Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 13, 1991 TAG: 9102130441
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
One resident called on town officials to take a "leadership role" in stopping the Draper Place apartment project, and asked anyone in the audience who agreed with him to stand up.
Almost everyone did.
"I would be more than willing to have my taxes increased to know that we have control over this property," said James Hassall, one of nine people who spoke during the public comment period.
Another resident, Tom Sherman, handed Mayor Roger Hedgepeth petitions with about 340 signatures urging the town to acquire the Thomas-Conner House property at the corner of Draper Road and Wall Street.
"But where's the money?" Hedgepeth said, comically shaking the stack of papers.
For almost three months, citizens have swamped town officials with petitions and phone calls protesting a plan by Don Irons to build two student-apartment buildings that would sandwich the house.
They say the project would destroy the last open space downtown, ruin a historic Blacksburg landmark and create further traffic problems on the already-congested streets.
The project is allowed under current zoning, and needs only to pass technical muster with the Planning and Public Works departments.
Irons has said he would be willing to sell the property. It was appraised at $250,000 four years ago, although many think it now could fetch quadruple that amount.
"The staff and council has studied the financial options in great detail, and they are pretty difficult," the mayor said in an interview after the meeting. "In other words, our revenue picture is flat."
Several citizens have said they'd pay more taxes in order to preserve the site. But, Hedgepeth said, even 300 or 400 people who might be willing to pay more taxes make up a small fraction of the town's population.
Asked whether he would vote to raise taxes to buy the site, Hedgepeth said, "I would have to think about that for a long time."
Gibson Worsham, chairman of the New River Valley Preservation League, told council that groups could form a consortium and apply for grant money, including $1 million in state funds set aside to save historic sites.
Only one person spoke in support of the project. Sandy Kilgore of the New River Valley Apartment Council said students have a right to decent housing near the Virginia Tech campus.
"It seems that just since this project came to light, it's been a historical place," Kilgore said.
Irons did not attend the meeting.
Following the public comments, council went into closed session for legal consultation regarding a development plan, as stated on the agenda according to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
In other action, council approved plans for the Southpark commercial park off South Main Street.
Price Real Estate plans to develop 20 office buildings on 17 acres over the next two decades. The plan calls for almost 50 percent of the site to be left as green space, and for a bike trail connecting South Main Street to Ramble Road.
The developer will set up an Architectural Review Board of property owners, architects, landscape experts and a Planning Commission member to review each site plan.
by CNB