The story below is from our September/October 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
In 1975, Roanoke welcomed a monumental addition to its skyline — the Richard H. Poff Federal Building, a landmark in both size and significance.
In 1975, a new addition to Roanoke’s skyline made its massive debut.
The largest building in the city at the time, the $13 million Richard H. Poff Federal Building, rose 14 stories high on Franklin Road.
It brought about 600 office workers and numerous federal agencies under one roof, from the Internal Revenue Service to the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. District Court.
The 307,000-square-foot structure is named for the late Poff, a Virginia Supreme Court justice and congressman.
The building’s opening made a significant statement, in particular a steel sculpture that was placed at the front entrance and remains today. City officials and residents complained that the $58,000 sculpture was unattractive and a poor use of government funds, according to news articles.
Though it was the largest structure in Roanoke, the building experienced some growing pains. In 1992, a space crunch forced at least six federal agencies out of the building to find homes elsewhere in downtown Roanoke.
Also, the federal government spent at least $72 million on renovations to the Poff building in 2019. The renovations included a new roof, energy efficient upgrades, façade repairs and structural and safety upgrades to the parking garage, according to news articles.
There could be a change in store for the building’s identity in the future. Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate passed a bill to rename the building the Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building after the late trailblazing civil rights attorney in Roanoke. The legislation awaits future government action.
The story above is from our September/October 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
