Roanoke Off-Topic

[weill]

Im going DT tommarrow, anyone want a picture(s) of anything?

[Jerseyman4]

ROADS!!!!

Old/weird/erronous highway signage and button copy like signage are the goals Weill. Check out the Rhode Island and New Jersey pages. You should get an idea what we are looking for.

Thank you!

[weill]

OK, Ive actually searched for signs for you recently, but I couldnt find any that I have taken a picture of yet, of course Festival in the Park is DT tommarrow, so I would guess many temporary signs will be in place.

EDIT: Whoa, I just checked those sites, Ill look for some all these also now.

Edited May 27, 2006 by weill

[Jerseyman4]

^Take as many pics as you want, you can never have enough.

[weill]

Moving the conversation of Steven's new job to here...

Does this mean you will be moving into the Valley?

Would you word downtown, or stay in the place your at?

and, How are you going to commute, since it is my understanding you don't drive.

Sorry, just curious.

[StevenRocks]

Moving the conversation of Steven's new job to here...

Does this mean you will be moving into the Valley?

Would you word downtown, or stay in the place your at?

and, How are you going to commute, since it is my understanding you don't drive.

Sorry, just curious.

Yeah, we can talk about it.

I'm not going to move immediately though I think that it is probably be the best thing to do by the end of the year or thereabout. It's just going to be a place so that I don't have to ride in my parents all the time at first. My mom's work schedule and my dad's health are going to make it neccesary to be a little closer in eventually.

So if anybody knows any efficiencies or one-bedroom apartments near downtown that rent for relatively cheap...

[electricmonk]

Lots of places in my neighborhood for cheap. As long as you don't mind a few gun shots some prostitution and things like that. It's within walking distance of downtown and it's sort of on the rebound. I actually turned down a sublease out at Stratford Village because I would rather live here than in a generic apartment complex.

[weill]

Thats awesome Steven...hopefully you will find a good place...

I was in your neighborhood today electricmonk, I believe it was Marshall Avenue

EDIT: I have some photos I will upload today (Sunday) or Monday.

Edited May 28, 2006 by weill

[BGW]

Lots of places in my neighborhood for cheap. As long as you don't mind a few gun shots some prostitution and things like that.

Around here, that's what we call "character."

[Jerseyman4]

... and its all what your used to!

Ive went from the quiet, you can hear a pin drop, everyone knows your neighbor, law abiding-drive the speed limit society, no murder in 22 years and counting, yuppie town that closes at 9pm every night type of neighborhood to the................ bustling metropolous where i can hear 24 hours everyday of engine breaking 18 wheelers on Route 1, ambulances, police sirens, people cutting through my street/running stop signs to save 20 seconds of driving time, having the "everything I do is legal until i get caught" mentality and teenagers smoking weed in the woods directly infront of the house like they think im stupid that I dont know what they are doing type of neighborhood.

I do not think seeing prostitution and gun shots deters everyone from moving into the neighborhood because......

Its all what your used to.

Edited May 28, 2006 by Jerseyman4

[StevenRocks]

I'm gonna check around and see what I can find. I'd like something relatively safe but affordable.

[mclawsdrive]

I'm gonna check around and see what I can find. I'd like something relatively safe but affordable.

I know that some of the smaller 1 bedrooms at 8 jefferson place (old N&W building) start around $450. I love that building and the location is awesome. It might be worth checking out. The coolest unit in that building is the one with the skywalk included (2 bedrooms). That room must be 30 feet long with windows on both sides overlooking the street below.

[StevenRocks]

That sounds like a cool option.

[weill]

Well good luck, hope all goes well, and you find something that fits your needs.

[electricmonk]

A friend of mine lives there and he likes it a lot. If it wasn't for the fact that Hall Associates manages it I would consider it for myself, but I wouldn't rent an outhouse from that company though.

[StevenRocks]

Hmmm...I was thinking of going with Hall Assoicates. What's up with them?

[electricmonk]

I had an apartment through them and had been a model tenant for 3 years. Never late, no damage etc. When I went to move out I did everything by the book and followed what my lease said for things like written notice and 30 days notice. After I was all moved out and was ready to do the walk-thru to get my deposit back I was supposed to call them and set up a time. I called three times during normal business hours and never talked to a human. 4th time I left a message saying I would be there at the apartment the next day at so and so time and due to my work schedule that was the only time I could be there and for someone there to please call me back. No one did. Next day I waited for 4 hours for someone to show up and no one ever did. So I left my keys on the mantle and set the door knob lock and left.

Three weeks later I get a subpoena for non payment of rent, abandonment, and locksmith charges. They claimed I never told them I was leaving even though I had a copy of the move out notice and they said they had to hire a locksmith to enter the unit which was also BS becuase their maintence people had been in there quite a few times when I wasn't home. Anyway we went to court and I didn't have a lawyer so we settled for the amount of my security deposit. I know I could have won if I had had a lawyer but it would have cost me more than the suit was for.

My sister had a place with them on Grandin Rd and had to get the city to condemn it before they would repair her collapsed kitchen ceiling due to a roof leak and they still tried to hold her security deposit too. She won and got her money back.

I know other people that have had issues with them also but those two are the only ones that I'm close enough to to give details for.

Oh one other thing, I often paid my rent in person so I could get a signed reciept and their office was staffed by some of the rudest people I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. I'm sorry but if I'm handing over 400+ of my hard earned dollars I expect a smile and thank you. I'm funny that way. It was like it pained them to deal with a lowlife renter.

[StevenRocks]

I'll keep that in mind.

[weill]

I heard Poe & Ceonk was pretty good.

[StevenRocks]

I might have to look Poe & Cronk up instead. It's still very early in the process.

[weill]

Thanks for catching my spelling error, I meant Poe & Cronk, Ive also been looking at many different real estate agencies in the DT Roanoke area, and Ive havent found anything worth metioning but it was just the start. Hopefully there will be a grocery in DT soon, I have heard talks of one going in, I guess we will have to wait and see.

[StevenRocks]

Downtown needs a grocery. There's no really great spot for one, but I think an enterprising company can make a large enough space work.

[electricmonk]

The city mails a magazine out quarterly about what all the city government is up to. In the latest one is an article about downtown living and there's an interesting quote from a city official that lives downtown. Housing and Neighborhood Services Director Ford Weber, "I have to drive a couple of miles to go to the grocery store but a lot of people who live near a grocery store have to drive 10 miles to go to work. I've always wondered why so many people think it's important to live near a grocery store and not near where you work."

I agree with him on that. The nieghborhood I live in is the same distance to a grocery store as any place downtown would be so I don't think that would be too big a deal.

Oh and yeah Poe & Cronk are pretty decent. I rented from them when I first moved back to Roanoke and don't have any complaints about them.

[weill]

Whats the name of the magazine? Sounds pretty interesting.

I believe we lived via Poe & Cronk for awhile.

Also on DT living, what are they doing with the Century Station parking garage? Are the starting work on adding the four floors for condos? There were people surveying the top of the building also. The whole front of the building was taped off. Heres some pictures.

[StevenRocks]

I noticed that construction yesterday. Are they actually putting stores behind those bottom floor storefronts now?