GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

[Mark B]

All,

This was on the Herald internet site this morning.

Mark Bridges


Columbia, Tennessee Daily Herald

BREAKING NEWS: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

By Staff Reports


General Motors Corp. has entered into a contract to sell more than 500 acres near the historic Rippavilla home for development, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday.

GM reached the agreement with SLF Acquisitions LLC Friday, said Kate Neary, a spokeswoman for the Spring Hill assembly plant.

“They have passed all elements of review with General Motors,” she said.

Neary said she could not disclose the price or how the land would be developed. She said the land would be used for residential and commercial properties similar to existing developments along U.S. Highway 31.

Neary said she expects GM will close on the sale by the end of the year.


Some historical preservation groups have been critical of GM’s decision to sell the Rippavilla property for development. A Civil War skirmish was fought on the land, and the Tennessee Preservation Trust named it one of the state’s most endangered historic properties.

Neary said GM is working to donate 100 acres near the mansion to Rippavilla Inc., a nonprofit organization that maintains the antebellum home.

GM will also donate $1 million over 10 years for the maintenance of the home, she said.

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

I new this day would come.. I'm just down the road from this site. Spring Hill is growing way too fast and noone realizes that the local economy is leveling off. Sure.. if I were GM I'd want to get the land off my hands and money in my pocket. I'd even consider backing off a little if I thought this would help our local market.. but this will come back and bite more than historic preservation efforts. I'm a free market guy but it's just a bad move all around. I do not support this at all and I pledge to work, though it may be too late, toward saving and preserving this beautiful corridor and stately antebellum home from big devlopment. Leave our history alone!

Thanks for making all aware.

- Jon Harris
"Dippin' Gourd Mess"

[SavageReb]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Yea, I've been watin on this to happen too! The whole aera around Spring Hill Is absloutley booming. Ripavilla is such a beautiful place. We do 2 Living Histories a year there. It looks like the T.P.T. endangered list is going to loose another one to Urban Expansion...

Joey Savage
Huwald's Battery
Tennessee Mountain Howitzers

[Dignann]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

GM finds potential buyer for property

By SKYLER SWISHER

The Daily Herald [Columbia, Tenn.]
July 31, 2008

SPRING HILL — General Motors Corp. has entered into a contract to sell more than 500 acres near the historic Rippavilla home for development, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday.

GM reached the agreement with Canadian-based SLF Acquisitions LLC Friday, said Kate Neary, a spokeswoman for the Spring Hill assembly plant.

“They have passed all elements of review with General Motors,” she said.

Neary said she could not disclose the price or how the land would be developed. She said the land would be used for residential and commercial properties similar to existing developments along U.S. Highway 31. GM could close on the sale by the end of the year, Neary said.

A Canadian company visited Spring Hill City Hall in December and presented its plans for more than 500 acres of the land, Mayor Danny Leverette said.

Leverette said he was unsure whether SLF Acquisitions was the company that made the presentation, but said they planned a residential and commercial mixed development. The unnamed firm has connections with “major international retailers” and could bring some large-scale businesses, he said.

“These are some big boys,” the mayor said.

Some historical preservation groups have been critical of GM’s decision to sell the Rippavilla property for development. A Civil War skirmish was fought on the land, and the Tennessee Preservation Trust named it one of the state’s most endangered historic properties.

Neary said GM is working to donate 100 acres near the mansion to Rippavilla Inc., a nonprofit organization that maintains the antebellum home.

GM will also donate $1 million over 10 years for the maintenance of the home, she said.

In December, Trace Invstment withdrew from negotiations with GM on the property before the deal was complete.

http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2008/08/01/top_stories/03gm.txt

Eric

[Rebelkid01]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Sad, just sad

[ILYankee5]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

It is sad to see GM selling this land. This has been a favorite place to visit all through my childhood especially when my great grandparents lived in Brentwood. However, at least GM unlike many other corporations is donating land and money for preservation. But, that is no excuse for using that particular land. Like many others stated before, the Spring Hill area is booming. Everytime I travel through there something new has sprung up. It seems in our modern days, it is getting even more difficult to stop development on our historic sites. First Stones River now Rippavilla. But, we must keep fighting the good fight.

