The story below is from our March/April 2019 issue. For the full issue Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
Photo By Dan Smith
Downtown will have major changes soon thanks to the new plan for transportation improvement.
When developer Lucas Thornton announced in early January that he and the City of Roanoke were working on a little downtown property horse-trading, Vice Mayor Joe Cobb was among those most delighted. One of Cobb’s most passionate causes is transportation for those in the city and this deal can result in improved rail and bus service in the Valley.
Thornton, a developer responsible for several major renovations downtown in the past few years, is teamed with former City Councilman Court Rosen as Hist:Re Partners LLC for the project.
Basically, the plan is for a new bus station, new train station and $25 million worth of shops, apartments and offices in what is now a dilapidated bus station on Campbell Avenue. The new bus station (open air, rather than enclosed as it is now) would be on Third Street at Campbell Avenue, in front of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Amtrak and Smartway buses would be in a renovated building on Jefferson Street and there would be new buildings for the apartments, offices and shops.
Cobb calls the plan “significant in bringing new life to our public transit (bus) and downtown. By removing ‘the cave,’ which has been difficult to maintain and which has become increasingly crowded … the buses will be able to navigate more freely in a much more conducive and friendly space. Security will be better and our amazing bus drivers will be able to navigate more safely.”
He notes that the “streetscape will change significantly [and travelers will] see a vibrant new street with a mix of residential and business in new builds.”
City Manager Bob Crowell says Roanoke will try to minimize disruptions during construction. “Likely the impacts will be localized to the streets immediately adjacent to the facilities and will be as short-term as practical.”
Crowell insists that Roanoke is working diligently on improvements “ranging from enhancements and expansions on I-81 and 220/I-73” to improving Roanoke Regional Airport, bridges and walking/biking options.
Developer John Garland, who resigned from council recently because of conflicts of interest between his company and being on council, calls the plan “an all-around win [creating] a modern non-subterranean bus depot that is not in the heart of downtown … We can promote private investment that creates jobs in a progressive and sensitive manner.” He calls the current depot “outdated and an embarrassment” and believes Campbell congestion “not welcomed.”
Garland sees the project as allowing “for an expansion of our most successful downtown commercial area. The proposal from the developer was the least costly option that the city had in order to meet” its needs.
But the deal is especially sweet, says Garland, because “it will also be the most expedient option to obtain the train depot by trading buildings between the city and the developer and using an existing building for the train depot that requires only remodeling. Having the bus depot two blocks further out of the heart of town will make the best use of downtown real estate and not inconvenience the users. Having the buses outside of a building will be better than the current situation.”
The solution has taken a while to come to the fore, says, Garland: “Council has been in favor of this proposal since presented almost two years ago now. It is complicated and required ample time to develop an appropriate agreement. The pieces have come together and should be able to move forward toward implementation.”
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