Roanoke development

[VirginiaSportsReport]

A law firm has expressed interest in possibly relocating to the heronimous building. http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/83598

I still think something more public would be better. Proposals have been made for it to become the new central library. Or a mixed use project with retail/restaurants on the bottom, offices on the 2nd floor and residential on the top 3 floors would be great. It would be great to have a major restaurant/club that took up the whole bottom floor. .. Something like a Hard Rock Cafe.

I don't think any of us will ever live to see the day a Hard Rock Cafe is in Roanoke. However, I completely agree that I think a better use can be found for the old Heronimous building. The Library is a great idea and the city's libraries badly need an overhaul. Mixed use, restaurants/offices/apartments would be really cool too, anything that brings life to areas of downtown. I don't see how this law firm can take up the entire building, are they really that big? Perhaps they are only looking at taking over part of the building, which could leave other parts open for retail, restaurants or apartments?

[mclawsdrive]

The firm has 46 lawyers plus staff and has been adding staff over the past year. I don't know how much space a firm of that size would need, but it seems like two floors would be a lot, given the relatively large footprint of the building. Its hard for me to imagine them needing the entire building.

Onto another topic: There is a more detailed article about the proposed rec center and business park at the intersection of 581 and 81. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/83603

[seanpecor]

The firm has 46 lawyers plus staff and has been adding staff over the past year. I don't know how much space a firm of that size would need, but it seems like two floors would be a lot, given the relatively large footprint of the building. Its hard for me to imagine them needing the entire building.

46 lawyers + 46 paralegals + administrative staff = 120+ employees at a minimum. Assume 300 square feet of office space for each employee (this is a law firm, not a cubicle grid) and they would need 30,000 square feet. Then you need storage for all of the documents that 92 lawyers and paralegals create every day, which is beyond significant. That might be another 30,000 square feet. So at 60,000 square feet you're now 60% of the size of a typical WalMart. I'm sure there would be room for substantial leased space, but a law firm that big needs some serious square footage.

Sean

[StevenRocks]

I think that whoever moves into Heironimus should definately get some activity going at the street level, even if the rest of the building is offices. That places is a dead hulk in the middle of what could be a viable shopping street again.

[burt]

Relating to Heironimus, a Richmond law firm now quartered in the bursting Federal Reserve is moving to the old Edgeworth converted warehouse on Tobacco Row. I think Edgeworth has about 160,000 square feet. While the law firm is by no means the city's largest, it obviously has a significant number of employees. However, Edgeworth is advertising for other tenants as well.

A rebuilt Heronimus (I love that name!) with the law firm as an anchor sounds a perfect fit for mixed uses. Perhaps even a vertical mall on a smaller scale similar to Time Warner and Trump in New York.

Hard Rock seems to be avoiding central Virginia's cities. There's not one in HR, is there? I know Richmond does not boast of one.

Edited September 26, 2006 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

There is no Hard Rock in Virginia at all to my knowledge...

[burt]

There is no Hard Rock in Virginia at all to my knowledge...

There's one in DC - around 9th Street and Pennsylvainia Aveue, I believe. Anyway, it's not far from Ford's Theatre.

[StevenRocks]

A rebuilt Heironimus (I love that name!) with the law firm as an anchor sounds a perfect fit for mixed uses. Perhaps even a vertical mall on a smaller scale similar to Time Warner and Trump in New York.

The vertical mall won't work. There's one a couple blocks away that was a collossal failure.

[electricmonk]

There's one in DC - around 9th Street and Pennsylvainia Aveue, I believe. Anyway, it's not far from Ford's Theatre.

I used to hang out at the old 9:30 Club and remember walking up E Street one day and seeing the Hard Rock Cafe coming soon sign and thought to myself, well there goes the neighborhood.

[mikeas]

I used to hang out at the old 9:30 Club and remember walking up E Street one day and seeing the Hard Rock Cafe coming soon sign and thought to myself, well there goes the neighborhood.

I'd say if we were to see a Hard Rock Cafe in VA it would probably show up at Virginia Beach Town Center being that most every other business there is some type of chain /franchise with no local character.

[weill]

And would Hard Rock Cafe even move to DT Roanoke if there was enough demand? Or would they take the Valley View route?

[StevenRocks]

And would Hard Rock Cafe even move to DT Roanoke if there was enough demand? Or would they take the Valley View route?

I don't think we'll see a Hard Rock Cafe in either location. They were a cool concept a few years ago and still very popular, but they're more of a big-city tourist attraction than anything else.

Once you get past the memorabilia, it's just another restaurant.

[BGW]

All of this Hard Rock talk makes me think of that Spanky Macher-run horrorshow that used to sit on the corner of Jefferson & Campbell, post-Hardee's, pre-parking lot. I can't remember the name of that place to save my life, but I remember it was pretty horrendous.

