Community members continue efforts to purchase historic Dumas Center

The group is currently negotiating pricing with TAP

ROANOKE, Va. – Consideration is underway for a new owner of Roanoke's historic Dumas Center.

Last month, WSLS 10 told you the nonprofit Total Action for Progress, or TAP, is selling the building.

Now, TAP is looking at an offer from a group of community members who want to return the Dumas to its historic roots.

"I remember this area as being rows and rows and rows of businesses. It meant a place to go and have black economics, to be able to spend with your neighbor," said Shmura Smith Glenn, who grew up near the Dumas Hotel.

Henry Street has changed quite a bit over the past several decades. The Dumas Center, which used to be the Dumas Hotel, was once the center of the African-American community.

"It's the puzzle that was complete that now somebody has come and swiped most of it off. And it's just a few, four pieces left on a big puzzle that had 20 or 30 pieces to it, now down to four," Smith Glenn said.

That's why the Dumas Hotel Legacy Organization is trying to buy the building.

"How can we bring hope back? How can we bring trust back? Well, the Dumas offers an opportunity where we all say collectively to the African-American community, ‘look, your history, your heritage is important,’" said Martin Jeffrey, director of the Dumas Hotel Legacy organization.

They're now negotiating with TAP on pricing. 

"$1.075 million for a building you paid nothing for and renovated with public money... come on. Really?" Jeffrey said.

In a little over a month, they've raised between $50,000 and $100,000.

"We’re seeing people get out their checkbooks and write thousand-dollar checks to this effort," Jeffrey said.

Now they're waiting to see if TAP will go with another offer or pick their plan, which they say will bring racial healing to a community in need.

"This building has the capacity to infuse our community, economically, socially, culturally. This is what TAP is about so what has to happen is TAP has to understand that it was a caretaker for a while. Now it's time to hand it off to the community," Jeffrey said.

As part of its fundraising efforts, the Dumas Hotel Legacy Organization is hosting the Celebration at Dumas concert near the Dumas Center on Henry Street from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

WSLS 10 reached out to TAP for comment. They directed us to their realtor and WSLS 10 has not yet heard back.


About the Author:

Jessica anchors 10 News on Saturdays and Sundays at 6 and 11 p.m. You can also catch her reporting during the week.