The American Horticultural Society announced on Monday that it had declined an offer made by NOVA Parks and the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust to purchase the historic River Farm property, according to a news release.
The 27-acre property has served as the headquarters for AHS since the 1970s when philanthropist and AHS member Enid Haupt donated $1 million to help AHS purchase the property and keep it open the public. AHS put the property on the open real estate market in November, citing the financial strain of maintaining the property as the reason for the sale.
Regional parks organization NOVA Parks and NVCT, a local nonprofit, put forward an offer to purchase the property and keep it open to the public in January. The offer proposed paying a “fair market value” for the property over the course of a few years.
“We deliberated carefully over the proposal and its terms and concluded that their offer as currently written simply does not meet AHS’s needs. So, with thanks to them for their interest, the board declined the offer,” AHS Board Chair Terry Hayes said in the release.
An AHS representative declined to provide information on how many offers the organization has received on the property. AHS’ decision dealt a blow to NOVA Parks and NVCT’s campaign to “save River Farm,” Paul Gilbert, executive director of NOVA Parks, said. The campaign has gained support from community members as well as federal, state and local officials. The Virginia General Assembly allocated $2 million for the preservation of River Farm in its budget in February.
Although AHS declined the offer, Gilbert said the campaign is not over.
“We have a lot of momentum behind us with the community, with state and grant funding, and we’re going to continue to talk to AHS and see where we can find common ground,” Gilbert said.
However, Gilbert and NVCT Executive Director Alan Rowsome questioned whether AHS has realistic expectations for the value of the property. AHS listed River Farm for $32.9 million, while the tax assessed value of the property and NOVA Parks’ original offer were closer to $17 million, according to Gilbert.
“I think, unfortunately, they’re seeing that money as more of a priority than the future of the property,” Rowsome said.
For Gilbert and Rowsome, AHS’ decision is just a bump in the road and the first step in the negotiation process.
“There still really remains only one path forward here that’s going to ensure the future of River Farm,” Rowsome said. “This beginning salvo in a continued negotiation doesn’t change that. … I think this was probably just the beginning.”
-cmelloklein@alextimes.com
