The City of Williamsburg has agreed to sell the former Lord Paget Motel to a Sperryville-based business looking to open a second location of its microdistillery in the Historic Triangle.
Copper Fox Distillery bought the property at 901 Capitol Landing Road from the city for $600,000 — a purchase approved on a 4-0-1 vote Thursday at City Council’s meeting. Councilman Scott Foster abstained, citing distillery owner Rick Wasmund as a client of his future employer, the law firm Tarley Robinson.
The Williamsburg distillery — still unnamed — must now submit an application for a special use permit, an approval process estimated to take about 90 days. The sale is contingent on approval of the special use permit.
The city announced Copper Fox Distillery’s intention to buy the property in a press conference last week, with Economic Development Director Michele Mixner DeWitt and other city officials touting the potential for the distillery to help in the economic recovery of the Capitol Landing Road corridor.
That sentiment continued at Thursday’s meeting, as several council members and three public speakers lauded the sale as a win for the city, corridor and distillery.
“We were hoping we’d find [a business] that would add to the tax base, be complementary to our tourism economy, but at the same time diversify that economy and help revitalize the entire Capitol Landing Road Corridor,” Vice Mayor Paul Freiling said. “… I think we found the right purchaser who is not only going to do that but going to do more. They’re going to add to this community the quality of a proven business with a track record of success and an identifiable reputation for quality.”
The Northeast Triangle, which includes Capitol Landing Road, is named in the city’s official goals and economic development planned as an area that should be redeveloped and revitalized commercially to boost the city’s economy.
The city bought the motel in November 2011, paying $697,000 for the property that had been assessed at $2,753,400. The most recent assessment shows the property, on 3 acres of land, valued at $877,100.
The city predicts the distillery will generate about $216,000 in tax revenue in the first six years, then $86,000 annually in successive years.
Rick Wasmund, the owner of Copper Fox Distillery who plans to live with his family in the rear portion of the property zoned for residential use, said he hopes to be able to sell unaged products from the Williamsburg distillery next spring or summer. Aged products from that location would likely go on sale in 2016.
Wasmund said he envisions the Williamsburg distillery producing up to 80,000 cases per year, or nearly double the amount his Sperryville location would be able to handle. The Williamsburg location would also offer tours, tastings and a retail shop.
If the Williamsburg distillery reaches its potential, Wasmund said he would need at least 20 employees to run the operation.
No demolition is planned for the property, as Wasmund plans to renovate the existing buildings — a seven-building motor court — to suit his business.
“I consider it a real privilege to have the opportunity to come to Williamsburg … to try and make something I envision will be a jewel, a real special distillery where people can see what pride and passion bring to [the spirits] industry,” Wasmund said.
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