View Full Version : Rockfish Gap land to be condemned?
Lemni Skate
03-02-2012, 17:48
A report on the local news here in Charlottesville, Va said that some Nelson County officials were looking into using eminent domain to take the property just south of SNP. Locals call this Afton Mountain, hikers call it Rockfish Gap. It's where most people catch rides into Waynesboro. The are used to have a lot of nice little businesses and has gotten to the point that it is an eyesore. I've always wondered why this location (gateway to Blue Ridge Parkway and SNP's Skyline drive - AT passes right through here) was more developed and successful. The county (or at least a supervisor or two) apparently wants to develop the area with businesses.
Lemni Skate
03-06-2012, 22:41
I'm actually surprised no one commented on this. I have always thought that it was such a shame what became of Rockfish Gap.
Tony Lagana
03-06-2012, 23:02
I to have felt this way , I remember years go when I thru-hiked in 92 there was at least some commerce going back then . I have often thought it would be a good place for one of these local beer makers to open a pub and a hiker hostel . It certainly seems like it could work but also be some what seasonal with traffic loads and from weekend drivers looking at leaves and summer campers in SNP . Curious to see what happens with it !!!
Deer Hunter
03-07-2012, 00:12
What reason was given for taking the land?
Lemni Skate
03-08-2012, 19:28
I don't know all the details, but I think mainly not complying with a county ordinace about upkeep of property. I understand that since the threat of this action the land owner has started demolishing buildings.
It's certainly about tax revenue stream. The county, like every county and city, is looking for tax income.
turtle fast
03-08-2012, 19:55
The place looks like it was in a war with windows doors missing and i am sure the current land owner does not have the cash to improve the property. Likely that the land owner wants out and get something for it because the buildings are not worth renovating as they are too far gone and I could not imagine the liability to them if someone got hurt. It would be a boon the area...especially for hikers as the service would be right there and not in town.
Deer Hunter
03-08-2012, 20:02
I remember riding by there when I was younger. I believe the hotel used to be Howard Johnsons. Kinda sad to see how it has gone downhill.
earlyriser26
02-24-2014, 14:54
I went by "The inn at Afton" today. Stayed there 18 years ago and it was the best hotel on the AT. Bar, Rest., even entertainment. Today it is beyond scary. Still open with broken windows, trash, mice, etc. Why the health dept. does not shut the place down is anyone's guess.
earlyriser26
02-24-2014, 14:55
Does anyone know what the current status of this place is?
Odd Man Out
02-24-2014, 15:34
Not been there, but reading the reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp are entertaining. So is their web page
www.theinnatafton.com
FarmerChef
02-24-2014, 15:36
Not been there, but reading the reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp are entertaining. So is their web page
www.theinnatafton.com (http://www.theinnatafton.com)
I don't even know what alphabet that was...
peakbagger
02-24-2014, 17:51
Sometimes, the ownership of a business gets so convoluted that it cant be bought or sold and the only real solution is to let the government seize it and resell it. Another reason sometimes is that there could have been some sort of environmental contamination that no one wants title. Old dry cleaners and gas stations can sit for years if they have had leaks and properties with PCB also tend to be left alone. Occasionally a town can get EPA brownfield money to clean up the worst of it and allow it to be reused with restrictions on the title.
Damn Yankee
02-24-2014, 18:06
The hotel and gas station is in such disrepair and they have had a number of fires there. On an up side. The old Crozet tunnel will be made into a public walking path. I'm not sure when this will happen though. If you have never been there, check it out. It's pretty awesome but, if you plan on going all the way through, plan on getting wet and crawling through a couple 16"x30' pipes. Oh and make sure you have good light, it is really dark in there.
Kerosene
02-24-2014, 18:35
The hotel and gas station is in such disrepair and they have had a number of fires there.I was staying overnight in October 2002 and there was a electrical fire in one of the utility rooms. Thirteen fire trucks responded to the alarm!
That would be a great place for something comparable to the Long Trail Inn.
Damn Yankee
02-24-2014, 18:49
It would have been a great place for a hostel or hiker hotel. I don't know why nobody has ever done it.
I have stayed in some god awful places in my life, especially when I was drinking, but the Afton Inn is the biggest dump of them all.
It's a slumtel.
