Gloucester County is pursuing a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant to work on improving the courthouse annex to transition it into the new visitor’s center, improve handicapped accessibility to buildings in the court circle and possibly improve the Tucker Store property, which is adjacent to the court circle and is currently undeveloped.
Some members of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors expressed skepticism over the scope of the project when it was presented to them at the board’s Aug. 2 meeting.
The work in its entirety may cost up to $300,000, according to Carol Steele, director of Gloucester Parks, Recreation and Tourism. However, if the grant is awarded, it would provide 80 percent of that funding, or $240,000. The county would be required to come up with the remaining $60,000 for the improvements using lodging tax funds.
After about a two-hour-long discussion on the matter, the board gave it the green light, voting 6-1 to pursue the grant as long as it could provide more input on to the scope of the project along the way.
In order to apply for the grant, the county hired architectural firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin based in Williamsburg and has paid them approximately $29,000 so far to design the project. According to Steele, the more in-depth the design will provide better price estimates and a better grant application.
Though steps to the court circle were removed several years ago as part of a Main Street enhancement project, Steele said there is still very limited access to buildings inside the court circle. VHB was contracted to design an entrance for the new visitor’s center and to address other accessibility needs within the circle and at the Tucker Store site.
“(This grant) is an exceptional opportunity to be efficient and use existing funds to generate additional dollars,” Steele said.
Ware district supervisor Andy James and Petworth district supervisor Michael Winebarger reviewed the plans several weeks ago and requested they be brought before the entire board for its approval.
“I didn’t like it then and I don’t like it now,” James said. He said a portion of the plans for the new handicapped accessibility into the colonial courthouse doesn’t provide for a “straight shot” into the building, but instead has people coming in from the side. Being in a wheelchair himself, James said he thinks accessibility into the building is easier the way it is now than what is proposed.
York district supervisor Phillip Bazzani said he didn’t like how large the scope of the project was as proposed. “It’s like buying a pizza with 16 slices and saying to put all 16 slices in your mouth at once instead of one piece at a time,” Bazzani said.
“The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements are a need, but the rest is a want,” Bazzani added.
According to county administrator Brent Fedors, there is only one opportunity to apply for this 80/20 federal grant, so that is why the project was set up as it is. “If the funding is not available, there’s no need to pursue this scale of approach,” Fedors said.
He also said from an economic development perspective, Main Street and the historic court circle could quickly become a second focal point for tourists who visit the new national park at Werowocomoco in the future.
At-large supervisor Ashley Chriscoe was in favor of pursuing the grant. “(The plan) might be a little extreme for the Court House here, but this is what the money is set aside to do,” he said. “This is a way we can get a better bang out of our buck with this project.”
Gloucester Point district supervisor Chris Hutson agreed, saying, “The money is not coming from taxpayers unless they stay at hotels.” He said it will be cheaper go about the project at once instead of spending $75,000 in separate increments down the road.
At-large supervisor John Meyer Jr., the lone board member who voted against pursuing the grant, said, “We’re still paying 20 percent,” and added, “This project is not really vetted yet from my perspective.”
Steele said it is important to remember that if grants weren’t applied for and encouraged in the past, Gloucester wouldn’t have the Main Street that it has today. “It’s a risk,” Steele said, “but it’s necessary to move forward.”
“You’re telling me I’m getting a great deal,” Meyer said. “But I may be getting a great deal on something I’m not interested in getting.”
The TAP is a federal grant that is run through the states to fund programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including community improvement activities such as historic preservation and others.