Plans for downtown Roanoke

The trolley

meg martin — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:30:49 GMT

What's your take on the trolleys that shuttle between Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and downtown Roanoke? Have you used them? How often? What was the experience like?

Amphitheater

meg martin — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:00:28 GMT

City Council members have prosposed building amphitheaters at Elmwood Park and Reserve Avenue in Roanoke.

The council voted in 2007 to go with the Reserve Avenue site, but reconsidered in September and asked a Charlottesville-based company to include the Elmwood Park location in a study of amphitheater proposals.

What's your take? Do you favor one of the two locations? Should Roanoke be looking into the possibility of building an amphitheater? Is there something else the council ought to consider?

The future of the City Market Building

meg martin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:47:24 GMT

What's your take on plans for the Roanoke City Market Building?

[Update 02/03/09: A Washingon, D.C.-based architectural firm met with food court vendors and retailers to talk about possibilities for the building's future.]

Center in the Square

meg martin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:28:51 GMT

Downtown Roanoke Inc. has released a proposal to renovate the entrance of Center in the Square, which would alter the area, which is now used for parking and by vendors at the downtown farmers market.

What do you think about the idea? What other changes to the area would you suggest?

Zorba for Mayor! Chico for City Manager!

GoTerriersGo — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:50:43 GMT

The city's first response to this mess came months ago when they did NOTHING about the maintenance concerns raised by the vendors. The next response, when the Health Department close the joint down, was to LIE. "Closed for Fall Cleaning"....give me a break! The city put those signs up and refused to comment when caught red-handed! Now they want to stick our friends with the bill for the clean-up after nearly a month of lost income?? This brazenly arrogant, anti-democratic, reactionary pack of LIARS needs to be tossed out on their collective ears. People who care about the City's future need to let Queen Darlene, Mayor Sparky and the rest of 'em hear your voices and raise one holy heck of a fuss about this, not to just sit back in typical Roanoker apathy while something bad happens to one of the few good things remaining in the city.

Roanoke City Market Building

Motor02 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:22:56 GMT

Could we please stop being told what condition the Market Building is in? Every hour of each day for two weeks, here a mouse, there a mouse, everywhere a mouse, mouse. Who cares? There's more going on in the Valley. When this old toxic waste dump of an old building is cleaned, each person can then decide for themselves if they want to eat there.

It's the City's fault, stupid (or Mouse-Gate)

roanoke.found — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:36:11 GMT

Not hard to see that the landlord has been negligent, and the health department has been negligent (or worried about job security or something) to keep this quiet for so long. And keep it out of the public record, at that.

Not one of the most recent inspections (prior to Rat-gate) mention anything about the mouse issue. So where is the papertrail? Where is the past evidence, or did this situation just arise with the construction of the Taubman Art Museum and Future Berglund Downtown? I know a certain major landmark hotel had major problems with insects and other crawlys during the construction, and none of it was documented by the VDH.

Then again, when the inspector only shows up for 15 minutes, what else can be assumed, other than a clean bill of health?

Regardless, the fact is the vendors had tied hands - the rules are clear. No extermination work can be done without a liscensed exterminator. And the vendors are not the landlords - which means the only work they could have done are on the area they hold lease on. And let me tell you - thats not much.

Anyway, it's the city... everyone gets screwed...

ROANOKE CITY MARKET BUILDING JUST LET IT GO!

vabeachgal — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:03:30 GMT

I was born and raised in the Roanoke Valley always visiting the market area for weekend vegtable purchases and of course a "hot dog"! I have moved away from the area for a life by the ocean, There have been many buildings that should just be leveled,and rebuild,I worked in the downtown area for a few years as well, and if you wake up early enough in the morning the size of the sewer rats and cockroaches would SCARE you into work in the mornings....With all of the flooding that has taken place in the area over the years the buildings are not only unsanitary but probably not inhabitable...I was totaly shocked to see the building a couple of years ago when I was back in town visiting family, but when I saw the pictures I could not belive what I was seeing, the building just needs to come down, they need to rebuild something that would work in the 21st century, and the city will eventually do this I would assume, so why put it off, you would have to be a BRAVE sole and have a IRON STOMACH to EAT one thing out of the building after seeing the pictures on the web, "well I put off eating for a few days and have second guessed many meals since the viewing of the photo's", the diseases that people could have and were exposed to are numerous, and a lot fatal.The rats,roaches,gnats,flies and many more I really hope the city can start to GROW in a better direction and quit holding on to brick and morter, "BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME" GOOD LUCK ROANOKE

