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City rejects Obici proposals
Published Friday, November 6, 2009
The city of Suffolk has rejected all of the proposals it received for the renovation and reuse of the historic Obici House, officials announced Friday evening.
“Based on the evaluation criteria, all of the proposals failed to meet one or more of the specific purpose requirements listed in the Request for Proposals,” Suffolk spokesperson Debbie George stated in a brief press release announcing the city’s decision.
“The city will continue to evaluate its options.”
Among the proposals presented to the city was one from Citizens for the Preservation of Obici House, which suggested restoring the Italianate house that once was home to Amedeo and Louise Obici and turning it into a fine-dining restaurant.
Susan Blair, who is president of the organization, said Friday that she had just received a fax from the city notifying CPOH that its proposal had been rejected.
“I have no idea what this is about,” she said. “I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
In an emailed response to a series of questions about the announcement, George stated that respondents had been “notified of the status of their proposals,” but she did not answer whether they had been briefed on their particular shortcomings or if they would be given a chance to amend the proposals.
Asked whether Suffolk officials intend to leave the home to sit unused and unrepaired, or if there were some other possible plan in the works for the structure and its adjacent Carriage House, she restated the original statement from the press release: “The City will continue to evaluate options.”
In May, Preservation Virginia — formerly the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities — held a press conference at the home and announced its inclusion on the group’s 2009 list of “most endangered places, buildings and archeological sites.”
The structure, which is located adjacent to the 18th green at Sleepy Hole Golf Course, has fallen into disrepair in recent years and now sports “No Trespassing” signs along with the rotting wood and crumbling brick mortar that can be seen on its exterior.
The citizens group that organized to help save it estimates that it would require about $1.77 million to restore the home to its former grandeur. The group had proposed putting another million dollars into the restaurant conversion and Carriage House transformation into a Grill Room and office space for the golf course.
Funding for the work would have come from tax credits, private and corporate donations, grants and loans, according to the proposal, which also explicitly stated that Suffolk taxpayers would not be asked to pay for any of the work.
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Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 6, 2009 at 11:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This city and its adminstrations present and passed have pissed on the Obici name for decades. This includes the Birdsong name as well. The city leaders have raped the name Obici all in the name of todays dollar that they can earn off of the dead backs of and name of Amedo and Louise Obici. I would hope that the 'sister" city in Italy lets the city leaders and estate mangers know that the use of the name Obici is no longer welcomed and should not be mentioned or capitalized upon by them.The remaining family that still exists here in the states and Italy that the sisters are no longer more 'family".
Posted by KNRMCO (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 7:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a shame for the "Obici's", Suffolk's benefactors. You said it OD, they have P@!@## on the Obici name; what use is it to them now? Their dead! Another piece of Suffolk's history gone down the tube. The city leaders are going to tear down Suffolk piece by piece!
Posted by batman (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Peanuts are an important crop in many Southern states, and are found in a wide variety of popular recipes. Peanuts, actually legumes rather than nuts, are sometimes called groundnuts because of their unusual fruit development. After the flowers are fertilized, they wither to the ground and bury themselves; the pods mature underground. They are usually harvested by uprooting the whole plant to dry the nuts. Another common name for peanuts here in the South is "goober," or "goober-pea," which comes straight from the African "nguba."
History
Though the peanut originated in Brazil, it came to the United States from Africa as many Southern foods have. In the 1890's George Washington Carver, of Alabama's Tuskegee Institute, began to promote the peanut as a replacement for the cotton crop which had been destroyed by the boll weevil. By 1903 he had developed hundreds of uses for peanuts in recipes for appetizers, main dishes, soups, and desserts.
According to John Mariani's "Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink," a process for roasting shelled peanuts in oil was developed in the early 1900s by an Italian immigrant, Amedo Obici. Obici, along with Mario Peruzzi, began packaging the peanuts in airtight bags under the "Planters" label. Peanut butter was created in the 1890s by a St. Louis physician as a soft protein substitute for people with poor teeth. By 1922, a year after the development of a mechanized process for making it, peanut butter was being promoted as a health food at the St. Louis Universal Exposition by concessionaire C. H. Sumner. In 1932 J.L. Rosefield, who developed a process to prevent oil separation and spoilage, began marketing his peanut butter product under the name "Skippy." Its popularity quickly spread, and today more than half the American peanut crop goes into the making of peanut butter.
Posted by batman (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
History of the Foundation
The seeds of the Obici Foundation were planted in the mid-1940s by Amedeo Obici, founder of Planters Peanuts. After the death of his wife, Louise Musante, in 1938, he decided to build a hospital in Suffolk as a lasting legacy to her. The hospital would also continue his philanthropy in the community by providing Suffolk’s citizens with local, quality healthcare.
For about three decades, proceeds from the trust funded new equipment and building expenses for the hospital. In 1985, The Obici Foundation was officially established to oversee the funds Amedeo Obici left after his death. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the Obici Foundation continued to fund hospital renovation and equipment projects and also started to fund some small community outreach projects designed to improve health and health care for medically indigent individuals. In 2002 the Foundation used a substantial portion of the trust funds to help build a new modern hospital in Suffolk.
