Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 30, 1994 TAG: 9405020145
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"In a sense it's economic development," said Mayor Harold Linkous. "I would not object to it."
He said he heard about the idea to build a 400,000-square-foot shopping center across from the 450,000-square-foot New River Valley Mall only days after W.B. "Bill" Matthews filed a request with the town to rezone property for the project April 20.
"If it's something those folks want to do, I don't know how to oppose it," Linkous said.
Exactly what stores would move into the project, and if it would a strip center like the Market Place or an enclosed mall, are questions everyone seems to be asking. Many people say they have heard Wal-Mart might build a superstore on the 25-acre site.
The people who might know best - Matthews and Wal-Mart officials - were not available Friday.
The proposal is scheduled to be presented to Town Council on Tuesday, and a public hearing on it could be set for June 7.
"As long as it meets the necessary criteria," Jack Via said, he is "not opposed to it." Via is a council member and chairman of the Planning Commission.
"I certainly wouldn't have any adverse feeling to it," he said. "That [shopping] center over there is bringing people in and funds into our community."
Linkous and Via said they wanted more information, however.
Even Ben "Chip" Capozzi, the 19-year-old challenger in Tuesday's council election who has made business growth a centerpiece in his campaign, is taking a wait-and-see stance.
"The best idea I've had yet is to find out what everyone else's ideas are," he said.
The decision should be a "community decision," Capozzi said.
"It's important to keep established businesses," he said, adding that he wanted to know, "will retail growth outstrip customer demand?"
That's a question that council member Truman Daniel echoed.
"You hate to see people building new shopping centers and throwing old ones away," he said.
"I haven't seen the plans yet," said council member Wayne Booth. "It looks like business is moving in that direction, doesn't it."
"I've got to see what's planned and what fits,"said Ray E. "Eddie" Lester, who also said he wants to hear more about the proposal.
Council members Ann Carter and Scott Weaver were unavailable for comment Friday.
by CNB