ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 13, 1996 TAG: 9601150036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: HAL SHEIKERZ AND TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITERS
It was rough week for weak roofs in the New River Valley.
In Christiansburg, the weight of drifted snow caused the front part of the roof of the old Lowe's building on North Franklin Street to collapse. The building is owned by the town of Christiansburg, which plans to turn it into a recreation center. The building was unoccupied, and no one was injured.
Town Manager John Lemley said the town was aware that the building's roof was not strong since it had collapsed in a snowstorm in March 1993 when was still owned by Lowe's.
Renovation of the 60,000-square-foot building will include strengthening the roof, which covers the building at two different levels.
The damage is is covered by insurance and will not cost taxpayers, Lemley said. The town had planned to advertise for construction bids starting next week but has now delayed that for several months, Lemley said.
In Blacksburg, it was homeowners who were hard hit.
A sure way to gauge the punch of a winter storm is the number of insurance claims filed. Two local firms, L.L. Brown and Carper insurance agencies, have received about 10 claims a day since Monday from apartment and town house owners with damage caused by "ice damming" on roofs and guttering. The majority involve damage from melted ice that's forced leaks in roofs and in window and door facings.
There were only a few scattered automobile claims throughout the week.
Cindy Davis at Carper Insurance Agency in Blacksburg said many more claims were filed after the ice storm in March 1993.
Elsewhere in the New River Valley, insurance agents said they're bracing themselves for what could happen the next few days when temperatures are supposed to warm and the snow that's piled up starts to melt.
Jim Mensh, owner of the Mensh Insurance Agency in Christiansburg, said he's afraid drivers will become too confident with pavement finally visible and will forget that water on roads will likely refreeze late in the day.
"The dangerous time for insurance agents is coming up," he said.
LENGTH: Short : 44 linesby CNB