May 1 marked the 70th Anniversary of the late Hix Bondurant going into business in the City of Radford. When the Bondurant Mutual Insurance Agency opened its doors in downtown Radford on May 1, 1947, a business was born that has had an enormous impact on the Radford community.
In 1956, Hix earned his broker’s license and began branching out his business into real estate sales and development. Hundreds of homes have since been built in the subdivisions his companies have developed. Those developments include Radford’s College Park, Highland Hills, Forest Park Sec. II, Smithfield, and Valley View, as well as the Vistas and Lake Ridge Estates in Pulaski County.
Hix was joined in the business by his sons Ken in 1972, Bill in 1985, and his grandson, Ben Bondurant, in 2002. Ken was a key influence in Hix’s move toward multi-family development, particularly adaptive re-use projects.
Their joint efforts led to the remodeling of the old Grove Avenue Methodist Church, which now houses 17 apartments and the administrative offices of the Women’s Resource Center of the NRV. They also purchased and remodeled the old Leggett’s Department Store in downtown Radford, which was donated to Radford University in 1997 and has since been renamed the “Bondurant Center for the Arts”.
During the 1970’s and ‘80’s, Hix and Ken built some of Radford’s most notable multi-family developments, including Cedar Valley Apartments, College Park Townhomes, Cedar Ridge Townhomes and Condominiums, and University Square.
They also remodeled dozens of older houses and built apartments throughout the east ward of Radford in order to meet the demand for off-campus student housing that grew as Radford University expanded in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. It was during this period that Hix sold his insurance business, so he could concentrate solely on real estate.
From 1983 to the present, Bondurant Realty has concentrated heavily on brokerage sales and property management. The sales department has been led by Bill Bondurant since 1991, while Ken Bondurant concentrated on property management, as well as development, until his death in 2004.
Ken’s son, Ben Bondurant, now an associate broker, has since assumed most of the property management responsibilities that were once his father’s, with the presidency of Bondurant Realty Corporation being assumed by Bill Bondurant.
Also included among 20 full-time employees of Bondurant Realty are Hix’s grand-daughters, Julie Herman, who works in property management, and Jennifer Bondurant, who works in real estate sales.
Hix passed away in 2015 at age 93, having actively worked in the business until age 90. His legacy is now carried on by his family and faithful office staff, as they continue a tradition of excellence, serving the real estate needs of Radford.