Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: THURSDAY, May 17, 1990 TAG: 9005170346 SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In the meantime, they need money to help stabilize the vacant historic building at Jefferson Street and Gilmer Avenue.
The Acting Company of the Roanoke Valley and the League of Roanoke Artists had hoped to persuade City Council to provide $40,000 in federal community development funds to fix the roof and shore up the building, which was built in 1898.
But council rejected the request Monday because officials said the city has more pressing needs.
Council also rejected a request to provide more money for the Gainsboro neighborhood redevelopment program.
City Manager Robert Herbert said the city's needs far exceed the federal money available.
The city will have about $3.8 million for community development projects in the fiscal year that begins July 1. This includes about $1.7 million in unspent funds from the past year and money transferred from other accounts.
About 35 housing, neighborhood revitalization and economic development projects will be funded again, said Marie Pontius, the city's grants monitoring administrator.
Six new projects and programs also will be funded. These include housing rehabilitation projects on Gilmer and Harrison avenues and public improvements for a proposed town house and condominium development on Kellogg Avenue.
The city also will use $40,000 to provide a staff for a proposed drug and alcohol abuse council that will coordinate the city's effort to prevent and treat drug abuse.
The city plans to use 43 percent of the money for economic development projects. These include the Henry Street revival, grants for renovation of downtown storefronts and purchasing land for the Deanwood and Shaffers Crossing industrial parks.
About 32 percent of the funds will be spent on more than a dozen housing programs, mainly in inner-city neighborhoods. About 5 percent will be earmarked for the drug program. The remaining 20 percent will be used for the Neighborhood Partnership program and administrative costs.
by CNB