Courtesy of Randy Jamison

Since 1892, two brick buildings have stood on the Pulaski County side of the New River, facing Radford.

Related

• A story of plans undone

Radford University's plans to sell the former St. Albans property leaves two historic buildings in limbo.

Since 1892, a pair of brick buildings have stood on the Pulaski County side of the New River, looking over toward Radford. Originally, one of them was the dormitory for St. Albans boys' school. The other was where classes were held. The school closed in 1911. Five years later, Dr. J.C. King reopened the facility as St. Albans Sanatorium. That evolved into St. Albans Hospital, which eventually became part of Carilion Health System. Carilion turned the property over to Radford University in 2004. The buildings have been vacant -- except for a temporary art installation -- since then.

Over the years, additions have been built onto those original buildings, but the physical heart of St. Albans remains. The buildings were scheduled to be torn down last year, but the demolition was postponed. Dave DeHart, president of the Radford University Foundation, said in November that representatives of the foundation would meet with representatives of the Radford Heritage Foundation to talk about the old school's future.

"We're willing to sit back and talk with the heritage foundation," DeHart said then. "It's the right thing to do."

That meeting hasn't taken place.

DeHart hasn't returned calls to his office since early November.

A group interested in saving the buildings has been meeting and exploring ways to do that. Because federal funds were pledged to the project, there is supposed to be a review to see whether the university foundation's plans will damage the buildings, which are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. But the first federally funded project -- the removal of asbestos from the additions -- has been completed. No review was done beforehand, but the project's done and the money's spent, so there won't be one now.

The other federal money -- meant for planning -- hasn't been spent. So the foundation can apparently avoid the review required by the use of those funds by simply not accepting the money.

So, despite DeHart's pledge to discuss the buildings' fate with preservationists, their long-term future will likely be decided by the property's next owner.