
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 25, 1991                   TAG: 9102250282
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MANY OLDER CITY HOMES SAVED FOR COMMERCIAL USE

ROBERT RICHERT'S letter Feb. 12, "Review boards don't help revival of Roanoke's neighborhoods," fails to address one deficiency in historic-district zoning and architectural-review legislation. While many beautiful and architecturally significant properties in Old Southwest are worthy of preservation, others are far less remarkable and are in such poor condition that renovation is not cost-effective so long as they are residentially zoned.

In sharp contrast to Old Southwest west of Franklin Road, now zoned for single-family and multifamily use, the area east of Franklin Road has seen considerable adaptive reuse for medical clinics, professional offices and other non-residential purposes. Many older houses in an advanced state of decay were saved because their value for commercial use exceeded their residential value and made extensive renovation cost-effective.

If a home can be converted to office space renting for, say, $2,000 per month, it is far more likely to attract renovation than a house bringing $500 a month containing two apartments. Efforts to discourage commercial rezoning west of Franklin Road have contributed to the deterioration of marginal properties - and even to their demolition when real-estate taxes became too burdensome to owners unable to rent their properties without extensive repairs. Were it possible to rezone these for commercial use, many of them could have been saved.

What is often not grasped by rezoning opponents is that a conforming medical clinic, real-estate office or similar facility can often be a better neighbor than a rooming house or apartment house. Noise, crime and parking problems often occur in even low-density residential areas, not to mention those with many apartments. Efforts to preserve the "residential character" of a neighborhood often backfire when controlled, light-commercial use could improve the appearance and enhance the quality of life in close-in neighborhoods like Old Southwest.

RANDOLPH GREGG ROANOKE

by CNB