For several years, the visions of a hotel in Purcellville’s downtown and accompanying boost to business opportunities have been touted by Purcellville elected and business leaders.
This month the Purcellville Town Council took a step toward that goal, holding a public hearing on a proposal to amend the town’s Zoning Ordinance to create a tourism zone in the C-4 district.
The project was first publicly broached by Mayor Bob Lazaro during his State of the Town address earlier this year, noting the state code allows the creation of such a district. A key focus of the zone would be to increase economic development opportunities by attracting investors in the hospitality industry, he said.
What the mayor has in mind specifically is the downtown, the “North 21st Street corridor,” he said recently, noting that is an under-utilized area. The town would identify properties within the C-4 zoning district that would be suitable for hotel use and could use financial incentives, such as tax breaks, to help attract investors.
“We want a hotel downtown,” Lazaro said. He noted that a conference center has already been suggested for the area near the Rt. 7 Bypass/Rt. 287 interchange. The town could support a downtown hotel, he maintained. Not only would it boost economic opportunities in the historic downtown core, but there also would be opportunities as Patrick Henry College expands. With its current 600-student enrollment, parents and visitors to college events have nowhere to stay in town and are forced to either travel to Leesburg or farther west toward Winchester, he said.
The rub is finding hotel operatives who feel the town can provide a customer base, particular during weekday nights. So far, builder John Chapman and attorney Mark Nelis, who plan a major revitalization of the downtown area, including a hotel, have not been able to satisfy hotel investors on that score.
“We’re not there yet, but what I hope is that through these incentives we can make it worth their while to get in and phase it as business builds. Maybe that could work,” the mayor said, noting there isn’t much more space available in the downtown, and the time to get in is now.
“We’ve got the college. We’ve got the industrial park. We’re the hub of western Loudoun [and] its farms and wineries. We’ve got more people coming here now,” Lazaro said.
Chapman said the move to create a tourism zone is a helpful first step. “These kinds of actions are needed to open up doors and attract investors. We applaud you,” he told the council during its March 13 public hearing.
Chapman noted that, with considerable redevelopment and new construction forging ahead in the eastern sector of town, the core downtown area faces stiff competition. Redevelopment in the downtown doesn’t have the advantage of taking an empty lot, cutting down the trees and putting up new buildings, which is the cheapest way to do it, Chapman said. “You can’t do that in an old town.”
Fortunately, he said, the town is working hard to help on downtown revitalization. “The new businesses on the street and surrounding area are doing well—really creating something—but we need a hotel to anchor it, to bring the weekend traveler from DC, Baltimore and go out and visit what’s available in Loudoun County. That’s key: we have to create the critical mass,” Chapman insisted.
He and Nelis envision a 20-30 room hotel at the corner of O and 21st streets. Parking would be at the back. On the lower level of the hotel, the partners plan a ballroom suitable for small receptions, parties and weddings. “We’d have eight to 10 wine showcases, and each winery could hold wine tastings.” Ultimately, if the town is able to acquire the necessary easements O Street, currently a deadend, could connect with Hatcher Avenue, which would ease traffic and provide another west-east link.
The town’s action will help the partners “see if we can make this thing work,” Chapman said, hoping the financial incentives would “ignite the fire and interest and maybe open a few doors.”
Town Community Development Director Patrick Sullivan is working on the details of the proposed district and how to establish the financial incentive framework as well as the amounts that could be offered.
“That’s the next step—to determine the amount of incentives, based on the amount of the capital investment and the number of jobs. That would be the basis for what we’d eventually decide, and do it over five or more years.”
Whatever structure the town comes up with has to be consistent and equitable, Sullivan said. “It has to be the same for everyone. Each business must have the same shot,” he said.
The proposal will next head to the April 2 meeting of the Town Council’s Ways and Means Committee.
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