The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation currently has nine properties either within the Williamsburg city limits or adjacent to it for sale at prices totaling $2,874,000.
Seven of the properties within the Williamsburg city limits are zoned residential, while two properties along Pocahontas Trail (York Street) are located in James City County and zoned commercial.
A check with local MLS (multiple listing service) of real estate properties showed the properties are being offered through Berkshire Hathaway HomeService Towne Realty. The listing agent is Steve Dreybus, who has been working in the local real estate development industry since 1998.
Several Williamsburg Realtors, including Mish Vaiden-Clay at Liz Moore and Associates and Bobby Hornsby of Hornsby Real Estate, said it was “very unusual” for Colonial Williamsburg to put this many parcels on the market at once.
“Colonial Williamsburg does not comment on pending or possible future real estate transactions,” explained Joseph Straw, the foundation’s senior public relations manager.
“From time to time and in accordance with the long-term planning, the foundation may market for sale property that is not considered necessary to support our core educational mission. Like the foundation’s other commercial operations, revenue generated by real estate holdings supports core educational programs and preservation initiatives,” Straw added.
In the past, Colonial Williamsburg has purchased property in Williamsburg and James City and York County when and where they determined the property would have a significant impact on the city’s Historic Area. Property at major intersections along Bypass Road (U.S. Route 60) and at various other entryways into the city were protected.
During the administration of previous Colonial Williamsburg president Mitchell Reiss the foundation began to sell property rather than buy. The current president, Cliff Fleet, has continued that approach.
In late February it was announced that Harrison and Lear Inc., a Hampton-based developer, had purchased 306 acres, part of the Carr’s Hill Tract, from Colonial Williamsburg. The Hampton-based developer said it will build 326-single-family homes on the property. The sale price was $7.5 million, according to York County court records.
Harrison and Lear told York officials that about 179 acres of the site will be developed with about 127 acres untouched.
Regarding the current foundation offerings, the largest parcel, 1.24 acres, is located at 300 Capitol Landing Road at the entrance to the Colonial Williamsburg Bruton Heights Education Center and John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library. The asking price is $699,000. Previously, it has been the site of the annual Colonial Williamsburg employees’ yard sale.
Two other lots are adjacent and could be combined to form a larger parcel. Land at 7093 and 7097 Pocahontas Trail are 0.41 and 0.45 acres respectively and valued at $400,000 each. Together the lots would approximate 1 acre of commercial land and cost $800,000.
Two residential lots at 201 Powhatan St. and 202 Pocahontas St. back up to each other and if combined would create, again, about a 1-acre parcel. Each lot is priced at $150,000 each.
The four remaining properties are: .17 acres at 301 Pocahontas St. for $150,000; .14 acres at 360 N. Henry St., $250,000; .2 acres at 401 Scotland St., $350,000; and .45 acres at 400 Tyler St., $325,000.
