Buyer backs out of resident-opposed land deal

Photo courtesy Google Maps

Medical offices are no longer planned at 2700 E. Battlefield Road.

The proposed buyer of Galloway Village-area land, which last year was involved in a controversial rezoning issue, has backed out of negotiations, those familiar with the deal say.

Springfield City Council in November 2018 approved the rezoning of 8 acres at the southwest corner of Lone Pine Avenue and Battlefield Road to general retail from single-family residential. Last year, an unnamed developer planned to build medical offices at the 2700 E. Battlefield Road property, contingent upon the rezoning.

The property sale never closed, said Geoffrey Butler of BRP Architects, who represented the property owners at council meetings.

“The previous buyer is out of the picture,” he said, “but there are other people still looking at it.”

The unnamed buyer was negotiating with the Carson family, who owns the property through Briarcliff Investments LLC, as well as a private residence to the south. The residence was not part of the rezoned property.

The rezoning bill approved by council was amended twice to limit the development’s scope, with residents in nearby Galloway Village opposed to the development. They feared a change to the character of the neighborhood, as well as potential issues with traffic and the preservation of the greenspace and natural topography of the parcel.

With the former buyer no longer involved, the property could see a change in direction from office space under a new owner.

“It’s a good fit for commercial opportunities and great for office function as well,” Butler said.