Laura Peters

lpeters@newsleader.com

STAUNTON - The large smoke stack near the corner of Richmond Road and Greenville Avenue is expected to breathe new life with a new owner and new vision.

What used to be the steam plant that powered Western State Hospital and the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind could be transformed into a restaurant and brewery.

"I've been watching this building since 1993," said Chip Clarke, managing partner of BCS Holdings LLC, the company that purchased the property.

Clarke's eyes light up when he talks about the property. It's a project he's been dreaming about tackling for more than 20 years.

For now, Clarke doesn't have a tenant for the property, but whoever inhabits the space, he plans on becoming part owner of the venture. He said there would be a tenant/landlord relationship alongside a business relationship.

The property was previously owned by Village Development Associates, who also are a part of The Villages at Staunton. It was sold to BCS Holdings LLC for $450,000.

"We are extremely pleased to have sold the property to Chip Clarke," said Robin Miller, one of the principals of the developing group for The Villages. "He's an experienced developer. We love his concept of a brew pub there. We think it was an unbelievably good location for that type of restaurant. We support him 100 percent."

The building has been for sale for a number of years and has been sitting vacant since the mid-1990s. Staunton began exploring redevelopment of the old hospital site, which had also served as a state prison, in 2004. The Villages broke ground in 2006.

From day one, it's always been in the plan for The Villages to make that space into a brew pub or restaurant, according to Miller.

Its emptiness has caused it to fall into disarray. There's asbestos, broken windows and a few squirrels that have taken up residence.

"We have to start from scratch," Clarke said.

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The current structure on-site dates back to 1949, when a new boiler plant complex was built on the site of the former plant originally erected in 1895, according to the property's historical registration form.

For now, talk of plans are mum. Since the property is registered as a historic building, historic tax credits could be used, but other funding is needed.

"It's so new, so we're exploring options," Clarke said.

What Clarke can say, though, is the space will boast great views of downtown from a newly developed second floor. Currently, the space has around 6,500 square feet. With the addition of a second floor, the building will have more than 13,000 square feet.

On Monday, Clarke walked the property with the vision of what could look like after roughly 24 months of renovations.

"It's such a beautiful space," he said.

Looking past the remnants of squatters and animals that have called the former steam plant their home, Clarke said the first thing that needs to happen is asbestos abatement, then figure out what to do with all the old pipes — which are above ground and below. The one plus of the building is it has a good roof, he said.

"There's a number of things we still need to do," Clarke said.

The task may seem daunting, but fixing up old historic properties is kind of Clarke's specialty. He's already redone two iconic properties along Beverley Street — 12 E. Beverley St., where Snapdragon Pho is, and 1 E. Beverley St., which houses Black Swan Books. He also owns 11 S. Augusta St.

He can see what it will look like. The abandoned train trestle on the property just feet from the existing C&O train line could be made into a walking trail, Clarke said. Between the building and a small workshop, just below the trestle, Clarke envisions a small beer garden. He also plans outdoor eating areas and green space within the 1.5 acre property, which goes all the way to the small park that sits at the intersection. He hopes it could be a place to hold events.

"We believe that Chip has the knowledge and experience to make that happen," Miller said. "Chip's vision is identical to ours. We've turned down a lot of other buyers because we didn't agree with their vision and didn't think they had the expertise to pull it off. We were very particular of who we sold it to."

The most challenging renovation might be fixing the smoke stack. Clarke said he wants to preserve it as much as possible, which means a large crane will have to be brought in to fix the structure.

The new development Clarke is pursuing is across the street from The Villages at Staunton, which has been renovating the former Western State and area jail for the past few years. Renovations of nearly 80 acres include condominiums, office buildings, rentable apartments, mixed use facilities and a possible hotel and space, to name a few.

Clarke hopes by fixing up the former steam plant, it will provide a good gateway to downtown and something to entice those coming off Interstates 81 and 64 to travel further down Richmond Road.

"It's going to be hugely successful for Chip, the city and for The Villages," Miller said.

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Follow Laura Peters @peterslaura and @peterpants. You can reach her at lpeters@newsleader.com or 213-9125.