Blacksburg presents $170 million five-year Capital Improvement Program; public urges preservation of St. Luke and questions project priorities

Town staff presented a recommended five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the Blacksburg Town Council and opened a public hearing during which residents praised preservation plans for St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall and raised questions about project priorities.

Town staff described the CIP as a five-year financial plan that lists 133 projects with a combined projected cost of just under $170,000,000. Staff said about 19 of those projects are likely to be financed through bonding and noted that roughly 40% of the projects fall in the general fund, with another sizable share in the transit fund. Staff emphasized the plan focuses on maintenance of existing infrastructure as well as new projects — including a redesigned downtown parking deck, athletic field renovations, streetscape work on Draper Road and trail and park buildouts.

“We presented you the recommended capital improvement program back at the end of November,” a staff member said in the presentation. The staff member explained the CIP identifies funding sources, potential budget impacts and links council strategic goals, the comprehensive plan and citizen input to project prioritization. The council was told it will take public comment, meet in a work session next week, and consider the CIP for adoption at its Jan. 28 meeting.

Key figures and projects in the presentation included:

- 133 projects over a five-year period totaling just under $170,000,000. - About 19 projects expected to be financed with long-term bonds. - A reduced design for the downtown Progress Street parking deck: staff said the previous multi-story design with an estimated $25–$30 million cost was revised to an over/under deck design with a projected cost of roughly $7,000,000. - Major athletic-field renovations to bring aging fields up to current standards; the town said detailed designs and refined budgets will be developed over the next year. - Draper Road streetscape improvements estimated at just under $10,000,000; staff said temporary improvements made during the pandemic were intended to hold until a full redesign. - Restoration work for Saint Luke and Odd Fellows Hall with a budget line “a little over $187,000” identified for restoration work and a stakeholder working group that has produced recommendations. - Completion funding for the Meadowbrook Trail (phase one funded with ARPA) and build-out funding for South Pointe Park. - A downtown restroom near the Farmers Market/Armory area, a $250,000 downtown façade grant program over five years, continued trail work on Brush Mountain and a proposed skate-park expansion. - About $32,000,000 in bus replacements for Blacksburg Transit across the five years, mostly electric buses, along with charging infrastructure at the transit facility and on-route charging to support electric vehicles.

Public commenters focused on historic preservation and project priorities. Jody Booth Daniels of 909 Allendale Court described Saint Luke and Odd Fellows Hall as “a remarkable monument, now a 119 years old,” and urged continued stewardship. Daniels noted the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and asked for equal support and educational focus compared with other town historic properties.

Heather Nicholson, who said she lived just outside Blacksburg, thanked the working group and town staff for producing preservation recommendations and urged using the hall to tell under-told narratives of African American history in the region.

Waverly Evans raised questions about relative costs, asking why the redesigned parking deck was estimated at roughly $7,000,000 while Draper Road improvements were shown at about $9,000,000. Evans suggested the town consider temporary or modular restroom alternatives for downtown events and asked the council to examine alternatives before approving larger permanent structures.

Staff told council members that many project details — including exact scope and specific sites for athletic-field work — will be refined in the coming year with community input and that approving the CIP does not appropriate funds; appropriations will occur later in the operating budget process.

The council took public comment at this meeting and will review comments in a work session next week before taking a final vote on the CIP at its Jan. 28 meeting.