Downtown Plan

The Downtown Roanoke 2017 plan establishes a vision for the future of downtown. While Downtown Roanoke has experienced rapid growth over the last several decades, this plan addresses a number of challenges that the community identified.

Downtown Roanoke Plan - Salem Ave

Potential design and infrastructure changes that the Downtown Plan proposes to Salem Ave.

The plan discusses the following policies:

  • Encourage historic renovation and support the use of historic tax credits.
  • Protect historically significant buildings in the downtown.
  • Preserve signs and murals that add to the fabric of Downtown.
  • Market the close proximity to the mountains, Roanoke River, Blue Ridge
    Parkway, and Appalachian Trail.
  • Celebrate the unique culture and growing diversity of Roanoke.
  • Support Downtown Roanoke’s position as the regional center for the
    Virginia’s Blue Ridge area.
  • Work to fill vacant storefronts.
  • Repair voids in the streetscape and improve the pedestrian realm, while
    supporting infill development.
  • Improve the area around Campbell Court.
  • Activate the City Market Building.
  • Enhance the pedestrian experience within the Market area.
  • Support the City Farmer’s Market.
  • Support appropriate floodplain management.
  • Reduce flooding by encouraging stormwater and green infrastructure
    projects in downtown.
  • Build on new growth to the west of downtown by encouraging
    redevelopment of vacant buildings.
  • Capitalize on the expansion of the South Jefferson Redevelopment Area.
  • Encourage development to the north of downtown to be connected with the
    surrounding neighborhoods.
  • Improve the empty lot next to the Wells Fargo Tower into an active plaza.
  • Create new park spaces.
  • Improve connections to South Jefferson with improvements to streetscape.
  • And more…

You might also be interested in…

Building Safety Month

Celebrate Building Safety Month This May Building Safety Month is an international campaign celebrated in May to raise awareness about building safety. For more than 43 years, Building Safety Month has reinforced the [...]

Historic Preservation Month

Celebrate Preservation Month This May Celebrate Preservation Month this May by putting a spotlight on the people in our community who are doing the important work saving our places and building our communities [...]

Home Safe

Home Safe The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021, provided resources necessary for recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. ARPA authorized two [...]

Heat Ready Roanoke

Climate change is one of the most important issues of our time and has major health and healthcare implications. Heatwaves are one of the most dangerous of all weather-related disasters. Climate change will [...]

Accessory Apartments/ADUs

What is an Accessory Apartment? An accessory apartment, also known as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), is an independent, residential living area that is on the same property as a larger, primary dwelling [...]

Be engaged in your community

If you’d like, we will send you an email when new projects and opportunities to get involved in your community come up.

2023-05-12T16:26:28+00:00
Go to Top