In the weeks ahead, Loudoun County is expected to close on a prominent land deal estimated to bring millions in new revenue to the county.
A 75-acre parcel near the corner of Waxpool and Farmwell roads, often referred to as the “Saudi site,” will go to an undisclosed buyer who plans to develop a 750,000-square-foot data center in multiple phases, according to county supervisors.
The county originally purchased the parcel in 2004 as 100 acres for approximately $133,000 per acre with the intent of using it as a school site. The latest deal, announced during a Sept. 11 board public hearing, will feature the county selling just more than 75 acres for $265,000 per acre.
“So you can see the substantial increase in value,” Tom Flynn, director of the county’s economic development department, told supervisors.
The county is still finalizing the purchase and sale agreement, Flynn said.
In the 1990s, a Saudi academy in Fairfax County announced plans to relocate a school of theirs to the site, despite vocal opposition from some local residents. Those plans eventually died.
Since Loudoun County became the landowner, it has used approximately 25 acres of the original purpose for a new elementary school, which is slated to open next year.
Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) said the land is some of the most value in Loudoun County, considering it’s wired for data center use and in one of the employment corridors in the county.
“This not only puts land back on the tax rolls, but once fully developed, this land might easily contribute … up to $16 million in tax revenue for the county,” Williams said.
This property is conveniently located across the street from the “Purple Amoeba” tax district supposed to pay for Metro. Which makes it quite valuable, since the properties around it are in the Purple Penalty zone….
Anything to do with politics(local, state, feds).....IS wrong! Yeah, I see it too.
...so if it’s the most valuable commercial property in the County, we are we selling it for less than for half what Loudoun County paid for the HS-8 site at the NCC?
Does anyone else see anything wrong here?
Buona thinks this property is the most valuable commecial land in the County….
Putting a data center next to a school is foolhardy in the extreme. Data centers consume extraordinary amounts of electricity and are sensitive to even a momentary electric service interruption. It will have numerous massive backup diesel generators that will run for exercise and maintenance whether the power goes out or not. The air pollution will be substantial. Look up this link to recent articles in The New York Times on data centers located in a rural area of Washington State near a school. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/technology/data-centers-in-rural-washington-state-gobble-power.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
to the previous emailer, so the property sits idle for 8 years and you automatically assume that the land is more valuable or reading through the lines that the underlying specualtion due to “an unsolicited offer” is that there is wrong doing on behalf of the BOS. all will work out in the wash, but i would prefer to get the 800 pound gorilla off our back, put the money into the pot and get some productive tax revenue from the new owner. would you personally purchase a rental property and allow it to sit idle for 8 years and assume all the mortgage and tax burden?! it must hurt to have a democrat president with no economic common sense and a smart republican BOS, which will be indicative of the future of the us in november and our great county that i am proud to live in and support!
I would hope they’d a least consider any offer brought to them, as it IS a very valuable piece of property on which no taxes are currently generated, because under county ownership it is off the rolls.
It has been announced that it’s under consideration, so not only is it not secret, but does anything prevent any other entity from coming forward with a better offer to purchase, and then begin paying taxes on it?
What? No competitive bids? Who are they selling it to?
Yeah, I wonder what the land is really worth and how much more they could have received? I’m sure they’ve already spent the $16 million.
No, this is typical GOP board shenanigans. We have Delguadio on the ropes and the rest will be indicted before their terms end, I’ll wager.
They should be getting at least what they paid for the Lansdowne HS property.
This reeks of a back room deal and a handout to “friends” at the expense of the Loudoun tax payer.
Another move by the BoS that seems worthy of an investigation.
Ashburn is the Internet Mecca of the East Coast.
So the County accepts an unsolicited offer from an unnamed source for the most valuable piece of property in the County owns.
The BoS could have gotten millions of dollars more if the put it out to bid.
This is aggregious malfeasance.
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