[kaelin]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Here is the latest news on Rippavilla and GM

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080908/COUNTY090101/809080317/1352/RSS0609

IF this link does not come up then you can go to The Tennessean, there is a board meeting this week, this papers date is Sept. 8th 2008.

Pray that it falls through and nothing gets sold, they keep saying its still up in the air.

kaelin vernon

[Hardees Guard Private]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Living in the area it really does break your heart driving past and going to the site and knowing what could well happen to the land.All the events that have taken place there and those that could will never be unless something is done.In the past i asked people if some kind of awarness march or possibly even a fundraiser would be worth doing but i have been told by several that its not worth doing and all seem to have just given up on this.:(:(:(I dont want to give up on this especially with Gms attitude.Just adds another reason for me to never to buy a vehicle from them!:baring_te

[PogueMahone]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Don't be hard on GM. They made the events at Rippavilla and the Saturn Farm possible and donated a ton of time and money to helping us prepare the site. Most of the internal roads on that site were actually built for the first event we put on there. They built bridges across streams, cut fields, rotated crops, provided hay and some firewood. If Saturn had not stepped up, those events would never have happened. We raised about $150,000 for preservation at the two events I worked on.

GM just no longer wants to run the farm and has no need for the land. Donating it to the county would have been nice, but that is no way to run a business during a time when people don't want to buy trucks and big cars.

I really hope the city realizes that the infrastructure can't handle more traffic and with the economy tanking, credit is tightening up and those developers won't be able to find contractors to build the homes there. Banks in the area are no longer interested in lending for lot inventory or spec construction. These developers will get in there, tear it up, lay some pipes and run some lines and build a few roads, but no one will come and build and they will go bankrupt.

Already seeing it from inside the bank,

[kaelin]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Joe
Great insight, I didn't really think of it like that, appreciate your thoughts!
I do wish there would have been some sort of a deal to allow the county to buy the property over time, they are giving 100 acres to someone and 1 million over 10 years, I agree they have been very giving since ownership and even now. I would hope they could go just a little further in their giving, its just me.

thanks
kaelin vernon

[Dignann]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Rippavilla plan goes before board

By JILL CECIL WIERSMA

The Tennessean [Nashville, Tenn.]
September 15, 2008

SPRING HILL — General Motors is in breach of contract "or at least a breach of concept," says a city Planning Commission member unhappy with the corporation's plans to sell more than 500 acres including historic Rippavilla Plantation.

Gwynne Evans last week cast the lone opposing vote at a city Planning Commission meeting that approved an annexation request from land buyer SLF Acquisitions.

Its hope is to close by the end of the year and build a mix of commercial and residential properties outside nearly 100 acres set aside as a buffer for Rippavilla.

The request goes today to the city Board of Mayor and Aldermen for the first of two readings.

Evans said when the company moved to Spring Hill, GM built a berm to hide the plant from view. He said development on the 500-plus acres on Highway 31 will spoil the area's rural character.

"They claimed they wanted to keep it scenic," he said. "Whatever they build will be seen. I'm not even going to talk about the historical aspects."

GM spokeswoman Kate Neary later said the company has gone above and beyond what was required of it environmentally and aesthetically in building the plant. Wheat, corn and soybeans are grown on the 650-acre campus, in keeping with that rural character, she said.

"We are living up to our promise," Neary said. "We have the right to sell the land at fair market value."

SLF Acquisitions intends to honor a stipulation GM set to donate the nearly 100 acres around the plantation home to Rippavilla Inc. GM will continue to pay the nonprofit entity $1 million over the next 10 years.

The acreage around Rippavilla is currently zoned for heavy industrial use, but Neary added that another stipulation in the pending contract prohibits heavy industrial zoning. If annexed, the land would come into the city with its base zoning, which is for agricultural use.

