Alexandria’s sanitation authority is trying to take more than 10 acres of property through an eminent domain seizure, offering nearly $10 million less than it bid on the land in 2005.

The authority needs to expand its wastewater treatment plant, according to a condemnation petition filed in Alexandria Circuit Court in June. But it is not willing to pay the $51 million value of the property located between Eisenhower Avenue and the Beltway, said the property’s owner, Charles Hooff III.

The sewer authority has made several offers on the property over more than two years, according to the authority’s petition. They came close to sealing a $30 million deal in 2005, but the authority wasn’t willing to close as quickly as the owners wanted, Hooff told The Examiner.

Neither the sanitation authority’s lawyer nor Board Chairman Edward Semonian returned calls seeking comment.

This story continues below
Advertisement

After the authority tendered the same $30 million deal again in December 2005, Hooff and his co-owners advertised the property for sale.

“They were very emphatic in saying that unless we’d sell it at a lower price, they’d like it but weren’t

interested,” Hooff said of the authority.

Hooff received a half-dozen offers in the spring of 2006. The authority’s bid was the lowest, Hooff said. He began negotiating instead with Penzance Companies on a $45 million offer.

A week before the sale was finalized, the sewer authority told Hooff and Penzance’s chief executive officer that it was going to take the property through eminent domain, Hooff said. Penzance CEO Victor Tolken did not return a call seeking comment.

“He thinks we had him in as a stalking horse for the authority,” said Hooff, who added that he shared all its correspondence with Tolken. “They’ve also taken my reputation.”

Last February, the authority offered Hooff $20.4 million for the property. That offer was based on an appraisal done by a consultant the sewer authority hired, according to its petition. Hooff turned it down in May.

In June, the authority asked the circuit court to condemn the property and allow the authority to take it for $20.4 million.

“The authority is already behind schedule to construct the improvements and [the] acquisition of the property could not be further delayed,” the petition states.

A hearing has yet to be scheduled, according to circuit court records.

mhegstad@dcexaminer.com