[Preservation] FW: Carter's Grove For sale

[Garland Pollard]

This was just forwarded to me.

Garland 




John Garland Pollard IV
Editor
Virginia Living Magazine
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To: GPollard at capefear.com (Garland Pollard)
Subject: Carter's Grove



I want to share with you important news of the Foundation's decision
regarding Carter's Grove Plantation.  Colonial Williamsburg's Board of
Trustees has approved my recommendation to assure the preservation of the
site by offering it for sale on a fully-protected basis.  This
fully-protected sale involves the implementation of restrictions to protect
the James River viewshed, wetlands and forest, exterior and interior
architecture, and archaeological sites on the property, as well as
prohibiting residential and commercial development.  The Foundation also
anticipates retaining rights to use pastureland in support of our rare
breeds program.  As you know, the future of Carter's Grove has been an
enormously challenging issue, and we have reached this decision following
extensive study and consideration of a range of options.
     Carter's Grove was acquired by Colonial Williamsburg in 1969.  It is an
extraordinary and complex property, with several rich resources that merit
preservation.  In the years since acquiring the property, Colonial
Williamsburg has made improvements to the mansion and grounds, conducted
extensive archaeological investigations, and constructed slave quarters, an
archaeological museum, a reception center, and other support buildings.  For
many years Carter's Grove was open to visitors purchasing a Colonial
Williamsburg admission ticket, and interpretive programming spanned four
centuries of history on the site.  In 2003 the property was closed so that
the Foundation could conduct a comprehensive assessment of facilities,
grounds, and programs.
     The decision to close Carter's Grove and today's announcement of the
intention to sell the property with protections are grounded in the
Foundation's mission and strategy.  The mission focuses on telling the story
of 18 th-century Williamsburg in the Historic Area, and the strategy
involves a heightened focus on doing our core programs and activities very
well and concentrating available resources.  The connection of Carter's
Grove to the mission and the Historic Area is difficult to depict and
interpret.  The cost of operating and maintaining the site, while a factor,
was not determinative in the decision.
     Along the way to reaching this decision, we consulted with preservation
and historical organizations, and engaged advisors experienced in
public/private partnerships and committed to conservation and preservation.
We will work with local and state government, land trusts and national
organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation to follow
best current practices, and we will develop standards for preservation that
can serve as a model for others around the country.  A potential buyer of
the property will demonstrate an interest in colonial history, a commitment
to preservation, and the capacity to care for the property.
     In a separate transaction, ownership of a portion of the Country Road
is transferring from Colonial Williamsburg to Busch Properties, Inc.  This
transfer is pursuant to long-standing legal agreements between the
Foundation and Anheuser-Busch, and reflects a diminished need on the part of
the Foundation for access to Carter's Grove via the Country Road.  The
Foundation is retaining ownership of the road from South England Point to
Mounts Bay Road, and Busch Properties has taken ownership from Mounts Bay
Road to Grove Creek.
     Colonial Williamsburg's board and senior management are well aware of
the intense local and national interest in the future of the Carter's Grove
property.  We have approached this issue with care and sensitivity, always
with the Foundation's stewardship responsibilities in the forefront.  Thank
you.  
--Colin Campbell
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