market building

katz4u — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:16:05 GMT

I think its a real shame that they go to the expense of this new buliding ,and dont fix or repair the ones that are there ..they shoud have done those repairs or clean up (or should have been on going all along ) before the new building went up...hey we all are up for the new musuem,new businesses in the market area .but lets preserve whats already there ...but you have to admit that building just doesnt look right downtown anyway ,there should have been a better place for it so it could shine on its own .we as taxpayers should have more of a say in what goes in the market place and the vendors that are there everyday ..I think city council should listen and see what the people want before they just go ahead and do it and we end up paying for it ..i wish the museum well .. but i think the other business there should get some attention thats long over due... Ive grown up in the area and have been here all my life ....lets do something positive for the market as a whole instead of just for the new museum... all of whats going on now should have been taken care of before it got that bad shame on the building owner for letting it get that bad.... the city should fine the owner big time and all of the vendors should get some kind of reimbursment for what they are trying to do themselves ...they are losing money everyday its closed ,who is going to pay them or help them recoup ? they`re business licences the city should make the owner pay it ....these people are trying to make a living as well ,whos going to step in and speak for them MORE SHOULD BE DONE ON THEIR BEHALF THEY ARE SUFFERING THE LOSSES AS WELL AS THE CUSTOMERS

Eating At The Market Building?

SWEXYBABE — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:07:16 GMT

I would have to be really hungry to eat there again which I have not eat there in probably 20 years anyway because the smell in there was awful , And after I seen the pictures that was taken of the nasty carts that held the food YUCK Also if there was flies in the pickel jar whats going to say they want still be in there . Geesh how long was they in there before? How long will it take the Health Department not to go there and ck this out again ? And make sure all the trays and carts are totally free of any food and caked on ketchup because the pictures were really nasty looking . My suggestion is to PLEASE BE MORE CLEAN.

test

cloverude — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:13:03 GMT

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Market Building

Travelguy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:11:42 GMT

I grew up in Roanoke and I remember the Market Building as the "meat market". I think that explains how old I must be. After the flood of the 80's the market has grown into a nice quaint place to visit and especially to dine. I think the food court has been one of the main reasons for the renaissance of the market area. It compliments the museums(especially for school kids)and the lunch crowd.

Obviously since no decision was reached by the City to re:design the market building I think the future of the building should be seriously

re:considered. The Market Building should still exist(maybe as an extension of indoor market vendors, flowers, fresh seafood, meats, etc)but maybe NOT as a food court. Other possibilities include a Bow Tie Movie Theatre or retail. On a recent visit to the Market Building I could not find an empty table. I am amazed the fire department allows so many people inside this old building also. To say the least, it is not a comfortable place to dine. Even with new furniture there is just so much limited room. I know there are small business people who have looked at downtown for expansions for their restaurants but they are not happy with the available buildings currently in the downtown market area.

Downtown Roanoke Inc & the City can only be so successful in promoting the market. There have been a lot of sour grapes over the years between the vendors and the City over leases, etc which has not helped anyone. It is unfortunate that the potential of Downtown Roanoke is not being realized because of the poor economy but by out of town developers who may never visit this unique area. I wish in the coming years a mixed used type building(similar to Blacksburgs' Kent Square)with retail/food court/offices/housing can finally be built for this demand.

I think the food vendors at the market should get together and try to explore other options available downtown. Obviously the City has done all it can do. Certainly, someone in Roanoke has the foresight to focus on the market building, across the street from a "world-class" Art Museum.

Will likely not return

John Holst — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:46:05 GMT

I used to eat there just about every time I came to downtown Roanoke, but after reviewing the VDH reports for each of the establishments, I will likely not eat there again. It doesn't so much have to do with the current problems with mice, because I know that stuff happens, but with the food handling problems that have been repeatedly happening at several vendors, I'm not inclined to eat there again. Physical building problems are one thing that is easily corrected. However, repeatedly violating food handling guidelines despite warnings and write-ups is enough to keep me away.