In keeping with Mr. Obici’s concern for the delivery of health care, the Obici Healthcare Foundation’s mission is to improve the health status of residents of Suffolk and the surrounding communities. This will be accomplished by addressing the unmet needs of the medically indigent and uninsured, and by supporting programs which will prevent and reduce illness and disease.
The Foundation is a new independent entity unrelated to any other health organization. It is governed by an independent board composed of citizens living in the previous service area of the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital. This service area includes the cities of Suffolk and Franklin and the County of Isle of Wight; Surry, Dendron and Elberon in Surry County; Waverly and Wakefield in Sussex County; Courtland, Boykins, Ivor, Sedley and Newsoms in Southampton County; and Gates County, North Carolina.
By approaching the challenges of preventing illness and disease and serving the uninsured from multiple angles, it is hoped that the Foundation’s goals will be attained. A healthier community will be an enduring legacy to one of Suffolk’s strongest community leaders and its most renowned philanthropist.
1514 Holland Rd., Suffolk, VA 23434 Ph: (757) 539-8810 Fax: (757) 539-8887
Posted by am (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey batman - thanks for preparing an upcoming lesson for me! I'll be certain to give you credit for it
Posted by batman (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
L'emendamento ha ottenuto trasportare con copia e Incolla possono hanno lasciato fuori qualcosa di importante.My Italian may be a little rusty.
Posted by mcdb (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It just seemed too unreal to think the city *really* cared about the support Obici House was getting or the goals to bring her back. For those of us with actual personal ties to the House, it's so depressing. The only options they are evaluating are: bulldozer or piece by piece.
Posted by NP (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Could anything else have been expected if Johnson & Gardy and associates can't personally profit?
Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 7, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Council rejected ALL proposals that were submitted. Why havent ALL of those proposals been made public? I wouldnt be surprised to see that the grand home of the Obici family will end up like the homes on St. James. Burnt down....Let the building of the Condos on the Nansemond begin.
Posted by mandacmoe (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the hypocrisy in suffolk is unreal. this city claims to love it's history, yet when a very important piece of history is in danger, they don't care. i'm sorry, mr. obici that our council cares nothing of your efforts and life's work.
Posted by beamonx (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
maybe someone on the side of keeping the obici house up should get on the council...That's what Parr did to get his works approved..
Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the board and the hospital is now owned by Sentra.Not going to happen beamonx. What profits there would have been for the philanthropist known to us as Obici is cut now in the names of the Sentra board of directors. The two boards said that there will still be financial programs to support Obici as a hospital serving those who cannot afford health care. Under Obamacare, this will put OUR hospital in danger because of shrinking profits and govt run health CONTROL
Posted by ammine (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Does Suffolk need another "fine dining" spot? What else was proposed for the site? In keeping with the desire to maintain Suffolk's good heath what was proposed on that line? Preserve the legacy by all means and please, please include ALL of Suffolk. Mr. Obici did.
Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ammine: That fine "dining spot" would provide a country club atmosphere for the golfers and their guests less a pool and tennis courts.Golfing isnt just a bunch of guys wearing funny looking pants and drinking beer, cussing abt bad shots and how much money they loose while playing. lol
Posted by gooberboy (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All of you ask this question of yourselves. How many of your tax dollars do you want to go towards the restoration of the Obici House? Who ever undertakes this needs to be able to do it with their own money and not expect a stipend from the City to refurbish or run the place. Or would such an arrangement be acceptable to you?
Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
goober the blair folks are pvt indivuals and if there are no tax dollars to be used then so be it. if not then all offers WHAT OTHERS ARE ARE UNKNOWN, the others are still not public but all have been rejected. if one can qualify to receive tax breaks from the govt go for it..now if the city keeps the landmark then the city should restore it with tax dollars and apply for tax breaks and or grants from the govt. it is on the national registered list of landmarks. they have whizzed on the Obici name to long..
Posted by gooberboy (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My point is do any of the proposals give good assurances that the City would not be called on if things went South to bail out the bidwinner. I am sure that none of the bids called for the city of ante up money to assist. Because if things do go South, it's natural they would turn to the City for financial assistance.
If any of the groups through their proposal can show this should not happen from a purely business perspective, then they should be awarded the house and allowed to proceed with the renovation and future usage of it.
Posted by OD (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
in the award of the bid if there is one given to any group the heading of the award should read in font size 16 and in bold print at least in every other paragraph THE CITY WILL NOT FOR ANY REASON KNOWN OR NOT KNOWN WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF FUNDING. FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS OBICI HOUSE LOCATED AT SLEPPY HOLE PARK IN THE CITY OF SUFFOLK VIRGINIA.ANY SUCH REQUESTS ARE DEEMED TO BE NULL AND VOID.
There fixed that.
Now if there are some serious contenders that have private funding and belive in the project, THIS SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM. No matter what happens now Linda and her minions will do what is best for them personally and continue to pull up their zippers when through with the name and estate of Mr. & Mrs Obici.
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