Residents were asked to vacate Stadium Apartments by the beginning of June in order to make room for the new luxury condominium complex, The Legends of Blacksburg. Concerns have been raised by the local community regarding the impact of this project on the cost of rent in Blacksburg as well as the removal of such primly located off-campus student housing.
“We want students to take advantage of that location, instead of rich alumni that will only use it for 10 weekends a year,” said Sarah Kamppila, nearby resident and host of an online petition to save the Stadium Apartments.
Margaret Galecki, general manager for The Legends of Blacksburg, explained that the developers conducted housing studies and economic impact research prior to setting the plan in motion. According to the results of the studies, “There is housing located throughout Blacksburg [with] easy access to campus.” And at the time the studies were completed there were “750 bedrooms available in vacant apartments.”
In addition to concerns about housing, some of the evicted Stadium Apartment residents were very confused about the situation. Kamppila explained that it seemed like the developers were “just going about it in an underhanded way.”
Some residents had their leases cut short and although they received compensation of paid hotel and storage, it was not explained to the tenants that they had legal right to stay. “Legally, they couldn’t force the students to move out,” Kamppila said, but “[the students] didn’t feel like there was anything they could do.”
Students displaced from the now nearly empty Stadium Apartments are forced to search for replacement housing for the 2007-2008 school year.
Some fear heightened rent although it seems unlikely that the removal of the 88 bedroom apartment building will have a large effect on Blacksburg’s cost of living. The developers’ research states, “according to Townside Realty research there are 7,500 apartments today in Blacksburg.”
Some students agree that this will probably not have any effect on the cost of living in Blacksburg.
“I don’t think it would affect pricing for student apartments,” said Kyle Luttrell, senior building construction major.
Although a reduction in traffic is expected due to the nature of the part-time occupancy of the project, the plan includes several roadway modifications to enhance the nearby area. “The area was already scheduled for improvement,” Galecki said. Warren Street is currently not regulation size; the road is not wide enough for emergency vehicles to turn around. Also included in the plan are a lighted pathway to the stadium and a monetary allotment to the town for construction of a bike lane that would connect to the Huckleberry Trail.”
The Legends of Blacksburg plan awaits approval by the Blacksburg Town Council on June 12 before the phased demolition of the Stadium Apartments can begin.
As of June 5, there were 116 signatures on the petition to save the Stadium Apartments.
Residents from stadium apartments have been asked to vacate the apartments. The area is planned to be used by the Legends of Blacksburg. -Kyle Swanson/SPPS
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