Frederick community, city leaders go toe-to-toe to gain receivership over historic Asiana building

Skyler Sales
·2 min read
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FREDERICK, Md. (DC News Now) — The Asiana Building has also been a historic building in the Downtown Frederick community, and earlier this month, the city of Frederick petitioned for the building to go into a receivership so that it may be open once again.

But some community members, along with the current owner, are saying that they want to instead, work with the city to get it back open without selling.

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In an announcement made in early April, Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor, said St. John Properties had been selected as the city’s proposed receiver.

“With a strong presence in Frederick and a track record of successful development, rehabilitation, and management,” the mayor said in his announcement said. “St. John Properties is well-equipped to take on this challenge.”

According to the petition, the property has been vacant and unused since 2001.

“I have full confidence in St. John Properties’ ability to find a buyer for this property that will transform it to its highest and best use,” Mayor O’Connor said.

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But some community members like, Altimont Wilks, said that instead of the city selling to a third party, he would rather the city work with him and the owner to bring the building back to its former glory.

“The owner, Julianne James Properties, has endeavored to have this property open to minority business owners but it has been difficult to find those types of tenants who can afford the renovations of this magnitude,” Wilks said. “So we are reaching out to the city and to the mayor to ask instead of fighting us in court to work with us in the community to get this property back up and running.”

Wilks hopes that they can get together with the city to start plans on renovating the building before going to court.

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