A subcommittee of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors has approved the demolition of a six-story building next to the new children’s hospital on West Main Street.
The Blake Center was built in 1970 and has served as the home of several offices. The University of Virginia Foundation has owned the building since 2004.
“It was originally purchased not for the building, but for the strategic parcel of land on which it sits,” said Colette Sheehy, UVa’s vice president for management and budget. “From the beginning it was expected this building would come down.”
The foundation has found new locations for all 208 tenants of the Blake Center. The space will become an open green space and will serve as the front entrance for the Battle Building, the children’s hospital that is now under construction.
A motion to demolish the building had the full support of the Buildings and Ground subcommittee.
“This is a class C building in a boardwalk location,” said BOV member Hunter Craig. “Please tear down that building.”
The building was originally scheduled to be demolished as construction of the Battle Building got under way, but a funding source had not been identified.
Demolition and relocation will cost $8.95 million over a three-year period.
The full Board of Visitors will vote on the matter Friday.
