After months of debate, Blacksburg Town Council in October approved a
Montgomery County School Board plan to build a new Blacksburg High School
stadium off Prices Fork Road, making way for the eventual redevelopment of the
20-acre old Blacksburg Middle School site.
An ad-hock committee made up of Montgomery County Supervisors, town council
members and residents is meeting monthly to discuss how the redevelopment will be
accomplished. Read minutes from meetings of the Old Blacksburg Middle School
Transition Committee here: 11/15/06 meeting.
County officials hope sale or lease of the old school property will net several million
dollars for other school building needs. Several commercial proposals, including a
large-scale retail mall, residential projects and mixed-use developments have been
considered for the site over since 2004.
Other school building needs stand in the way of any immediate action on the old
middle school site, however.
The Montgomery County School Board still owns the old school and resolved in 2004
that it would turn over the property for redevelopment only after a new Blacksburg
High School stadium plan was underway.
The resolution also requires that county supervisors came up either with a site for a
new Prices Fork Elementary School or a place to put those students during
renovations of the current elementary school.
County supervisors are currently negotiating behind closed doors to buy land in
Elliston and Prices Fork for new elementary schools.
Stay tuned as more stories are posted. And post your thoughts in the meantime.
Most recent stories
Council holds firm on old school property Is a resolution ahead for old Blacksburg school property? Committee plans design contest Official: Reopen stadium debate Future of old Blacksburg Middle School discussed Middle school exodus creates space crunch Middle school's future is next challenge Council vote keeps Blacksburg stadium alive School closing causes disappointment, disruption Board votes to close old Blacksburg Middle School Students weigh in on stadium debate Official:
Old BMS
should be a school 2005: Group wants community use for former school site Blacksburg wrestles with new stadium project Neighbors fret about planned school stadium Montgomery County land deal moves sale of old school closer Blacksburg school site may soon exit limbo Town tries to balance character, commerce County, school board inch closer to middle school agreement Bill on surplus school property intensifies storm Montgomery Co. ponders old school's future New River projects unfruitful School Board may turn property over to Montgomery County 2004: YMCA at Tech still wants to preserve former middle school School officials discuss giving up middle school property Montgomery County considers procedure for offers From a school to a mall? Much happening at semi-retired school School future goes behind closed doors 2003: Future of old BMS uncertain again Town considers managing old school as community center Endangered structures
Opinion
Sale of school property is a win-win situation
Issue is spending, not stadium; Stadium is coming, in Blacksburg or not
The school decision: community or commodity?
Leadership is key to school property debate
There is no middle school plan; there is only talk
It's too soon to judge mall option
Documents
Don Langrehr's e-mail on mall proposal
County land contract for Blacksburg High stadium
project
