Maud Robinson's Vienna Inn Destruction Plan Is In Place

What if they replace the Vienna Inn with a Panera and a parking garage?

Private phone conversations? With who? You? How do you know this stuff? You're good at taping town meetings, but are you tapping phones, too?

If it's true, I'm chaining myself to the Inn (after I get a beer and chili dog, of course).

Get your chain ready.

What if they replace the Vienna Inn with a Panera and a parking garage?

You should ask Maud what she plans to push to go in there.

Hey I know what we need -- how about another bank?

A gathering place where citizens talk freely, and drink beer. I won't have it in MY Town.

Was it Marx or Maud who said "Vienna Inn is the opiate of the people?!"

Surely I jest? Hardly. I know many people do not want to believe this site, but HV.com does have most things right including this. Do we want to stop Maud in her tracks or do we let it get to the point of no return and the Inn does disappear?

We, as a Town, need to decide our direction. What is more important to me as a 30-something resident: Maud in power or the Vienna Inn. And, it's not just about the Inn - it's about the direction of our future. Who gets to decide? Maud or us?

I will attend every candidate forum this spring and ask one question of the candidates: "Do you want to destroy the Vienna Inn?" It will be a simple yes or no answer. If anyone, especially Maud, hesitates or stumbles, the answer will be known publicly for all of the residents to see.

Anon

Good planning for the town would be a comprehensive evaluation of the entire commercial area… Nutley to East. Maud’s approach to focus on a one-block area is poor planning. Look at the video from Monday night’s work session. Maud clearly states she is proud of the two new banks…Chevy Chase and Commerce. 23 banks is not good planning for the needs and wants of the citizens of Vienna. Where is her plan for the housing for senior citizens? Seniors, who have lived here for thirty-five years and no longer want the responsibility of a single-family house, have no place to live. Maud has forced them to move out of town. FLAT OUT WRONG. Anon wake up a take an objective approach. Try to ask some intelligent questions. Best of all give some positive suggestions for your ideas for the improvement of Maple Avenue and future for the TOV. Do not just repeat the party line,” JUST SAY NO”. Anon I am sure you know who I am and I DO NOT CARE.

Anon - clever retorts and name pointing won't work. Eventually, you will need to add to the discussion in a productive way if you are really looking to support the other side. Otherwise, you will be exactly what we think you already are - incapable of supporting the current administration with real arguments.

And, probably not too hard to figure out who I am either.

I have seen Mayor Seeman eat at the Vienna Inn within the past week. Mayor Seeman is a patron everywhere in Vienna. She obviously doesn't want the Vienna Inn closed.

I have seen Mayor Seeman eat at the Vienna Inn within the past week. Mayor Seeman is a patron everywhere in Vienna. She obviously doesn't want the Vienna Inn closed.

That is an illogical argument. Were you also at the Council meeting where she followed Maud's lead on a plan that will indeed see the Inn destroyed? I am sure she will eat there until it is gone.

IT'S TIME FOR MAUDE AND JANE TO GO!

I've patronized the Vienna Inn since 1970 and certainly want to see it continued in existence. I question the Town's priorities. The condition of Drake Street is appalling. I have been given the same BS every year for ten years as to why it cannot be repaired. Nows the time. Use the proposed Vienna Inn purchase money on street repair, the Town's first responsibility.

Clarification is needed:

1. The Town is not proposing to buy the Vienna Inn and or land that it sits on.

2. The Town is working toward an incentive plan that would coax the property owner of the Vienna Inn to redevelop and tear down the Inn.

3. The current owner of the Vienna Inn business does not own the land that the business sits on.

HV - I understand your concern. I agree that focusing on such a limited area of town is not good planning. However, as I believe you've pointed out in the past, any redevelopment of this site would require acquisition of at least one or more adjoining properties to make the effort worthwhile.

Also, while I like the Inn for its atmosphere and cheap food the building itself is in poor shape, not to mention it violates most accessibility codes. Assuming you are right and TC makes changes to the Zoning that make redevelopment an economic must, would folks still be upset if the Inn moved into the lower level of a mixed-use building in the immediate area? Yes, we would lose the atmosphere of the old building and the iconic elevation, but the trade-off would be bathrooms you don’t need to walk sideways to get into, and the front door would be accessible. Same food, and people, just different surroundings. How far are people willing to go to preserve this icon? While I’m not in favor of losing the Inn it seems to me at some point it needs to be replaced, if for no other reason but for the sake of itself. It is an old wood building. Even the White House had to be rebuilt with steel at one point.

The owners of the Vienna Inn's land also own the antique stores next to bike path. They have a decent chunk of land combined.

Bottom line, Jane and Maud are pretending to be in favor of redevelopment on Maple Avenue, but the reality is they have one tear down in their sights. That's deceptive leadership. That's the larger issue in play here.

Governments should not be using the power of law changes to singularly benefit one person or group. Don't you think other property owners will want the same incentives granted to the Vienna Inn property owner?