Rocket Jones
02-24-2014, 19:04
I don't even know what alphabet that was...
Looks like Thai to me.
Well, I'm glad to read the comments on the Afton Inn. I happened to find it when looking for places where I might start or end my hike to or from Harpers Ferry. I think that I'll opt to go into Waynesboro instead...
Rick Hancock
02-24-2014, 19:24
Use to stop in for Ice Cream after a hike at the Howard Johnson's. I can remember 8-10 of us shivering in low 30's and shoving Ice Cream down our throats! A couple of years ago 2-3 I seem to recall an article in the paper about the water supply being contaminated? They had closed the small AT welcome center at the top of the hill and were running new lines. I also remember the Welcome Center that was just off the trail and attached to the run down motel rooms which are still standing (barely.) They had a life sized statue of General Robert E. Lee. My daughter and I would get our picture taken with the "General" after every hike.
It would be great if they could do something nice there and it seems that people would stop as it's the gateway to SNP and the Blue Ridge Pkwy. Plus just off I64. There is a fellow who sells fresh pigskins and popcorn. He does a pretty good business in the fall.
bamboo bob
02-24-2014, 19:34
In 2012 I was told by a local Inn owner that the property at Rockfish Gap was tied up in a confusing estate with many heirs spread out all over the country who were not cooperating with each other to settle the estate. He hoped the State would somehow take it and at least clean it up.
Previously there has been an office for the local Trail Angel group and they would arrange rides etc. They still do that by phone, I think there was a list of numbers posted on the bridge but the office looked like it had been bombed and looted.
There was a Food Truck though with soda's and popcorn !
Odd Man Out
02-24-2014, 21:21
I don't even know what alphabet that was...
On Google Translate it comes up as Thai.
Odd Man Out
02-24-2014, 21:21
Here's a person with an interest in the history of the area.
http://www.schuminweb.com/photography/photo-2003/afton-mountain-victim-of-progress-part-1/
Mr. Bumpy
02-24-2014, 22:01
That Howard Johnson's was burned into my mind from family road trips in the early 70's. I think we used to sing the meatball song and I loved that place, or the memory of it. In the mid-90's I recall from bicycle or motorcycle tours that the place was a dump. I'm glad I have the memories.
Read some of the reviews on Tripadvisor about the Afton Inn.. Some of them are hilarious...
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g58295-d252505-Reviews-The_Inn_at_Afton-Waynesboro_Virginia.html#REVIEWS
Almost There
02-24-2014, 22:48
Wow, last time I stayed at the Afton Inn was after my 2006 section hike, restaurant was still open, and ok...at the time it still wasn't the worst hotel I had stayed at on the trail. Left my car there again in 2009, and could tell it was going down hill fast, restaurant was closed by then, and staff was not of the same caliber. It's a shame, as I agree with most that I would think something good could be done with the property. The location is perfect for tourists.
I stayed there twice. The first time was in 1972. It was one of the highlights of my hike. Stayed at Howard Johnsons. I remember soaking in a nice hot bathtub and eating a pint of butter pecan ice cream. Stayed at the Afton Inn about 2010. It as better than sleeping in the rain & mud but not much better. A pizza place in Waynesboro delivered. There was one car in the parking lot. No restaurant. No place to resupply in walking distance not even a gas station. The old Howard Johnson rooms were in bad shape. Some rooms were caved in. Some of the roofs were burnt out. It was a ghost town.
Hikerhead
02-25-2014, 00:19
I don't think the owner is hurting for money. I've been told he owns the golf course http://www.swannanoa.com/ and the granite mansion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swannanoa_(mansion). I always thought he just waiting on a major motel to offer him a few millions for his land, bulldoze the trash that's there now, and build a nice new hotel. A nice hotel on top of Afton Mtn would be a big money maker for someone.
ChinMusic
02-25-2014, 00:34
Not been there, but reading the reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp are entertaining. So is their web page
www.theinnatafton.com (http://www.theinnatafton.com)
My wife is Thai. I had her quickly scan that link. She say nothing related to the AT nor VA, but I didn't give her much time to go over it carefully. Weird hack?
