Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 23, 1992 TAG: 9201230280
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
WILDER PROPOSAL FOR BOND VOTE PLEASES SCHOOLS
Gov. Douglas Wilder proposed a bond referendum this week that included $535 million in projects, including $401 million for colleges and universities.Another $43 million would go for mental health facilities and $90.1 million would pay for parks and recreation improvements.
Wilder had hinted, when the session kicked off, that he would support such a bond.
And, perhaps for the first time in months, administrators were smiling Wednesday at the mention of the governor's name.
"It gives us a chance to build again for the future," said Darrel Martin, assistant to Virginia Tech President James McComas.
The referendum, which must pass first the General Assembly, and then the voters, includes $43.6 million in projects considered "high priority" for Tech.
"This would be the first significant project in capital outlay since 1986," Martin said from the head of a long, wooden table in Burruss Hall as he described to news people its impact on the university.
Tech has not had enough space for the number of students it serves for years, according to guidelines set by the State Council for Higher Education. The space deficit is worse than at any other college in the state.
Though it will be some time before the construction would actually begin - the bill, if it passes, wouldn't even reach the voters until Nov. 3 - officials are hoping it will help jump-start the economy.
"Now is the perfect time for a general obligation bond sale for several reasons," Wilder said Tuesday as legislators were scrambling to meet a 5 p.m. deadline to file bills.
He said a backlog of building and renovation projects could get started while interest rates are low and the construction industry is in a slump.
"It may help all of us," said Katherine Johnston, director of budget and financial planning at Tech.
Some of the projects included in the referendum had been approved last year and the year before, but later became casualties when the budget was cut.
At Virginia Western Community College, a project to construct a building to house continuing education and liberal arts programs already had been planned and the bid accepted from Avis Construction Co.
And though the bids will have to be taken again, this project, at least, is ready to go.
"We were up to the part of digging the hole," said Mark Emick, assistant to the president. "We were ready to begin."
The space, he said "is desperately needed if we're going to continue to serve the number of people we need to serve."
Some college administrators had started campaigning for the bill weeks ago, in hopes that the legislation would be introduced.
"Now, we can only hope the voters see the same needs we see," Emick said. "We hope they do."
Among the funding included for the projects at Tech would be $8.4 million for the final phase for the college of veterinary medicine.
Other projects include $17.7 million for a facility for engineering and architecture programs, and $4.1 million for construction of biotechnology offices and laboratories.
The borrowed money would be used primarily for classrooms, laboratories and offices statewide.
"This gives people the belief that we're looking ahead again," Martin said, expressing gratitude to the governor.
It will take time, of course, to finish the projects.
At Tech, said Wayland Winstead, director of university planning, the earliest the facilities would be ready would be the summer of 1995.
Still, he said, it was the best news he'd heard in a long time.
Radford University, which has grown by thousands of students since 1969 but seen few construction projects, has four projects totaling $14.2 million in the bill.
"This is going to be a real salvation for us," he said. "This is good news for Radford."
It should not be too hard to convince the General Assembly of the bond's worthiness, considering that 38 senators co-sponsored the bill, Martin said.
And the voters?
"We're certainly going to plan a statewide campaign on behalf of the bonds," he said.
Other projects in the referendum for local universities included:
$10.2 million for Virginia Military Institute for work on the barracks, the library and an academic building.
$457,000 for New River Community College for library construction.
The Associated Press contributed information to this report.