ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996 TAG: 9601080011
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
A FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN proposes to redevelop property in Old Southwest that "can only deteriorate in the coming years." But his idea could ignite protest.
A former city councilman and Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority board member is advocating razing part of a historic residential district to make way for an office building, parking garage and upscale condominiums.
Jim Trout publicly announced his plan, Franklin Square 2007, to the Roanoke Lions Club during a breakfast meeting Thursday. Now, he's trying to sell it to city officials.
But the idea could run afoul of preservationists in Old Southwest, part of which would be taken for the development under Trout's proposal.
Trout's concept calls for demolishing 26 structures: on both sides of Day Avenue between Franklin Road and Fourth Street Southwest, on the north side of Elm Avenue between Fourth Street and Franklin, and one building on Fourth Street.
Most of the buildings are residential. Some are occupied and in reasonably good shape; others are dilapidated and boarded up.
One of the buildings houses a small business. Another, at 374 Day Ave., is the headquarters of Roanoke Emergency Medical Services Inc., the city's volunteer lifesaving crew.
As Trout envisions it, Franklin Square would consist of:
A brick exterior, historic-style office building along Franklin Road between Elm and Day.
A multilevel parking garage with 400 spaces on the south side of Day close to First Baptist Church.
Four three-story condominium buildings, each with underground parking.
Trout, a former economic development specialist for Norfolk Southern Corp., sees the proposal as a continuation of redevelopment efforts that began a few years ago when the city widened Franklin Road to Elm Avenue.
He said he believes redevelopment is the only way the city will ever see significant tax revenue from the properties, many of which are in disrepair and owned by absentee landlords.
"The condition of most of this property can't improve," Trout said. "It can only deteriorate in the coming years."
Trout, who has researched the property values in the city Department of Real Estate Valuation, estimates that together, the properties yield only $12,000 in real estate taxes to the city. They are assessed at about $1 million.
City Manager Bob Herbert, who has talked about the project with Trout, said he hopes Downtown Roanoke Inc. will include some elements of the plan as part of a Downtown Sector Study that will be in the works shortly.
"I thought that there were ideas worth considering, but I don't mean necessarily at that particular location," Herbert said. "... These are the kinds of ideas that I see two or three times each week."
Trout said the development project could be spearheaded by the redevelopment authority, which would buy the land or condemn it and then invite proposals for development from private interests.
But if the idea ever gets to the development stage, razing those blocks of Elm and Day could ignite a firestorm of protest from Old Southwest Inc., a preservation group.
Old Southwest Inc. lost its fight against the demolition of two Day Avenue homes last year by First Baptist Church, which was seeking additional room for parking.
The group also is fighting an attempt by the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia to tear down two buildings on First Street that the diocese owns. The diocese wants to expand its currently cramped office space onto the properties.
Petey Cavendish, the new president of Old Southwest Inc., declined to comment on Trout's plan because she said she hasn't seen it.
But the group is likely to view the project warily.
"Every person seems to have a singular vision of one piece of Old Southwest that is their pet project," Cavendish said. "What these people fail to realize is that this is one whole neighborhood. ... We in Old Southwest see ourselves as an entity, rather than pieces."
Cavendish said the property values in Old Southwest are appreciating at a faster rate than most residential city neighborhoods.
"Unfortunately for us, because we are such an attractive neighborhood, it's both a blessing and a curse," she said. "Everybody wants to be part of Old Southwest - but they want to tear us down and remake us in their image."
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. WAYNE DEEL/Staff This is the area of Franklin Roadby CNBrunning between Day Avenue and Elm Avenue (background) that Jim
Trout wants to rebuild. color
2. map Proposed Development - Franklin Square color