Collegiate Times

The Democratic and Republican headquarters both temporarily moved in downtown this past summer to campaign in preparation for the November elections.

With the election now only days away, both headquarters are preparing to move out shortly afterward, leaving the spaces vacant once again.

Prior to the move-in, the Republican headquarters, located on North Main Street, was left empty after The Record Exchange closed down because of slow sales in February of 2006.

Chris Kappas, co-owner of The Cellar, said that the Republican Party asked him this past summer whether it could put their headquarters there.

"It wasn't a political or financial decision. I just thought, why not," Kappas said.

AKappas said there have been no decisions made as to what will fill the space after the election, but there are business negotiations in the making.

Kappas spoke with the chairwoman of the Montgomery County Republican Party, Patty Manthe, who said they probably will leave the premises a week after the election.

The Obama Campaign for Change office, located on 216 South Main St. was once a retail store and was vacant for a couple of months before the office moved in this past summer.

Bob Pack, one of the managing partners for Pointe West Management in Kent Square, said the Democratic Party called him to see whether there were any available spaces for them to use. Pack showed them the space and they approved it.

"They signed a four-month lease for temporary use and will be gone after the election," Pack said. "I assume they will be gone within the week after the election."

No plans have been made about what will go in Kent Square's vacant space after the Campaign for Change office leaves.

"You are supposed to put retail businesses on the first level, but we have not found anyone to fill the space. For a doctor's office or dental office to go in the space you need a special-use permit which takes four months to process," Pack said. "I think it will be vacant for a bit until the economy gets better or a retail person decides to lease."

Kappas and Pack both said that the offices that occupied their spaces have had minimal problems since they moved in during the summer.

"We did have someone throw rocks through the window of the Democratic office and also through one other window in the tanning salon," Pack said. "We aren't sure if it was alcohol related or toward the campaign headquarters."

Since the spaces where both headquarters are located are private entities, neither party had to obtain permission from the town to move in -- the decision was left up to the landlords.

Building inspector for the town of Blacksburg Lisa Browning said neither party needed a business permit to set up their headquarters. Browning is also in charge of approving business licenses.

"It's considered temporary use because after the election is done both parties will leave," Browning said. "Both headquarters are also considered nonprofit and are not like a commercial store making money like a retail shop would."