Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 8, 1995 TAG: 9508080063
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But it's a long way from a Richmond briefing room to a coveted spot on the governor's budget.
``It was our first exposure to the proposal,'' said Secretary of Administration Mike Thomas. ``I think it's a very interesting one, and potentially very exciting for the Roanoke area. We just have to do some work on it.''
Whether the plan moves farther along remains to be seen, he said.
Thomas and Secretary of Education Beverly Sgro both agreed to explore the proposal, according to state Sen. Brandon Bell, R-Roanoke County, who arranged Monday's meeting.
Roanoke business leaders also attended, along with Virginia Western Community College administrators, including President Charles Downs, Bell said.
Sgro could not be reached for comment.
Should the center materialize, some Virginia Western programs would move into a high-profile location next to the newly reopened Hotel Roanoke.
Plans for the center, which Roanoke officials have worked on since last fall, call for acquiring the northernmost of the two 140,000-square-foot buildings, perhaps by way of a Norfolk Southern Corp. gift. The state could kick in renovation or planning money. Then the community college would bring in its Center for Business Industry and Technology, which retrains workers, or its cooperative bachelor's degree programs with four-year universities.
At the moment, the college is looking at constructing a building for the center on its cramped campus, Bell said.
The Roanoke Graduate Center, a cooperative of several regional university graduate programs, is notoriously cramped and also could move into the building, Bell said.
The railroad has discussed donating three buildings, including this one, to the city, said Lloyd Clingenpeel, manager of real estate for NS in Roanoke.
``I think our preference would be to donate all three,'' he said.
Bell's Democratic opponent in November's election, Roanoke Vice Mayor John Edwards, attended Monday's meeting on behalf of the mayor's office.
Three weeks ago, Edwards publicly scolded Bell for failing to file legislation during this year's General Assembly session to get $400,000 in planning money for the center. Democratic Del. Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum of Roanoke filed the legislation on the House side, but it died.
Bell said Monday that he knew about the concept and would have been glad to introduce a Senate bill, but ``I did not receive any information from anyone.''
But both candidates said Monday that the education center should be a bipartisan proposition.
``As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to move ahead and not let political aspects weigh this'' down, Bell said.
And Edwards, who's been in on the project planning with city officials since October, called Monday's meeting ``very positive.''
``We think the time is right for the city and the commonwealth to go forward on the project,'' he said.
by CNB