Downtown Roanoke (Richmond: hotel, theatre, construction)

[Topo]

What is happening with the revitalization? It is done? or is it still a work in progress? If so, did it turn out pretty nice? The last time I went thru there it was alot of empty buildings and boarded up places.

[roanoker 4]

Currently, the major construction project is the new $70m futuristic designed
Art Museum of Western VA. This building will be finished in late 2008 and already the steel and glass design will dominate the downtown skyline. Most of the construction downtown is near the new BioMed Institute around Reserve Ave. This is considered downtown but not quite walking distance. A new Cambria Suites Hotel is going up and other office/medical buildings are planned. It is hoped that once the Art Museum is built, other projects will follow downtown as that area has always been an attractive part of the area, unlike so many nearby cities. Roanoke is definately going through a major transformation at the present!

[Topo]

Actually I was reading about shops/bookstores/coffeeshops, and a farmers market going into the revitalization, and this was a few years ago......This hasn't happened?

[roanoker 4]

Actually, the farmers market has always been a major part of downtown. There are nightlclubs, bars, coffeshops, 60+ restaurants, shops now. The latest plan by the City is to remodel the market building for more restaurants overlooking the street(similar to New Orleans French Qtr)with outdoor terrace dining. They want to expand the market into another adjacent building with an indoor market(similar to the Chelsea Market in NYC). A movie theatre is planned as well as a boutique style hotel. I don't think we will see much happening there until the new Art Museum is opened in '08, so stayed tuned.
There is also talk of connecting the downtown area to the Riverside Center by a elevated train or streetcar. Lets remember though Roanoke is in Virginia, which is NOT known as a particularly forward-looking state by any means. So much of our state is still stuck in the past!! Cities in VA don't get much attention by our backward thinking legislature in Richmond.