I hope you enjoy my latest column, a collection of weekly short news updates and future events to look out for, and arriving to your inbox as part of our NRV newsletter on Mondays.
As your New River Valley reporter, I primarily cover Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County and Radford, but aim to expand my reach throughout the rest of a bustling valley.
I aim to inform and meet people where they are at, but the valley is vast. So if you have thoughts on a developing story or ideas on how I can get to know your community better, you can reach me at erick@cardinalnews.org.
Incubator plan moves forward to fill long-vacant downtown Blacksburg building
Plans to grow small retail businesses in downtown Blacksburg are moving forward after the town council unanimously approved a lease agreement last Tuesday for an incubator program at the former Cook’s Cleaners building.
The council, without discussion, OK’d a lease agreement for the town-owned building. The nonprofit organization, Downtown Blacksburg Inc., will lease The Local, located at 414 North Main Street, for $1 annually over five years and plans to sublease five incubator stalls to small business owners.
The town bought the building a decade ago for $900,000, and used $2.6 million of pandemic relief funds to renovate it.
“We heard feedback from the community, about their desire for additional shopping options, and this is a really creative way to introduce them into our market and give them ability to scale up from an accessible entry point,” said said Ann Cassell, president of Blacksburg Partnership, a town nonprofit economic development organization that’s serving in an advisory role for the incubator.
Across the stalls are five dedicated wall spaces where emerging entrepreneurs can display their product or services as well. The subleasing and licensing fees for wall and/or stall space tenants will cost between $200-$350 monthly, with more established businesses required to pay $500 per month, according to town Business Solutions Manager Angie Marcolini. The subleases are renewable every 12 months, and will include incremental rental increases every six months through the three-year graduation goal, starting at a 15% increase and ending at 40%.
While the building now has a use, some still have questions.
Peter Macedo, owner of Blacksburg Bagel and a former town mayoral candidate, said he wonders if the incubator program will address the lack of affordable spaces for businesses to establish themselves permanently.
“Blacksburg is really lacking affordable and appropriate places for businesses to go,” he said, “like you’re hatching stuff, right? Well when they hatch, then where do they go?”
The incubator program is currently interviewing tenants, who will be required to participate in business education courses, mentorship opportunities — resources that local business owner and incubator advisory committee member Paula Bolte said she would have benefited from when starting her entrepreneurial career.
“If there had been an opportunity for education, and mentorship, and support 30 years ago, man, I would have really, I would have really appreciated that,” said Bolte. “I think it’s a cool opportunity for businesses to see if they can make it in the retail world, because, Lord knows, it is a tough business.”
The Local plans to have a soft-launch event in September, with a large grand opening planned in October.
Christiansburg Town Council approves police camera contract on split vote
A nearly $2 million, five-year contract between the Christiansburg Police Department and Axon Enterprises, Inc. to acquire tasers, body and vehicle cameras was narrowly approved by the town council last Tuesday.
Mayor Michael Barber cast the deciding yes vote during the July 14 council meeting, joining council members Samuel Bishop, Tanya Hockett and Elizabeth Umberger.
The police department previously held an $891,781 contract with the public safety technology company for the security product and services, which began in 2021, according to council member Christine Waltz, who provided the figure during the meeting.
Council members were divided due to multiple concerns including body camera footage storage and security, the use of the vendor’s A.I. products to review footage and create police reports, and costs.
“All these little things that we keep adding to our budget, this is what is going to require a tax increase next year, I can assure you of that,” said Councilwoman Johana Hicks.
Councilwoman Kim Bowman said has concerns about multiple lawsuits the Axon has settled, as well as its marketing tactics, and the high-earning salary of the company’s chief executive officer — estimated at $160 million Bowman cited.
In support of the measure, Hockett said she was confident in the recommendations made by town police Chief Chris Ramsey who was present to answer questions from the council.
“I trust your judgement and opinions of that and I don’t take in account what the CEO makes,” she said.
Data centers also on the agenda in Christiansburg
The Christiansburg council is also another governing body in the region discussing potential data center development.
A public hearing is set for Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the town hall to discuss potential changes to Christiansburg zoning code that could implement an additional review for data center proposals.
Currently, data centers are allowed by right in the General Industrial (I-2) Zoning District. The council would add a conditional use permit requirement to any such a potential data center in that zoning classification. That could include conditions to mitigate a project’s impacts such as the reduction of noise, smoke, dust or other impacts, address traffic congestion, and establish setback requirements necessary for orderly expansion.
Similar actions happened in Lynchburg — on July 14, city council unanimously approved an ordinance that would require potential data centers to acquire special use permits, giving residents a chance to voice their opinions before a final decision.
“The amount of water that is used, the amount of energy, the amount of impact for these facilities, we need to have as much oversight on that as possible,” said Councilman Chris Faraldi.
The town did not respond to questions about the situation last week.