The Health Dept is to Blame....and their photos prove it

cgarst — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:58:30 GMT

Just take a look at all the filth in those pictures. Some of the pictures under the sink and equipment shows grime that has been there for years. Obviously the health dept. is not giving out any violations for cleaning under the equipment, and repairing holes in walls, etc. The city also needs to maintain the building better in general or it will wind up like Victory Stadium that they didn't touch for 50 years.

Have you ever leaned over the counter at the Texas Tavern to see what is down behind there? Scarry.... Guess they have the same inspector.

I managed a downtown fast food restaurant for many years and the only time we had a rodent problem is when cleaning under the equipment was overlooked. I wonder if the health dept still has Tim Myers, he was a strict inspector in the city and didn't let this get buy him.

Also to blame is the vendors - slacking on the cleanup - but you also can get used to not cleaning up if the health dept doesn't make you...The vendors / owners of the restaurants need to take pride in keeping a clean establishment - and make sure their employees keep it clean also.

As long as it gets cleaned up and re-inspected, and I can see online that they have been re-inspected and the health dept allows business to resume, sure I will eat there.....

Market Building

realaquarian — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:29:51 GMT

Why is everyone making such a big deal about this now??? This is an old building...Roanoke is an old city. It's been this way for years and years. Apparently the Health Department is lax in their inspections. Aren't public eateries supposed to be inspected on a regular basis?? I'll bet that any place downtown that serves food has the same problem; maybe not to the extent that the Market Building does, but that's because there are so many vendors in one place. I can remember eating at a restaurant once and suddenly I noticed a roach crawling across the chair railing right at my table. That roach looked as big as a mouse and it was just as disgusting, and my feeling is that the owners of these places have the most responsibility in maintenance and sanitation. However, the City is responsible for the public's safety, and any business that serves food to the public should be inspected on a regular basis and fined heavily if found to be not in compliance. Y'all act like this is a new problem...it isn't, so stop being so dramatic. While the building is closed, get it cleaned up, spruced up, repaired and reopen it. The vendors and the City should share the expense involved, then the City needs to stay on top of it like they're supposed to. Good lord, we have much more to be concerned with right now...y'all need to be complaining about how the banking and investment industry has been ripping off people for years with outrageous fees and service charges and executives getting rich while the rest of us are on a sinking ship with no life rafts, and now the government is gonna step in and rescue these loan sharks from their own greed. C'mon, give the Market Building a break and complain about something that really needs an overhaul...the banking industry. And in case you're wondering, I worked for a large bank downtown for 28 years until I complained about my manager and his Standards of Conduct violation which got me fired. I wish a mouse problem was all we had to be concerned with...

Market Building Food

joe.vaughn — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:20:44 GMT

The City Market Building is a very unattractive facility. Even directly after the original revnovation it was at best, presentable. The interior is dark and just walking through you can easily view sanitation problems. While it may not be the least clean place to eat in Roanoke, it has to be near the top.

The City in not the only one at fault here. Vendors must take responsible for the cleanliness of their immediate work area. They also should have demanded a cleaner public area. Only desperate people use the bathroom facilities at the City Market Building.

The best thing the city could do is close the facility, assist the vendors with finding alternative space in the downtown area and market the building to interested developers.

Joe

City Market food court

PhyllisVE — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:54:57 GMT

Absolutely! The food court is not the only restaurant in town that has had mice. The City Market is THE place to get lunch downtown! Just look at all the travelers and busloads of schoolchildren who eat there, along with people who work downtown. We need the food court to encourage commerce in the downtown area, because a lot of people want something quick that's not franchise-chain food, instead of sitting down in a slow restaurant and waiting for their order to come.

I think with regular maintenance and inspection, the food court will continue to be an asset to Roanoke.

market building lunches

knotworthy24015 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:15:06 GMT

Yes - i will eat lunch at my proffered vendors when the market building re-opens. those vendors have shown professionalism in the past and i have no reason to believe anything has changed.

the city should fine itself for not checking on developing problems with the building as a whole. it's there property to run... so run it right!!

Scott