Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 9, 1991 TAG: 9104090505
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Since the railway gave Hotel Roanoke to Virginia Tech in 1989, the hotel has become more of a public treasure than ever before its 109-year history. It is cherished by all Roanokers, and by tourists, as our best-known, indeed our nationally known, landmark, although strangely not officially listed as such.
It is a tangible symbol of much that makes life pleasant and memorable: hospitality, elegance, beauty, architecture, refinement, society, history, politics, business and most importantly religion, because of its proximity to two other national landmarks, a yellow brick Catholic church and a red brick Baptist church.
The lofty spires of these two churches formed an inspiring sight, as long as we were allowed to see them. But when the yellow brick church was gradually obliterated this year from the view of Northbound motorists on Jefferson Street, it became evident that the "movers and shakers" were not thinking of God and his churches in locating the new office tower.
It seems absolutely absurd to demolish up to half a famous structure to make room for a so-called conference center or auditorium. It smacks of vandalism. If the conference center must connect with the hotel, it should be built on the east end where there is more open space.
Even better from a landscaping viewpoint, why not buy the Stone Printing Co. building, use that splendid and familiar structure for the convention center, and expand it westward (away from Jefferson Street), rather than extend the hotel?
HOSKINS M. SCLATER\ ROANOKE
by CNB