at Cole Farm in Purcellville | LoudounTimes.

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2010 2010 Taste Coming

Wed, Mar 30 at 02:53 PM by Eric the 1/2 troll:

As to Clarke County. It is SURELY not because of the Blue Ridge anymore

Wed, Mar 30 at 02:34 PM by McIntosh:

If it were not for the development in Loudoun County, that 10 or so acres of

Clarke, because of the mountain, will never really be a bedroom community to

Wed, Mar 30 at 01:21 PM by Eric the 1/2 troll:

“Not through lack of development—for that try some backwater county in

Wed, Mar 30 at 01:15 PM by RP McMurphy:

As a conservative, I hope you know how dependent our current development

defaults, you’d better believe we’re going to be screwed if we don’t do

Wed, Mar 30 at 01:09 PM by KS:

Wed, Mar 30 at 12:51 PM by McIntosh:

RPMcMurphy, a park is a park and Franklin Park is pretty darn close to

Wed, Mar 30 at 11:44 AM by HH:

Wed, Mar 30 at 11:04 AM by Pvillian:

This is an excerpt from Roadside Development’s website in their Marketing

I hope they stay true to their description

Wed, Mar 30 at 10:36 AM by Anthony:

Wed, Mar 30 at 10:27 AM by RP McMurphy:

Question my conclusions all you want, but my family’s been in western

Wed, Mar 30 at 10:01 AM by Loudoun Insider:

I hope someone got photos/video, Concerned. This needs to be investigated by

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:51 AM by RP McMurphy:

First of all, Franklin Park is a county-owned park. It’s also hardly in

Second of all, as others have mentioned, this is a case of demolition by neglect

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:32 AM by MCXL:

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:26 AM by ShortHillNative:

A merchant setting himself on fire in Tunisia sparked revolutions across the

It doesn’t get more visible than 287 and Main St.

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:18 AM by CONCERNED:

Perhaps someone should check further into these circumstances. A backhoe

When is enough enough?

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:18 AM by McIntosh:

Loudounres, well said!

Wed, Mar 30 at 09:03 AM by loudounres:

As a seventh generation Western Loudoun resident, I feel I need to weigh-in.

Many old Loudoun families see development as progress. When my parents

Wed, Mar 30 at 08:11 AM by escortbrisbane:

Wed, Mar 30 at 07:57 AM by Hate Sprawl:

Harris Teeter is the new Wal Mart…. destroying communities (literally)

Wed, Mar 30 at 06:00 AM by McIntosh:

Wed, Mar 30 at 05:54 AM by McIntosh:

land/house/business and be able to leave something to your heirs?

Wed, Mar 30 at 05:51 AM by Pville Native:

Tue, Mar 29 at 11:45 PM by Loudoun Insider:

Tue, Mar 29 at 10:01 PM by RP McMurphy:

Tue, Mar 29 at 09:12 PM by iluvpville:

Come to Heritage Day in the Park at Fireman’s Field in Purcellville on May

Tue, Mar 29 at 09:08 PM by Shawn:

McIntosh, I enjoyed reading your posts.

I grew up in Front Royal—much of the same debates here as in Purcellville.

Tue, Mar 29 at 08:47 PM by concerned:

1. I don’t believe it was an “accidental”

Tue, Mar 29 at 08:02 PM by McIntosh:

To those of you (particularly those on farms) who are so against the