Photo by John Henley
The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia
The opening of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, scheduled for January, has been delayed until "sometime this spring," its executive director said Monday.
Asked if there was a reason for the delay, executive director Tasha Chambers replied, "not one I'd be comfortable sharing on the record."
Work on the armory at 122 W. Leigh St., the new home of the museum, began in September 2014. Originally, the $8 million historical renovation in Jackson Ward was supposed to be completed in late 2015.
Marilyn H. West, chairwoman of the museum’s board, last week referred questions about the museum’s opening date to Chambers. “Everyone has setbacks — and I’m not saying that we’ve had setbacks – but I’m really proud of the team that’s moving forward with the museum,” West said. “I don’t want to give you a specific date, but soon.”
The museum's website still lists a January 2016 opening date. A formal announcement of the new date will be made once it's decided, Chambers added.
In his state of the city address last week, Mayor Dwight C. Jones said the armory’s transformation would be completed in “just a few weeks.”