Damn Yankee
02-25-2014, 09:57
I don't think the owner is hurting for money. I've been told he owns the golf course http://www.swannanoa.com/ and the granite mansion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swannanoa_(mansion). I always thought he just waiting on a major motel to offer him a few millions for his land, bulldoze the trash that's there now, and build a nice new hotel. A nice hotel on top of Afton Mtn would be a big money maker for someone.
I was just up at the mansion which is actually marble and not granite. The poor place is just falling apart. What a shame, it is such a beautiful place with great gardens. There is a groundsman that lives there and I know they still hold functions there and tours to try and raise funds for the upkeep but, obviously not doing well.
earlyriser26
02-25-2014, 11:29
This would be a great location for a first rate hotel. I still can't believe that the county or state can't force this "hotel" or old HoJo to be closed / bulldozed. There are a million violations. I have stayed in some dumpy places along the trail, but this looks the worst. I can't believe the various guidebooks even list it. Anyone stay there this year?
full conditions
02-25-2014, 12:42
Read some of the reviews on Tripadvisor about the Afton Inn.. Some of them are hilarious...
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g58295-d252505-Reviews-The_Inn_at_Afton-Waynesboro_Virginia.html#REVIEWS
Thanks. Those were awesome! I especially enjoyed the "reminded me of the documentary "Life After People" and "a shirtless drunk came out of his room to help me with my bags".
So, I stayed there with a girlfriend in 1974 during a summer break in high school. We hiked the AT from the James River to Rockfish Gap and decided to stay at HoJo's. I talked Cassie into registering by herself for a single room (partly because we were broke and partly because I was pretty sure the manager wouldnt allow a couple of unmarried high school kids to share a room). I waited out by the road for a couple of hours and finally Cassie came out and she sneaked me in the room. Moments later we received a call from the front desk. It was the manager - "I know what you two are doing up there...and I want you to know...its OK with me"...click. That was it. We stayed pretty freaked out for a while but eventually we came down to the restaurant and had the HoJo clam rolls with ice tea and went up to the parkway to watch the sun set. Next day Cassie's mom picked us up and that was it - but I've always carried just the best memories of that place with me. Just a shame what's happed to it.
I stayed there twice. The first time was in 1972. It was one of the highlights of my hike. Stayed at Howard Johnsons. I remember soaking in a nice hot bathtub and eating a pint of butter pecan ice cream. Stayed at the Afton Inn about 2010. It as better than sleeping in the rain & mud but not much better. A pizza place in Waynesboro delivered. There was one car in the parking lot. No restaurant. No place to resupply in walking distance not even a gas station. The old Howard Johnson rooms were in bad shape. Some rooms were caved in. Some of the roofs were burnt out. It was a ghost town.
As a quick note - from that link above (shuminweb) the hotel itself was never a Howard Johnson's, just the restaurant. Actually I saw photos on one of several HoJo sites that show the restaurant first, then the cabins, then the actual "hotel" part, all of that before the Inn (up top) was built.
This would be a great location for a first rate hotel. I still can't believe that the county or state can't force this "hotel" or old HoJo to be closed / bulldozed. There are a million violations. I have stayed in some dumpy places along the trail, but this looks the worst. I can't believe the various guidebooks even list it. Anyone stay there this year?
Maybe they need some Albany (NY) County folks to go down and inspect it :) OK - local joke, but they've just closed a couple hotels up there for a variety of violations, which sound similar to some of those TripAdvisor postings. Apparently the Inn has never collected public monies to house otherwise homeless folks (which the places here did) and thus doesn't draw the same attention?
Read some of the reviews on Tripadvisor about the Afton Inn.. Some of them are hilarious...
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g58295-d252505-Reviews-The_Inn_at_Afton-Waynesboro_Virginia.html#REVIEWS
I would have never guessed that place was open and in business as late as 2013. I stayed there with a large group of trail runners for the 2004 Great Eastern Endurance Run (GEER - organized by a group out of Charlottsville). It was the host hotel and I'd have to say it was very run down, even back then. Most of the endurance trail runners really didn't care since they have similar expectations as backpackers (i.e. just a place to shower and crash). The place should really be plowed down and re-built.
The GEER organizers discontinued using the Afton Inn beginning (I believe in 2005). I think it was distracting from the race experience (which is awesome).... and probably too expensive for what you got.
