Cardinal News: Then & Now takes a look back at the stories we brought you over the last 12 months. This installment: Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare’s plan to move into a new building.
Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare’s new counseling center, originally planned to open in 2025, will likely require an additional year to complete. The design process took longer than anticipated as Mark Chadwick, CEO of the organization, sought staff input on the final plans.
The organization serves as the community service board for the cities of Roanoke and Salem as well as Botetourt, Craig and Roanoke counties. It provides outpatient behavioral health services to about 7,000 individuals annually for mental health challenges, developmental disabilities and substance use disorder.
Blue Ridge currently has three counseling facilities spread across Roanoke; the new location on Brandon Avenue will help centralize services, especially for eligibility and intake services for children and families. Right now, intake appointments, where therapists first meet patients and gather medical histories, are conducted at a different location than where regular appointments are held, which has caused some logistical challenges, Chadwick said.
Over the last year, Chadwick assembled staff from across the organization, conducting focus groups while the architectural design firm, Interactive Design Group, developed floor plans and color schemes.
“We would have loved to move faster, but I think we had some really important conversations with staff that will make the space better,” Chadwick said.
The design plans are set to be finalized next week, after which the construction plans will be submitted to the city for approval, Chadwick said. Renovations of the property are scheduled to begin in April. Construction timelines can be unpredictable, but Chadwick hopes the building will open during the summer of 2026.
Renovations will be extensive, as the property has sat vacant for about four years and has deteriorated significantly, with widespread water damage throughout the building.
However, demolishing the building’s interior comes with some advantages, said Leigh Frazier, the organization’s chief clinical officer.
“When agencies like ours get a new space, we usually have to move into it as-is,” Frazier said. “With this building, we can make it work for us.”
Based on staff input, the building’s entrance will be redesigned to include separate waiting areas for adults and children, both located near the front desk. This change responds to concerns from some staff, who said long walks to waiting rooms or therapists’ offices can be overwhelming for some clients.
The new facility will incorporate technology in new ways; patients will be able to enter their medical histories on tablets, which will improve efficiency for staff.
The design team, which also worked on Carilion Clinic’s mental health facility at Tanglewood Mall, prioritized soft color schemes, Chadwick said. The new building will feature soft greys and warm neutral tones to create a therapeutic atmosphere.
The property sold for $1.46 million in late 2023, and renovations are expected to cost about $10 million. With no state or federal funding, financing the project will involve selling other properties and using existing properties as collateral for loans, Chadwick said.