Retail incubator planned for Blacksburg

The town council Building Specialist Co., Ltd. The contract will provide design and construction services to a Roanoke architecture firm for $104,553. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, said Bob Fetzer of Building Specialists.

The Blacksburg Retail Incubator will be located at 414 N. Main St. The 5,000-square-foot building will include Cook Clean CenterIt closed. The town purchased the property in 2015 for $900,000.

Once the building is renovated, Downtown Blacksburg Inc. will operate an incubator there to house entrepreneurs looking to start or grow businesses and bring their products to the area. Officials hope to attract merchants that serve new and underserved markets. There will also be space for events and receptions.

“The incubator program accelerates the development of successful retail businesses by providing low-cost space, access to mentors and consultants, technical support services, supportive marketing and events, and access to capital during the business's early stages,” the town said.

There's expected to be room for five to 12 retail stores, said Susan Mattingly, a town council member, past DBI chair and former executive director of the Lyric Theatre, who was part of the group that conceived the project about eight years ago.

“The town of Blacksburg has this space right in the middle of downtown and we were looking for a way to use it to serve the community. We know that local retailers are struggling and maintaining retail diversity is a challenge. We think this will help improve retail diversity and make Blacksburg a more attractive place to live,” Mattingly said.

The facility is being paid for in part with the town's pandemic relief money under the American Rescue Plan Act, and Mattingly said cleaning up contaminants from the facility has made it safe for use.

Proponents of a Montgomery County RV park near Interstate 81 plan to build housing instead, according to town records.

A year ago, car dealer Gary Duncan worked with Ernie Woods to discuss a proposal to create an RV park off Bramah Lane. The new application states, “High development costs and lower than previously estimated returns did not allow the project to be made viable.”

According to the application, the new plan calls for building 14 homes on lots averaging three acres on 47 acres accessed by a gated private road.