ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 3, 1997 TAG: 9702030023
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: A Cuppa Joe
SOURCE: JOE KENNEDY
As Karen and Carmon Woodby drove away from the property known as Blackacre in September, a three-word phrase was forming in their minds: "Bed and Breakfast."
They hadn't really expected to buy the massive contemporary house on 77 acres in the Catawba Valley that day.
But the auction drew only four bidders and lasted just 20 minutes.
The Woodbys won it with a bid of $331,000, well below the assessed value of $477,300 and dramatically less than the house cost to build in 1982.
Once they got it, they had to figure out what to do with it.
Since then, they've been working steadily on the place, putting up a stable and trying to sell their other house near Bennett Springs.
They expect to move in and open the Bed and Breakfast of Blackacre Estate by March 1. They'll offer five bedrooms in the 7,600-square-foot, stone-and-wood structure that struck many visitors as sterile but, thanks to the Woodbys' efforts, feels increasingly like a home.
Beatrice Kurtin, a wealthy widow from New Jersey, occupied Blackacre until her death in 1995. Neglect was evident at the sale: water damage around the foundation, weathered siding and decking, and other wear and tear.
Fortunately, Carmon Woodby, a math teacher at William Byrd Middle School, is handy.
"This has been a big project," he said. "My average day is about 18 hours, between school and here."
With Myrna Sutphin's decorating help, Karen Woodby, the chief financial officer at Maid Bess Corp. in Salem, has added furniture, wreaths and other touches for a "comfortable but elegant" look.
Big skylights, a 44-foot-long sunken great room, a stone fireplace, a swimming pool by the front door, a wooden entrance bridge and a tower reached by a spiral staircase - plus 4,700 square feet of deck - make the house one of a kind.
But many visitors said it didn't seem warm.
The Woodbys are changing that with soft furnishings and soothing colors. Bedroom decors include white wicker, Victorian and even an African theme.
They'll put a telescope in the tower, which rises more than 30 feet from the center of the house. Paddleboats will float in the pond, stocked with bass and other fish. They'll let guests bring horses to the stables and ride on the acreage.
Nightly rates will be $75 to $110, with single occupancy $10 less.
Breakfast will be included, and other meals can be ordered for an extra charge.
Showing the house on a frigid Sunday morning, the couple seemed low-key. They've proceeded sequentially; gradually, improvements have become evident.
They've also made some observations: The nearly mile-long driveway has been passable in all weather with four-wheel drive; the wildlife includes deer, turkey and even bear; and "it's probably 10 degrees colder over here, on average," Carmon said.
Blackacre is about 25 miles from Roanoke, Salem and Blacksburg.
Under its previous ownership, the house was viewed as something of a mystery. Hidden from sight and more expensive than other homes in the area, it generated a lot of talk.
The Woodbys want to make it better-known.
"I really think our biggest job is getting the word out to the right people," Karen Woodby said.
They will hold an open house March 23 from 1 to 5 p.m. Information about Blackacre is on the Internet at www.eimer.com/blackacre; for reservations, call 384-6941, or e-mail blckacr914xc2aol.com.
What's your story? Call me at 981-3256, send e-mail to kenn@roanoke.infi.net or write to P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB