Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250045
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Schools Maintenance and Facilities Director Larry Schoff presented parents, teachers and local residents with a proposed plan to renovate the middle school to accommodate an increased population and greater technological demands.
Originally, a committee made up of local residents recommended building a new middle school outside of town. The recommendation was part of a plan approved by the School Board to build four new schools in the next five years.
After reviewing the plan, the Board of Supervisors asked the School Board to study the possibility of renovating the current Blacksburg Middle School.
Part of the reasoning centered around a study by two Virginia Tech architects who believe that the entire community would lose a vital link to its past and its future by moving students out of town.
In Monday's presentation, Schoff estimated a new, 160,000-square-foot building would cost $12.6 million plus the cost of land.
Renovating the current middle school would cost $13 million or more, depending on what the final blueprint would include. With additions, the middle school would hold 183,000 square feet, and could no longer use the football field.
About 80 percent of the current building would be renovated. Each grade would have 13 classrooms, science and computer rooms plus a large open area designed for team-teaching programs. The kitchen would be enlarged and a new boiler room would be built.
Most people in the crowd Monday wanted to know how and where students would be taught during renovation.
No one would have to be moved during the first addition, which would add a two-story rectangle to the front lawn, Schoff said. For the second part, an addition to the back of the building, classes could be held in trailers. Schoff estimated the entire project would take about three years.
One parent expressed concern that the gym, which is housing several classes at one time, wouldn't be enlarged. Schoff said there could be an auxiliary gym added to the plan.
"Now, remember," Schoff told the crowd, "this is just an informational meeting. These are just projections."
Chris Wakley, a member of the Blacksburg facilities committee, said his group initially considered renovation. But members decided to go with a plan to build a new middle school, with room enough for a new high school so the buildings could share staff and facilities.
"Also, there was a strong feeling in the community that we don't want them so close to the university and to downtown," Wakley said.
Carol Fox, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at the middle school, said she takes her classes on walking trips to the college and around town often. "There's something nice about being here in town," she said. "I would much rather have these kids around college students than high school kids."
Beth Brown, another facilities committee member, asked why the crowd attended this meeting, more than a year after the committee deliberated this issue.
"We did the same thing you all are doing right now," she said. "Where were you all a year ago?"
Katherine Albright, one of the Tech architects who studied the school, attended the meeting. She responded to Brown's question by saying that people are just beginning to understand the impact losing the school would have on their community.
John Cain, a retired chemical engineer who lives in Blacksburg, said he came to the meeting because he was concerned about maintaining the sense of community.
"You have to go beyond cost in a situation like this - what's important is the value of the school to the town," he said.
The Blacksburg committee will meet next week to go over comments from the public and decide what should be recommended to the School Board. Written comments can be given to Blacksburg Middle School Principal, Gary McCoy.
by CNB