Legacy Ventures misses demolition deadline; Land Bank could consider another extension
Legacy Ventures has run out of time to begin the Bailey Street Project according to the Waycross-Ware County Land Bank Authority, which held its monthly meeting Wednesday, August 28.
Land Bank Authority member and Ware County Commissioner Timmy Lucas said, “I believe we’re on a downhill slope with Legacy. If he doesn’t get it done (demolition) by the end of August, he’s going to be in violation of his contract.”
Executive Director Marc Hawkins confirmed Lucas’ statement.
“We’re on Wednesday (August 28) and that building is supposed to be gone Friday. It would be up to us if we wanted to extend it,” said Lucas.
The Land Bank could decide whether or not to extend the contract at its September 25 meeting.
The demolition was originally slated for July. Legacy Ventures was given an extension to the end of August due to the timeline for the grant award announcements.
Legacy Ventures has been awarded a $500,000 State Economic and Infrastructure Development grant on July 17. Horace Taylor, general contractor for the project, indicated in a phone call earlier this month he had the demolition team lined up, but chose not to share the name of the company.
As of Wednesday’s (August 28) Land Bank meeting, Legacy Ventures had not applied for demolition permits, according to Hawkins.
Legacy Ventures Chief Executive Officer and Board Chairman Lenwood Coleman was not at Wednesday’s meeting in City Hall.
Land Bank member and District 3 City Commissioner Katrena Felder said, “I recall the attorney stated if Mr. Coleman had not followed through with his contract starting the demolition of the Bailey Street property, then we, as a Land Bank, could terminate his contract and move forward with other potential developers.”
The arduous year-long negotiations with Legacy Ventures has prompted the Land Bank to review its pre-application process.
Felder met with the Director of the Land Bank Authority of Savannah in Chatham County to evaluate the preapplication process of a larger city.
“Their application process is the same that’s used for any developer interested in coming to the city,” Felder explained. “They complete the application in its entirety, and then the individual comes before the Land Bank and that’s when you ask the hard, factual questions.
“Everything has to be in place, including money, so once we agree to move forward there’s not all of this back and forth like we’ve experienced most recently.”
Lucas replied, “I’m in total agreement.”
Member Harriett Bowman asked, “When someone makes this pre-application, do we do a background check?”
“We don’t do that,” Hawkins responded. “I don’t think our other application allowed for that.”
The new pre-application allows for the opportunity for a background check.
“To me, that would be a very relevant idea,” agreed Lucas.
Felder added, “Another part of their (Chatham County) vetting process is going to sites where the developer has done previous projects and has a record of success.”
The new pre-application program was adopted unanimously and will soon be available on the Land Bank website. Present at the meeting were Felder, Lucas, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Chairman Larry Rood, Harriett Bowman, Eunice Dixon, Debra Giddens and Marc Hawkins.
The next Land Bank meeting will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, September 25. The group will nominate a chairman and vice chairman at the public meeting.