[mclawsdrive]

If my memory serves me, it was called the Star City Diner. And there was a giant big-boy statue on top of the building.

[electricmonk]

That reminds me that at one time where Corned Beef and Co. is it was two seperate clubs. Corned Beef and the other place was called Hard Rock something can't remeber it's full name. They had the side where you can go out on the roof and hang out and it was a lot cooler than CB.

After the Star City Diner closed the guy that owned The Melting Pot took it over for awhile as the Universal Cafe I think it was called and had a few punk shows there. He didn't have an ABC license so we all took our own beer in and stashed it in a back room and went back there between bands to drink.

[electricmonk]

Correction the name of the club next to Corned Beef was Ward's Rock Cafe.

[BGW]

If my memory serves me, it was called the Star City Diner. And there was a giant big-boy statue on top of the building.

Damn, how could I forget the Big Boy controversy? But yeah, Star City Diner. I remember hearing Spanky talking trash about burying his brother's place (aka Macados) when SCD opened. Guess things didn't work out quite as he planned...

[mclawsdrive]

It looks like big plans for Explore Park are still on the table... a table in a secret room, with a security guard outside. Larry Vander Maten's plans probably call for hotels and other infrastructure in an 'overnight family vacation destination'. A rezoning of the Roanoke County portion of the park allow for retail, a marina hotels, restaurants and gas stations. The plan calls for a bridge over the Roanoke river to connect the Bedford and Roanoke county sides of the property. Explore park board member Tom Brock says a 'realistic outside schedule' could see the park open in 2009.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/xp-87579

I feel that this could be a great project or a disaster, depending on how it's done. Explore park has some beautiful views and some relatively pristine natural areas. I would hate to see a large project destroy those amazing qualities of the property.

I'm not totally against a new bridge either, but that area is where the Roanoke river finally gets large, unlike the glorified stream that runs through the city. Its also the only stretch of wild river that remains completely undisturbed by urban development between the city and the lake. The river looses its 'river' status at the end of the explore park, at the Rutrough Rd boat landing where it reaches the level of Smith Mountain Lake.

I just hope any bridge would be repectful of this, my favorite stretch of the river. The higher the bridge, the better. The blue ridge parkway bridge would be a good benchmark.

[mclawsdrive]

A judge has ruled in favor of Len Boone, developer of the upscale Wilton subdivision in South Roanoke.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/87536

Boone wants his subdivision to be connected to/ part of pretigious South Roanoke. Peakwood residents don't wan't increased traffic on their street. Heres an idea. Have TWO entrances to the subdivision. One at Peakwood and one in the Southern Hills neighborhood. In terms of convenience and driving time, the Southern Hills access makes more sense, its just not a particularly desireable neighborhood. Maybe Boone could install an impressive faux gate at the Southern Hills entrance to make a statement about it's prestige. Keep the Peakwood entrance as a lesser used access point that essentially just allows Wilton to claim it is in South Roanoke. Brilliant, I know.

[bmedguy]

I noticed the Fairfax condos near CRMH are really starting the take shape. On my walk to work, I can see the rooftops poking up as part of a new miniskyline taking shape around the hospital. The building is not that tall, just built on a hill. Saw a sign that said 2/3 sold.

Day Ave. is also coming along well with four homes completed and two sold thus far. The plans are for 17 homes on the block to be completely rehabed.

[mclawsdrive]

My parents took the downtown living tour recently, which included a house on Day Ave. They loved it. They were also impressed by apartments in the CBD. I think Weill said he was going to be a volunteer tour guide at that event. I wonder how that turned out?

[VirginiaSportsReport]

I went on the tour and there were a lot of people on it. The houses on Day Ave are amazing!

[weill]

Yes, I was there, in Mr. Reburns house. I also like the Day Ave. houses, and found it conveniet that MBK was holding open houses that day too. I personally know the homeowner of the Day Ave. home, and they asked to only show the bottom floor, but if you went to other houses, you saw the same idea. The Campbell Court Garages didnt impress me to much, remind me of an assissted living home. Not much of a view, besides the Trans. Museum and a little of the Wachovia Tower. I wasnt happy that the one lofts werent open yet. Pretty cool, About 600 people bought tickets, not including advanced tickets, so pretty good start.

[VirginiaSportsReport]

Heard a rumor yesterday that a Starbucks is going to open up in Grandin Village. Any truth to that?

[StevenRocks]

Heard a rumor yesterday that a Starbucks is going to open up in Grandin Village. Any truth to that?

Hadn't heard that one yet. Southern Hills is getting one next to the new Home Depot, Salem's getting one at Spartan Square, and West Village and Keagy Village are supposed to get one each in Southwest County, but I've heard nothing on Grandin. I'll keep my ears peeled though.