Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991 TAG: 9102160060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B/2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Robert Szathmary - a lawyer who formerly ran a gallery of antiques, fine art and primitive art on the market - said Thursday that he and his wife, Alyce, will open an antiques mall at 123 E. Campbell Ave.
Szathmary, who has owned the building since 1985, said he had been planning the mall for several years - since before the similar business opened in the former A&P Grocery building.
He said he hopes the mall, which will contain about 4,000 square feet for about 20 dealers, can open by May or June after renovations are finished. The building, originally a grocery store, was occupied by a furniture store for many years.
The city's Architectural Review Board voted Thursday to approve details for renovating the front of the structure, which is in the historic Market District.
Board members had a mixed reaction to one proposal by Szathmary, to replace the concrete sidewalk in front of the building with glazed paving bricks similar to those used in downtown sidewalks in the early 1900s.
Some liked the proposal, but others suggested it would disrupt the design uniformity of downtown sidewalks. He sought the informal opinion of board members before deciding whether to seek a formal decision.
Szathmary ran an antiques and art gallery at 120-122 E. Campbell Ave. for several years before closing it in 1987. He still owns that property, but has leased it.
Roland "Spanky" Macher has dropped plans for converting the old Wright Furniture building on East Campbell Avenue into an antiques mall and the building is expected to be sold.
Macher and his brother ran the mall in the former A&P store until last July, when the city acquired that building and razed it to provide a site for the parking garage for the Dominion Tower.
by CNB