Well it’s about time.  The Town of Blacksburg, and the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation, announced a public/private partnership today that will undertake renovating the Alexander Black house, and turning it into a museum and cultural center.

Let’s hope so, because it’s been steadily falling apart since being moved to its new location in what … 2002?

Video from today’s announcement is embedded below.  From the Town’s press release:

The 1897 Alexander Black House was built by a fourth-generation descendant of the Black family for whom the Town is named. Mayor Ron Rordam called the building “a true icon of Blacksburg’s history. It is a prime example of Victorian style. In a sense, the building is art itself.” In 2002, the Town of Blacksburg purchased the Alexander Black House, which at the time housed the funeral homes, and moved it to its current location on Draper Road, making way for the construction of Kent Square.

The restored building will house the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Center, featuring restored period-appropriate rooms, exhibits of art and history, cultural programs, workshops, and special events. Jim Rakes, President of the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation said, “There is a renewed interest in the historical and cultural past and present of our community. This is the perfect time to tie in with the arts initiatives and the downtown revitalization that are occurring, and to restore this building as a community treasure.”