![]() Gate No. 3 remains chained Wednesday on the Long Mill property in Danville. Richard T. Davis (Register & Bee) |
The city manager says it’s time for Long Mill developers to “fish or cut bait.”
Danville City Manager Jerry Gwaltney said Wednesday that he’s had two meetings with the developers over the past year to discuss options for the property.
The Long Mill Group, a conglomerate of six area businessmen, has to either install an adequate fire suppression system so the complex meets the city’s fire code or tear the buildings down.
“We continue to go through the dilemma of dealing with the fact the Long Mill property has to be demolished or protected with a fire system,” Long Mill Group partner Ben Davenport said Wednesday. “The city’s fire code is what it is and we have been looking at all of our options.”
Davenport and Long Mill Group partners Rick Barker, Richard Carlton, Ben Davenport, Hal Craddock, Doug Dalton and Charles Mantooth had planned to renovate the former Dan River Inc. property into condominiums, restaurants and museum space.
Davenport said the Long Mill Group must decide whether to spend “north of $1 million” to install the fire suppression system that would bring it up to code or it could tear down all 13 of the buildings on the 28-acre property it spent $578,500 to buy in February 2002.
‘MINIMAL STEPS’
Danville Fire Chief David Eagle said he knew the cost of installing a fire suppression system could be prohibitive, especially because the buildings were gutted and any new renovations would likely require the group to install a new system.
Eagle said he tried to work out a deal with the developers in June 2006.
“They had several issues we brought to their attention and the ownership took minimal steps to address them,” Eagle said.
Davenport then met with Gwaltney to discuss the Long Mill Group’s plans to list the property on Sotheby’s International Realty for a period of nine months.
The Long Mill Group agreed to install a new fence and seal off any access points to the complex’s buildings to prevent people from entering the property. The group also agreed to build an access road and install two fire hydrants.
Eagle said the work met the intent of the fire code, which is to protect the city’s residents and the city’s buildings from a fire. The work, however, did not comply with the fire code itself, he said.
“They’re meeting what we spelled out were the minimum requirements for them,” Eagle said, adding the agreement also came with a timeline.
Under the agreement, if the Long Mill Group was unable to find someone to purchase the property by Nov. 30, 2006, it would start accepting bids to demolish the complex no later than March 15 of this year.
“There was a time limit on that letter,” Eagle said. “When that time ran out, we went to (the Long Mill Group) and asked what was up.”
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Gwaltney said he received a call from the Long Mill Group and a demolition consultant once the March deadline passed. He then gathered together a group of architects and city employees for an informal planning meeting on the Long Mill property on April 26.
“We met in my conference room and answered any questions (the developers) had,” Gwaltney said. “Anything they wanted to know.”
Carlton and a representative from Vintage B.P., the demolition firm hired by the Long Mill Group, were at the meeting, according to a copy of the minutes.
Gwaltney said the meeting focused on what type of permits Vintage would need to acquire for the job. The meeting also focused on identifying where the complex’s utility lines were so they would not be damaged by the project.
The city agreed to mark the complex’s utility lines and is working with Dewberry architects to draft an erosion and sediment control plan needed for the property, Gwaltney said.
Though no demolition permits have been issued for the property, the complex’s fate still remains uncertain.
“At some point they’ve either got to fish or cut bait,” Gwaltney said. “It is for them to determine what to do with the property and not me. They can do whatever they want so long as it complies with the city code.”

