Center in the Square Nears $9 Million Goal

Architect's drawing of Center in the Square's renovation.^

Center in the Square has announced that it has raised $8,802,776 towards its $9 million fundraising goal that will help finance the total renovation of the cultural organization’s 200,000 square foot facility on the Market Square in downtown Roanoke.

Says George B. Cartledge, Jr., CEO of Grand Home Furnishings and Chairman of Center’s Board of Directors, “We are getting very close to our goal and are confident people in this community will help us go over it by a wide margin.”

Center in the Square announced the public phase of the capital campaign in late August after it received a $500,000 pledge from the Steel Dynamics Foundation and a $750,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation. At that time, almost $8 million had been raised.

“The campaign is going very well and exceeding expectations,” says Bob Lawson, campaign co-chairman. “When we do exceed our goal, any additional amounts raised will go into our endowment to be used for sustaining the new building’s operation in the future. So whether a contribution goes for bricks and mortar or sustaining future operations, you may be assured it will go toward the new building.”

The total estimated building cost for the redesign and renewal of Center in the Square is $27 million. State, Federal, and New Market tax credits have been sold providing $18 million in funding.

The “Igniting Dreams, Energizing Promises” capital campaign will provide the final $9 million. Center in the Square is the home of the Science Museum of Western Virginia, Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke Ballet Theatre, Opera Roanoke, the History Museum and Historical Society of Western Virginia, and the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge. Center will be the new home of the Harrison Museum of African American Culture when renovations are completed.