Mayor Danny Leverette called the annexation inevitable and said the city will best be served by being involved in the planning.

Evans agreed it's inevitable, but said he dreads the impact it will have on traffic.

"I can just see this whole corridor starting to build up," Evans said.

SLF attorney R.W. Hardison said he intends to seek a rezoning for the land next month. SLF must close on the property before the final board vote on the annexation.

The city's annexation also prompted a question about representation on the Rippavilla Inc. board. Hardison told board members he understands that city residents hold none of the nonprofit's board seats.

Alderman Charles Raines and Leverette said it would be important for the city to have representation there if the annexation goes through.

"I totally agree," Leverette said. "We need at least three members . . . and maybe five."

The board meets at 7 p.m. today at City Hall, 199 Town Center Parkway.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/COUNTY090101/809150315/1352/RSS0609

Eric

[Jon The Beloved]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Eric,

I immensely appreciate your correspondence in this matter of historic preservation that hits so literally close to home. I know I came out swinging in an earlier post; but my mind and patience have cooled. I still feel the way I do, however. I do not appreciate nor plan to support the inevidable development of the GM property. I plan on attending the next few of these meetings and I'll be able to stand and represent the desires of a fine Spring Hill citizen. Perhaps the fight is not over - perhaps there is a loophole of sorts. Though I can't say the same for the intent of our mayor.. I do trust the city officials and those on the historical and tourism boards to speak for those who do not have the opporitunity to speak themselves.

[Dignann]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

Huge housing, retail project may threaten Rippavilla Plantation

Associated Press

The Tennessean [Nashville, Tenn.]
November 28, 2008

SPRING HILL — A 19th-century Tennessee plantation home is being threatened by plans for a massive development that could bring jobs and tax money into the Spring Hill community.

Opponents say the 514 acres around Rippavilla Plantation contain ancient oaks, hand-stacked rock walls built generations ago, a family cemetery, a slave house, a pioneer trail and a portion of a Civil War battlefield.

The developer, North American Development Group, wants to purchase the land from automaker General Motors, which has a plant nearby, for millions and build retail shops, office space, town homes and apartments.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen will vote on the plan in December.

The proposal would divide the property into three sections — 100 acres for Rippavilla's nonprofit organization, 302 acres for commercial properties and 112 acres for residential.

Rippavilla's Executive Director Pam Purdue said the developer is being insensitive to the area's centuries-old history.

"When you look at these plans on paper, in black and white, it's not much," Purdue said. "But if you just come out here and walk around and see it all, the history comes alive."

Housing is a problem
The biggest problem with the plan is housing, Purdue said.

"We're not opposed to GM selling the land," Purdue said. "We're concerned about the possibility of families moving in, which could create a hazard for the most fragile features of our historic site."

Purdue said the small, wooden structure that once housed slaves who worked on the plantation nearly 200 years ago is on the edge of the property and would be within the shadow of the proposed apartments.

"My fear is that it's going to be destroyed, basically," Purdue said. "They'll destroy the historic integrity of the home."

Randy Hardison, who represents the developer, said the builder is aware of the historical importance of Rippavilla.

"We're not going to do anything to diminish their presence," he said. "We definitely want to do whatever it takes to preserve them."

The long-term project will take more than 20 years to complete.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081128/NEWS01/811280429

Eric

[Michael Comer]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

If GM gets their government bail-out, they should just give the whole thing to Rippavilla.

Any chance that a letter-writing campaign to GM would accomplish anything?

[markmason]

Re: GM in contract to sell Rippavilla land

you people really amaze me...I agree that saving the historic property is a necessity and it should be saved as much as possible. However, GM has the right to sell property it was allowed to buy... who was in favor of the intitial sale in the first place? how many jobs were created? when GM moved a plant in and built the Saturn? cut off the hand that feeds you is not good.

Somebody made a comment " This is why I won't buy another GM" something is wrong here and I just cant put a finger on it....:baring_te