It's a disgusting example of favoritism.

I heard that the current proprietors of the Inn are looking at doing something different on Church St. anyway.
Ask Marty for the real scoop.

true marty is opening a pizza place on church. he recently became aware of maud's plan for the inn.

The pizza place is not meant to replace the Vienna Inn. It is a new restaurant that will exist along with the Vienna Inn.

Our computers have been down most of the day due to the high winds, so I am awake and alert later than usual, and feel that I want to weigh in with a response...

I don't think that ANYONE, including Mrs. Robinson, or any other Council Member or Vienna Citizen "wants to see the Vienna Inn torn down".

Certainly, I do not "want" the Inn to come down...I ate there last night (highly recommend the filet mignon - It's as good as any at Mortons or Flemings and half the price..), AND, I ate there again this morning -

We ALL love, it - WE DO, but the FACT remains that that building was built as a residential home that opened an ice cream parlor there in 1925. By 1958, it was called "Freddy's Cafe", and looked pertty much the same as it does today.

Frank is on target - Can we accept that our beloved Inn might be in a a new venue in a perhaps mixed-use building, and still continue to serve us the beer and chili dogs that we love?

That whole strip is so ripe for re-development. The buildings adjacent to the Inn are truly "caving in", and that entire area is better served by new, modern (and yes, you said it Frank) accessible commercial space. Parking accomodations, and possiibly that needed garage should certainly be a part of the re-developemnt.

I do agree, that whatever considerations are being given to this paticular area CAN and SHOULD be extended along all of Maple Avenue, from East Street up to Nutley. It only makes sense that what is fair for the goose is fair for the gander, and I agree that piece-meal is no meal at all.

But let's not be short-sighted and cling to a residential structure that was bult 82 years ago. Our chili dogs can (and WILL) be every bit as yummy in a new and more modern home!

"Visionary" as you can see that committee attempted to fairly deal with all of Maple Avenue (like current Council members Kelleher and Polychrones are attempting), not just the Vienna Inn. We can understand you might not see that basic distinction. You get the point that Maud is now proposing no redevelopment anywhere on Maple, except next to her Town Green?

Bukont's name was indeed in there, but he knew where his bread was buttered and had his meltdown later in the year. Bukont is saying the right thing one day, but then changes mid stream to appease Maud. Have you missed that point all along?

In terms of the Church Street/Lawyers Rd intersection, this committee was proposing a new Post Office, straightening out the intersection, fixing safety concerns, etc. Maud stopped it all by disbanding the committee and ignoring all recommendations. Your logic is less than sound in attempting to blame the committee for not doing something.

Is this not so well thought out view the best you got to counter the totality of this web site?

If you support tearing down the Vienna Inn as part of redeveloping Maple Avenue, then why doesn't your posting on the topic say that? It's completely dishonest to claim that the Vienna Inn is "Vienna's one and only historic and cultural landmark" and act like Maud is a villain for allegedly wanting to tear it down, when you also support tearing it down.

Debunking the various lies, mischaracterizations, and gross exaggerations on your website would be a full time job, so I decline your invitation to counter the totality of your website. I'll stick with popping in now and then to encourage you to be honest.

It is one thing for a committee to meet to discuss granting incentives to the entire mile stretch of Maple Avenue with no direct influence over who will do what with those incentives.

It is another thing for Maud to single out the Vienna Inn for destruction (ignoring the rest of Maple Avenue) while all the while carping for decades that she is Mrs. Historicity.

We understand you have a need for political spin on the Inn issue. We also understand you can't address the totality of issues ("there's too many, so I won't try!" is pathetic). No more follow-up on Bukont accusations? Not surprising. That said, we welcome however you want to present yourself.

Why is everyone focusing on THIS piece of land when there are other folks ready to pull the trigger for development?

Wow!

The Maudites are coming out of the woodwork now!

Must have struck a nerve HV!

Maud's arrogance has finally put TOV in a huge pickle.

If Maud, Seeman, Cole, etc. stick to targeting the Vienna Inn for demolition they really piss off the voters and commercial property owners. Not only that, but they tear down another historic structure in town while still attempting to support a historic district fallacy.

They can't pull back the rezoning proposal because this is their due diligence forward "planning" that they can hang their hats on without really doing anything.

If they open up the rezoning to the entire commercial corridor they destroy in their minds the "small town" atmosphere of the town. (What we really get is probably a new business in TOV that isn't a bank)

This why the Maudites (Anon, Visionary, etc.) are starting to pipe up and will continue to spin. They will want to talk about this website or what somebody did on some committee five years ago. Anything to try to get out of this deep hole of doo doo that they followed a crazy 85 year old lady into. Lemmings!

No stance on the Vienna Inn rezoning.

JUST SPIN

Thanks for the post "Visionary". I'm sure you see a town politician every time you look in the mirror.

