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

DATE: SUNDAY, March 24, 1991                   TAG: 9103220061
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PROPERTY OWNER TAKES EXPEDIENT APPROACH

No, this is not on the international scene. It is here in Blacksburg.

Last week it was announced that Don Irons (et al) will proceed with his plans to put 108 student bedrooms and 100+ woefully inadequate parking spaces on the present site of the Thomas Conner House on Draper Avenue in downtown Blacksburg.

Mr. Irons has every "legal" right to do with this property what he pleases in spite of the clear and present outcry of the community.

For each of the three people who publicly supported Mr. Irons at the Town Council Meetings and in the local press, there were 500-plus citizens that publicly denounced his proposal.

The argument is not simply one of development or no development.

Many in the community might support a moderate, sensitively planned development that recognized the town-university context. Such a moderate development would surely yield a sizable profit.

The argument is about choices.

Mr. Irons has the choice to work with the community in a civic, as well as business-like, manner, or not to. He has chosen the latter. He has chosen the most expedient and arrogant approach.

I, for one, would like to publicly acknowledge those that went on the public record in an ardent effort to either try to educate Mr. Irons that other options exist that respect the community's desires, or to find some way to purchase the property for the well-being of all.

I apologize if some organizations are missing from this list:

Draper-Preston Neighborhood Association;

Old Residential Neighborhood;

Federation of Neighborhoods;

Townscape Committee;

Faculty of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies;

New River Valley Preservation League; and

Hundreds of private citizens not directly affiliated with any of the above.

Other organizations that worked to keep the issue in the public eye, but understandably can not publicly declare a position are:

The News Messenger

The New River Current of the Roanoke Times & World-News

Blacksburg Town Council

Blacksburg Planning Commission (certain members)

Blacksburg Mayor Roger Hedgepeth

Blacksburg Planning Department.

Clearly for Mr. Irons, the above groups represent little or no concern and apparently will not delay his September completion date.

For now it's greed masquerading as "business-as-usual" with the public footing the bill.\ Jack Davis\ Blacksburg