Dance studio from “Extreme Home Makeover” shut down

By Ashley Roberts
WSLS10 Reporter
Published: July 11, 2008

Back in December of 2005 the television show “Extreme Home Makeover” came to Blacksburg and got thousands of volunteers to build Carol Crawford Smith a new home. They also helped “makeover” a dance studio that Smith runs.

Three years later, there’s not any dancing at the studio...just a note on the door that says dance classes are cancelled due to roof repairs.

The studio and the building it sits in were closed on Tuesday for safety reasons.

According to Blacksburg Building Official Catherine Cook, a leaking roof caused an excessive amount of water to enter the building and electrical fixtures. She says water was running down the stairs and hallways on lower and upper floors, which wasn’t safe for the public.

According to town documents, the leaking roof has been an issue for several years. On April 2, the town granted the owners an extended deadline of May 30 to find a contractor to replace the roof and have everything completed by June 30. They missed both deadlines.

WSLS 10 on your side asked David Branch, one of the owners, why the deadlines were missed. Branch says he simply can’t control contractors’ schedules and was waiting on bids. He says he plans to meet with a contractor tonight and hopes to have the work completed as soon as possible.

Cook says the building, as well as the studio, will remain closed until the roof is replaced and the electrical system is inspected for damage.

In the meantime, the town is meeting with Smith to help her find a temporary space, until her studio in Blacksburg re-opens.

We wanted to talk with Smith for our story, but she declined an on-camera interview until she has time to meet with her attorney.

One of the owners of the building says he also plans to meet with the Blacksburg building official on Monday in hopes of re-opening the studio before repairs are made so Smith can get back into her space.