
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1990                   TAG: 9007180574
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

POSSIBLE TAP SITES CUT TO 2

A new headquarters for Total Action Against Poverty apparently will either be in the Stone Printing Co. building near Hotel Roanoke or in the Henry Street revival project.

And the decision apparently could hinge on whether Roanoke City Council is willing to provide funds to help cover the cost of the land and other facilities that would be needed for the anti-poverty agency to construct a headquarters on Henry Street.

"We can't do Henry Street alone," said Cabell Brand, president of TAP's board of directors, although that is the anti-poverty agency's preferred site for a new headquarters.

If the city does not provide money for Henry Street, TAP apparently will consider exercising its option to buy the Stone Printing building, now occupied by Frame One.

A third alternative that had been discussed - the city's Booker T. Washington school administration building at Douglas and Orange avenues - apparently has been ruled out.

Under that proposal, the school administration offices would move into the old Jefferson High School, which is to be renovated and converted into an arts, educational and office complex. That would free up the school administration building for TAP.

But Brand said Tuesday the school administration building wouldn't be available for two years and TAP needs to combine all of its operations at one location as quickly as possible.

The anti-poverty agency's old headquarters on Shenandoah Avenue Northwest were destroyed by fire two days before Christmas.

TAP's operations now are scattered at several sites, including an old Norfolk and Western Railway building at Norfolk Avenue and Second Street Southwest. TAP has to move out of the building within 18 months, Brand said.

TAP's board discussed the headquarters issue during a closed meeting Tuesday, but put off a decision until after council meets next week.

A committee appointed recently by Mayor Noel Taylor to study the Henry Street project and the TAP headquarters issue is to make a report to council Monday.

Brand said he doesn't know what the committee will recommend, but city officials have indicated they don't know whether the city can provide funds to help with a headquarters on Henry Street.

TAP's board voted Tuesday to authorize its executive committee to meet after council's session and act on the headquarters issue. The option on the Stone Printing building expires July 27.

by CNB