ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 9, 1996 TAG: 9602090083
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Below
Plans are becoming clearer for a proposed center of higher education in downtown Roanoke for which state Sen. John Edwards is seeking state planning money and construction funds.
Supporters want to see the former Norfolk and Western General Office Building North turned into a "condominium of education" where students could learn 21st century skills in satellite classrooms of various colleges and universities, said City Manager Bob Herbert, who has led two years of conceptual talks.
Under the plan, the Art Deco building across the street from the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center would be transferred by its owner, Norfolk Southern Corp., to the city of Roanoke. A construction crew would build classrooms and make other changes to accommodate students.
The proposed center would house the Roanoke Valley Graduate Center, which provides master's level classes now in a site on Church Avenue Southwest in downtown Roanoke; bachelor-level classes now taught at Virginia Western Community College through Radford University; the community college's customized worker training program; and unspecified Virginia Tech offerings, Edwards said.
But Edwards first must shoehorn nearly $420,000 for planning and $6 million for building renovations into the pending two-year state budget. The appropriation would be roughly equal in size to that used to buy the land for Explore Park in Roanoke County. But unlike the year of that appropriation, 1988, when the state had plenty of money, the current funding picture is tight.
Edwards, elected last November after campaigning strongly on education, wrote a budget amendment seeking $419,062 during the fiscal year that begins July 1 and $6 million in the year that begins July 1, 1997. Virginia Western Community College would handle the money.
The former Roanoke city councilman said he has appealed to Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk, co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who "seems very sympathetic to the idea."
Edwards needs the support of his fellow senators by Feb. 27, when the state Senate must hand up its proposed budget. At that point, Senate and House representatives will try to produce one version to send to Gov. George Allen.
Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, is uncertain if he can push a bill essentially identical to Edwards' through the House. "I don't know where the money is coming from," Thomas said Thursday.
"The budget's kind of tight," said Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton and chairman of the House Finance Committee.
Chances are good that NS would donate the eight-story building if railroad executives believe residents need and support the proposed higher education center, Herbert said.
The railroad would confirm only that it has spoken to "interested parties" about its former office buildings on Jefferson Street - vacated after a new office tower was built downtown - and its former passenger station.
Herbert said some people in the community fear the demolition of the office buildings. The newer building, the one considered for the Graduate Center, was built in 1931. The other was built around the turn of the century. That concern, and an interest in better higher educational opportunities in Roanoke, have motivated those behind the proposed center to appeal to Richmond for needed funds.
It's too soon to know who might own the building long-term, but the possible landlords are the city, state or a private-public partnership, proponents said.
Edwards said leaders of all college and universities that would offer classes in the center have given him their support.
"We're charging ahead with it. We're pushing it," he said.
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. The former Norfolk and Western Generalby CNBOffice Building
(tallest to left of Hotel Roanoke) is being proposed for use as a
complex for
higher education. color. KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996