I enjoyed reading the history from the link from the other post.
mad4scrapping
06-19-2014, 17:39
The scuttlebutt I've heard is that the man who owns the property won't sell, or wants an astronomical amount. It's too bad. We went to the visitor's center two weekends ago and the visitor center had no water. So we went to the Blue Ridge Brewery instead.
I don't even know what alphabet that was...
LOLOL It's the Thai language. It looks as if the link was hijacked or something. It's certainly not about the Afton Inn.
johnnybgood
07-27-2014, 18:41
The scuttlebutt I've heard is that the man who owns the property won't sell, or wants an astronomical amount. It's too bad. We went to the visitor's center two weekends ago and the visitor center had no water. So we went to the Blue Ridge Brewery instead.
The latest scuttlebutt mentioned above is true except that what I heard my a reputable source is that the owner won't sell the property for no amount of money. The son ( heir) was instructed by his dad to not sell the property for reasons that a previous land sell went bad ( buyers name not disclos
The current owner also owns 600 acres of the surrounding land including the Italian style renaissance mansion ; Swannonoa , which he charges $4 a head to go see during summer weekends.
The guy sounds like he doesn't want to spend the money to completely overhaul the Inn at Afton which could use a good quarter million dollars in repairs. He simply doesn't want to spend large sums of money on property that gives so little profitabity in return.
Virginia is a strong property rights owner state so nothing will likely happen in the near future regarding the deteriorating buildings on his property as matters of countless violations will encounter years of court room dichotomy.
12TH Man
07-27-2014, 19:17
Having grown up in the area; I find the current condition to be an embarrassment to any Virginian. I am not a fan of eminent domain, but in this case----go for it.
12TH Man
07-27-2014, 20:09
AND having said that. How about the embarrassment we should all feel about conditions of infrastructure in Shenandoah National Park.
Stone walls along the Drive not sealed to prevent freeze thaw issues, Gutters leaking, broken walls and doors that haven't been fixed
for years. Everything looks shabby except the view.
handlebar
07-27-2014, 23:00
AND having said that. How about the embarrassment we should all feel about conditions of infrastructure in Shenandoah National Park.
Stone walls along the Drive not sealed to prevent freeze thaw issues, Gutters leaking, broken walls and doors that haven't been fixed
for years. Everything looks shabby except the view.
You get what you pay for.
Damn Yankee
07-28-2014, 06:47
The current owner also owns 600 acres of the surrounding land including the Italian style renaissance mansion ; Swannonoa , which he charges $4 a head to go see during summer weekends.
I was just up at the mansion and the place is falling apart. The beautiful marble railings are falling from the porches and from what I understand, there is only a small amount of the mansion that is open for viewing because of the disrepair to the inside as well. What a shame, the place has such potential. As far as the motel goes, it needs to be knocked down, rebuild a new structure. He could make some good money with a restaurant there.
I always thought a Hostel would do great in that area, but yes Rockfish Gap is an Eye sore they need to tear all those old buildings down including the Slumtel, Hopefully they will build a small grocery of somekind so hikers don't have to go all the way into Waynesboro to get resupplied.
Odd Man Out
07-28-2014, 15:18
If he owns all that property, doesn't he have to pay property tax on it? If he isn't, then the gov't has some leverage. If he is paying taxes, he must have a $ supply from somewhere, since the property isn't generating income.
johnnybgood
07-28-2014, 19:28
If he owns all that property, doesn't he have to pay property tax on it? If he isn't, then the gov't has some leverage. If he is paying taxes, he must have a $ supply from somewhere, since the property isn't generating income.
He's owns an oil company in Charlottesville .
One by one, each of this man's businesses and other properties at Rockfish Gap fell into disrepair and crumbled or burned. He is the poster boy for slumlords.
The Inn at Afton was at one time a rather decent Holiday Inn. But they wouldn't put up with his nonsense and yanked the franchise.
To his credit, he (or more likely his staff) will allow hikers to park at the Inn at Afton's lot.
fullcount
04-13-2015, 00:18
I don't know if any one has mentioned it yet, but I heard the issue at Rockfish gap is water. The tank that supplies the area is private and in disrepair. The hotel could only supply so many rooms due to capacity issues. As a result, limited profitability in the gap. Until someone invests in some infrastructure, the potential in the area is limited.