Collegiate Times

Largely because of a strong opposition from local residents, plans for the proposed cultural center at 102 Mountain Breeze Dr. have been altered to exclude the apartment buildings.

The original proposal by developer Mani Ranjan featured a two-story building containing a cultural center and three, two-story apartment buildings.

The cultural center was designed to serve as a place to gather and worship for people of many different faiths, including Hindus and Sikhs. It will also have an Indian cultural library and places for yoga and meditation.

In the original plans, the apartment buildings were included in as a way to pay the cost of running and maintaining the cultural center.

However, at a Blacksburg Planning Commission public forum held on Oct. 6, residents of neighborhoods nearby the proposed site came forward to express their opinions regarding the plan, which many opposed.

At the end of the meeting, the commission denied approval for the construction of the apartment buildings.

Some residents at the meeting opposed the construction of the apartments mainly because they believed multifamily dwellings would not fit in with the area’s single-family housing.

An increase in traffic, environmental impacts, and a clash with the open, agricultural tone of the North Main area were also cited as concerns.

However, though opposed to the creation of apartment buildings, all of the residents who spoke at the forum were in full support of the cultural center.

“As far as the temple goes, I think it’s a great place for a temple,” said George Flick, a local resident, during the public comment time.

Many of the neighbors questioned how the apartments would complement the cultural center and whether or not the two should even be combined.

“When I look at the plans, the one thing I fail to see is a relationship between the apartments and a temple,” Flick said.

Other concerns raised included that not enough environmental impact studies have been conducted by neutral parties unaffiliated with the developer to get an idea of how the center would affect the area.

Statements expressed by citizens at the forum did partially impact its decision, said Kinsey O’Shea of the Blacksburg Planning Commission.

“The Planning Commission certainly does take into account if there is overwhelming opinions to one side or the other,” O’Shea said. “In this instance, we feel that the proposal does not follow the comprehensive plan’s view for Blacksburg’s future.”

However, developer and Radford resident Mani Ranjan disagrees. He believes that the cultural center is something that will greatly benefit the whole community.

“I think that it’s not just for Blacksburg but will benefit the Indian community throughout the New River Valley,” Ranjan said. “I am also trying to bring an Indian cultural library, which will definitely help the community and it will be free for anybody to use.”

Though the center’s use is intended to be public and open to the entire community, it is nonetheless a personal business endeavor.

“This is a business deal, and I will make a little bit of profit.” Ranjan said.

Though faced with the recent setback in the denial of the apartments, Ranjan is determined to go forward with plans for the cultural center and will look into new ways to fund it.

“Once we get approval for the cultural center and temple, I’ll decide what to do.” Ranjan said. “I have learned that life in Blacksburg is a little different. They grow slowly, and it will take time to convince everyone that this is the best thing.”

Until the next Blacksburg Planning Commission meeting, Ranjan says he will not give up.

“I’m not going to back off. I’m going to keep working on this.”