Catch 22,

These Maudite whack jobs have been after this website like villagers chasing Frankestein since 2005. Since then not a one has taken a position other than the generic "this website is bad" (contains "various lies, mischaracterizations, and gross exaggerations")

Gross exaggerations like dragging Chairman Mao's name through the mud by comparing him to Maud.

Surely the video is altered as well.

Tell you what. If the FBI comes to arrest Cole before the May elections, I'll retract my claim that you engage in gross exaggerations. And if they don't, you admit you are grossly exaggerating. Fair enough? (be sure to videotape your meeting with the FBI - if they object, call them Maudites!)

And since you want a stance on the Vienna Inn rezoning: Any improvement along Maple Avenue would be welcome. I'd rather see more, but once it starts somewhere, it's bound to spread. So, as long as there are no special favors, bribes, insider deals, etc., I'm not against knocking down the decrepit antique shops and the Vienna Inn. As others have already pointed out, the restaurant can reopen, either in whatever gets built there or somewhere else in town. If you get anything more substantial than private phone calls regarding what is planned, post it and I'll comment on it.

If I could pick a target for destruction, though, it would be the Safeway. It's the worst grocery store in the area and its parking lot is way underutilized. It should be dynamited and half its parking sold to the Chipotle strip mall next door. You can put your Panera and some other small retailers where the store used to be.

But returning to the topic of mischaracterizations, I'm sure you saw the article in the Connection about the police department's new space in the basement of town hall. Despite your intense criticism of the project, the cops seem quite happy with it. Of course, they could be lying Maudites, but I trust our cops to be honest.

1. The Vienna Inn's destruction has been laid out in public meetings.

2. The Police are happy to be moving back into a basement they moved out of 15 years ago? You show your ignorance.

3. Cole? You are comfortable with this?

1. If that's true, then why did your posting provide "private phone conversations" as your only evidence? Name the dates of the meetings and point me toward the minutes. Don't you have video?

2. I'm relying on the quotes from police officers interviewed in the article. Are you saying they are lying?

3. Like I said, I think you are exaggerating the significance of the Cole/Bukont real estate transactions. And like I said, I will admit that I'm wrong if the FBI comes to arrest her. Are you going to admit you are wrong if they don't?

You don't like bribes, special favors, or insider deals.... What do you call the post HV refers to? Let me know what gross exaggeration you see there.

Word of advice 'Visionary'...attempting to jump into a web site with over 300 posts and over 1000 comments...detailing facts, Town Council minutes and direct quotes...and make it seem like this site is "inventing" it all...is transparent to all readers.

The Police Department is not happy about going back into the basement. The "evidence" of Robinson's desires for the Inn are public record. Phone calls only confirmed what the record shows. Maybe it is time to do some homework?

This has been a great transformation for you Visionary. First you claim to be this nice little objective citizen who every so often likes to peruse HV. And now you are this super informed author who is now demanding questions that have been repeatedly answered. It may work in the courtroom but it does not work here. Roy you really are transparent!

Looking at your list, the only monetary transaction between Cole and Bukont that occurred after her election is the sale of her house on Owaissa to him. The sale price isn't flagged as out-of-the-ordinary on the Fairfax tax assessment web page. The property is located in a part of Vienna that Bukont is turning into Bukontville, so you can't say it was abnormal for him to buy the house. Would I feel better if she had an impartial legal determination that the sale didn't generate a conflict of interest? Yes. Do I think it's a smoking gun that will lead the FBI slapping the cuffs on her moments after you hand them your list of grievances? No.

Thus, I think you are exaggerating. Clear enough? And, for the third time, if the FBI hauls her off, I'll immediately post a comment on your site praising your wisdom and confessing my naivete.

"Visionary"...picking and choosing on the timeline for Cole/Bukont are you? You have no basic mechanism to make a judgement on your own? Maybe if we expanded the Cole/Bukont process across all aspects of government...would that be good if everyone looked like theiy were exchanging votes for $? Votes, money, house building, house buying...and you need someone to tell you it is all wrong? Clearly, you know Laurie "$$$" Cole and if you are her best defender, she better retain new counsel!

"Any improvement along Maple Avenue would be welcome. I'd rather see more, but once it starts somewhere, it's bound to spread."

Translation.... Development good. Development bad.

Pretty solid stance Visionary.

All I did was take you up on your offer to start debunking the totality of your website, since you called me "pathetic" when I initially declined to do so. All you've done in response is bob, weave, throw insults, and accuse me of being various things that I'm not. Try answering some questions if you want to win arguments.

The last word is yours.

I love working in basements!

Back to "This website is bad" already Visionary?

The endless Do Loop continues...

Try following some logic if you want to debate.

Hey Visionary...where is the debate? I logged on to see what wonderful insight you had, but there was nothing. YOU CAN NOT DEBATE IN THE ARENA OF IDEAS CAN YOU?

Is the sky falling yet? With all of this bickering, something is bound to fall, with these posters refusing to stand on principles and abiding by appropriate guidelines and good behavior, someone might call ethics... something that is very scarce in the TOV.

So, let me know when to run when the sky begins to move...