The City & Guilds building on Altamont Avenue sold to a local developer. (Photo by David Larter)
Another former Justin French property has a new owner.
Developer Larry Cluff, doing business as 1726 Altamont Offices LLC, purchased the City & Guilds building in Scott’s Addition – which is visible from the Boulevard – from Virginia Commonwealth Bank for $375,000.
Cluff plans to use part of the 5,742-square-foot building, but its occupant isn’t going anywhere.
Cluff is “going to occupy a small part of it and lease the rest back to City & Guilds,” said David Gammino, owner of the general contracting firm.
Virginia Commonwealth Bank foreclosed on the property in September.
Cluff has been the developer on several projects, including the Baker Atrium Lofts in Scott’s Addition.
Brian Berkey, a broker with Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, represented Cluff in the transaction.
Gammino had been planning to move out of the building and into new headquarters but has put off those plans to fight a lawsuit.
Bank of Hampton Roads filed suit in June alleging that Gammino and City & Guilds had a hand in defrauding the bank of more than $13 million on two of French’s construction projects in Scott’s Addition.
Gammino said that the lawsuit has hampered his development activities because lenders are unwilling to extend financing while he is tied up in litigation.
The developer had been chasing a city council seat for the Fifth District but withdrew from the race after he learned of the lawsuit.
Not a fan of Larry Cluff’s work. To see proof, drive by 1400 Grove Ave and look at the “historic renovation” that was performed less than 5 years ago. It is literally falling apart.
Buyer beware.
Larry did work on my fan home. I was less than pleased with his work! Very cheap and rude!!
John and Matt,
Larry Cluff does fantastic work. He and his crew have done multiple projects on our Fan house. We could not be happier with the end results. Further, Larry is very easy to work with, straight forward, and honest.
The last project Larry did for us was just completed…a first floor half bath under the main staircase. It was finished in 6 days and is amazing!
Larry Cluff did a historic renovation on our personal residence in late 2007 and early 2008. He was very easy to work with and was very knowledgeable in all aspects of the renovation. We were very pleased with the level of professionalism and workmanship he and his crew displayed. We were so satisfied that we asked him to come back and build our garage in 2010.
We later had an issue with our roof (which was not originally a part of the renovation) and he came back and repaired it himself and only charged us the cost of materials. I would highly recommend working with Larry if you want the job done correctly, on time and under budget!
Larry did a terrible job on the flip that i purchased, be wary of kings crest properties. and Quality contractors.
Just one example of the substandard work I have since discovered is a gas hot water heater vented completly wrong. The metal vent went into pvc where it was masked by aluminum foil. the pvc was burnt up and lucky not to have caused a fire. The vent then went outside and made its exit. It did not go up three feet above my roof line, nor was it five feet away from a window but was basically wedged between windows maybe a foot and a half on either side.
My wife had terrible headaches we associated with allergies, ever since we converted the hot water to electric her headaches have subsided.
I truly believe that only because Larry Cluff and Dave Dagenhart committed themselves to a cheap product(my home, once a grand victorian house) and thus did not insulate, wrap, or do much else up to minimum code thus giving the carbon monoxide an escape where venting failed,…..am I or my wife still alive.