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Politics & Government

City Council Moves Forward in New City Hall, Golf Course Negotiations

City would swap its land for a renovated City Hall building or space in a brand-new building.

Manassas Park officials are negotiating a land-swap deal that could result in the city receiving a new City Hall and $4 million in cash in exchange for land the city owns behind the on Manassas Drive.

The negotiations, which could also eventually include acquisition of , were approved on Tuesday by Manassas Park City Council. The is authorized under the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA). City officials are to return to the governing body later this month with an interim agreement, which will lay out the common areas of negotiation. If the council approves that agreement, both sides can work on reaching a final accord. 

“What we have here now is a proposal to turn into negotiations,”  City Manager Jim Zumwalt said. “It’s a long list of proposals. Some of them may happen and some of them won’t.”

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In exchange for 40 acres of land behind City Center, EPI, along with its sister company EMSI Engineering, would convey to the city the RPC office building that it owns on Railroad Drive and Manassas Drive and the cash. The company would also renovate the two-story building, which now houses a series of professional offices, up to the standards needed for a city hall.

The agreement also allows for the possibility of a new city hall inside a new 20,000 square foot building that would be built by the companies on the 40 acres of land.

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In a separate deal also approved on Tuesday, the council will allow the companies to buy eight acres of city-owned property across from City Hall for $354,283 to construct the office building and parking lot, which will be the companies’ new headquarters.

Only member of council voted against the deal.  Councilman Suhas Naddoni is against the sale of the property, mainly because of the low price.

The new building could also house other tenants, including those who are currently in the RPC building.

If the larger land-swap goes through, EPI would like to eventually acquire the  city's entire downtown area, turning it into an upscale office park. EPI would also like to have the option of operating the General’s Ridge Golf Course, if the city is able to reincorporate it back into the city limits. EPI would consider funding part of the effort in exchange for favorable lease/operating terms, according to the company proposal.

EPI wants to begin building the new structure immediately. The city did receive a solicited proposal from a second company, Castle Rock, for the

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