ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512200051
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Work on the first commercial building in Dublin's planned town center got under way Tuesday.
The new 2,720-square-foot branch of First National Bank should be open by June. Meanwhile, Jeff Irby, who will be its manager, will work out of the Radford branch.
The bank, the fifth largest in Virginia, already serves Montgomery County and Radford with eight offices and 10 automatic teller machines. The locally owned independent bank reports assets of more than $350 million.
The 220 acres where the town center will sit originally belonged to Burlington Mills, and was acquired by the town through a purchase and a donation because the industry no longer operated there. The town is using it as an industrial park, which now serves 15 companies in shipping, receiving and leased building facilities with more than 225 employees.
"These folks are going to need banking services," Town Manager Gary Elander said.
Dublin is working on roads and infrastructure for the site's 11 commercial parcels, with First National Bank taking the first.
Another parcel will be occupied by a new municipal building, which Elander hopes will include some county offices for citizens in the eastern part of the county. The post office will also be moved from its crowded location in downtown Dublin to the new center.
Elander said the town gets inquiries weekly on the other available parcels. Town Council is interested in locating a full-service restaurant on one of them, he said.
Mayor Benny Keister came up with the idea, which seemed far-fetched at the time, for the town to try to acquire the former Burlington property. It took several years of negotiations to do it.
LENGTH: Short : 41 linesby CNB