BLACKSBURG — Before the end of the year, a developer plans to break ground on a 320-unit apartment complex featuring one- and two-bedroom units designed for young professionals and families rather than students.
Earlier this year, T.P.B. Enterprises LLC, a Lynchburg-based development company, set its sights on 3503 Holiday Lane for the location of its next residential project.
The remaining hotel foundation where future apartment buildings will stand.
The roughly 10-acre property, located off South Main Street near St. John Neumann Academy, was home to a Days Inn until 2020. The hotel, also formerly a Holiday Inn, was demolished about a year after it closed. The property has an assessed value of $929,000.
On Tuesday, the Blacksburg Town Council unanimously approved rezoning the property from commercial to residential and vacated about 32,000 square feet of public right-of-way to allow the project to move forward.
The Blacksburg Town Council unanimously approved the project Tuesday.
Once complete, the five-building complex — dubbed Yellow Sulphur after an adjacent road — will include 160 one-bedroom units and 160 two-bedroom units with 455 parking spaces, amounting to slightly less than one parking space per bedroom.
Plans also call for a pool and a clubhouse with a fitness facility, recreation area and meeting space. Each unit would be limited to two unrelated residents.
Thomas Bell, owner of T.P.B. Enterprises, said rent will likely start at $1,500 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,000 for a two-bedroom unit, describing the pricing model as “market rate.”
Once complete, the complex will feature five apartment buildings and a clubhouse.
While not part of the current plan, a future connection to the Blacksburg Transit bus system is possible, said Steve Semones, a representative of the project’s design firm.
“If a full bus did want to come into the parking lot — I know that’s not ideal for them — we do have the turning movements available,” Semones said.
Council member Jerry Ford, who also serves on the Planning Commission, described 3503 Holiday Lane as an “odd duck,” separated from downtown by the U.S. 460 bypass.
“Normally, we want to try to have fewer parking spaces, but several planning commissioners acknowledged that you can ride your bike from there, and there’s the potential for a bus,” Ford said. “Unfortunately, it is going to be a more automobile-centric development.”
The sign of the former Days Inn by Wyndham hotel at 3503 Holiday Lane.
One resident, Steve Gillespie, urged the council to renegotiate the project, citing potential traffic increases and a lack of affordable units.
“Blacksburg definitely needs more housing, not just student housing, but we also need affordable housing,” Gillespie said. “Working people at the hospital, young professionals, graduate students — I don’t think they’re going to be able to afford this. And I definitely think it’s going to negatively impact traffic.”
Council members acknowledged the project does not meet the definition of affordable housing but said it addresses other needs.
“This one- and two-bedroom unit is something that’s really difficult to find,” said Vice Mayor Michael Sutphin.
Council member Liam Watson agreed.
“It’s certainly not affordable workforce housing, but it is a housing need that we have in the town of Blacksburg,” Watson said. “I think that we need to look at housing comprehensively.”
Ethan Hunt