Crews prepare for concrete work and other parts of the construction of Alleghany's new technology/education/business complex. At left, the solarium-style student lounge for the Wilkes Community College-Alleghany campus looks complete, while the main entrance at the front of the Blue Ridge Business Development Center's new headquarters is taking shape. Work on the interior is about on schedule, while winter snow, ice and rain have put the outside work about a month behind.

BRBDC work behind schedule, may make deadline for WCC

Harsh winter weather, along with the recent rain, have put some of the work on Alleghany County's new technology/educational/business complex behind schedule.

However, project spokesmen still hope to meet deadlines necessary for a late spring opening, thus allowing Wilkes Community College-Alleghany summer classes to be held there.

The building, the former Bassett Walker plant on Atwood Street, will house the Blue Ridge Business Development Center (BDC) and Alleghany JobLink along with WCC-A.

"The inside's going great. We're starting to do some finish work," said County Manager Don Adams, who is also the project manager. (Alleghany County owns the building.) "The inside is on schedule to be substantially complete by April 16."

However, he stated, "The outside is about 30 days behind due to weather."

Work began in early October 2002. Mark Steele, the project superintendent for Dave's Construction Service, said, "We had some problems that we've dealt with and took care of as we went along." Until the old roof was replaced, wintry precipitation caused numerous leakage problems. Adams said a 20-year roof is now on the building.

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