Recycling in Roanoke

Fall 2008
citizen
Roanoke’s Star
is Rising
The top 10 reasons
for Roanoke’s
success
a look
inside
4
You’re
Included
6
Orvis Means
(Environmental)
Business
11
Old Neighborhood,
New Horizons

green
Assignment:
In September 2007, the City of Roanoke
launched its Clean and Green Campaign
to engage residents, businesses,
schools, and civic organizations in
assuming responsibility for improving
and preserving the natural beauty of our
entire city, and promoting environmental
stewardship. One of the most effective
ways you can participate in this
campaign is by recycling, which helps
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and,
at the same time, makes our city cleaner
and greener.
Recycling in Roanoke
it’s easy to get started:
Residents
• Call Skip Decker at 853-6848, or Arthur McCoy at 853-6849 to request the delivery
of two recycling bins to your home.
• Learn about specific items the city accepts for recycling by consulting the inside back
page of your Municipal Calendar.
• Check the recycling schedule indicated by the icon posted on the Sundays of each
month in your Municipal Calendar, or online. Collections alternate between bottles
and cans one week, and paper the next.
• Set out your recycling items on the same day of the week as your refuse and bulk
and brush collection.
Businesses
• To participate in the city’s business recycling collection program, contact Solid Waste
Manager Skip Decker at 853-6848, or Arthur McCoy at 853-6849.
No sorting of items is required. Currently, the City of Roanoke cannot collect brown or
green glass as part of its bottle and can recycling collection.
For more information about recycling in Roanoke, visit the city’s Web site at
www.roanokeva.gov/recycling

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citizen
Roanoke
Roanoke ciTiZen is an official publication of the Office of Communications of the City of Roanoke,
Virginia. This magazine is not a public forum. It accepts no submissions from the general public and does
not engage in issue-oriented discussion or the advocacy of any social, political or religious viewpoints.
The publication is mailed to every household and business in the city.
Melinda Mayo
Editor
Christina Koomen
Managing Editor
Spotlight on SucceSS
With each passing year, Roanoke
continues to earn recognition for
its achievements
leaderShip profile
Alvin Nash believes he’s in the
right place at the right time
You’re included
Local Colors is about complete
inclusiveness of all Roanoke’s
residents
heart and Soul
Roanoke’s beautiful and bustling
downtown has become its
signature attraction
orviS meanS
(environmental) BuSineSS
Founded by an outdoorsman,
Orvis has never strayed from
its enviromental roots
roanoke wantS You
Efforts to attract and retain young
professionals are generating results
creating Young citizenS
City programs for young people help
steer them toward a positive future
Breaking old ground
Brownfields redevelopment returns
environmentally challenged sites to
productive use
old neighBorhood,
new horizonS
A revitalization initiative in Hurt Park
is breathing new life into a once
neglected area
inSide out
The Taubman Museum of Art will
represent art on its interior as
well as its exterior
on the cover:
Downtown Roanoke at night
Greg Vaughn
Local Photography
access
Design
From your city Manager
our star is Rising
The City of Roanoke has demonstrated a strong
commitment to making our city more livable,
providing quality services, and creating an awareness
of Roanoke both regionally and nationally. And it’s
paying off.
In this issue of Roanoke Citizen we will look at the
top 10 reasons for the city’s progress. Things like the
rejuvenation of downtown, the reuse of contaminated
land for productive economic development, and the
revitalization of the Hurt Park area.
While there is not room in this magazine to recite all
the great things happening in our city, we’ve tried
to list some that best represent our success as a
progressive city. Of course, the number one reason for our success is you, the citizens.
Without your support and involvement, we could not fulfill the goals and vision of the
city’s leaders.
Our star is rising, and it’s wonderful to see it happen. I hope you will take time to read
about the ways your city is developing into a more vibrant setting for life. n
Reason
#1
Our Citizens
Darlene l. Burcham
City Manager
ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 1

Spotlight on
Reason
#2
Achievements
SUCCESS
The City of Roanoke has been recognized
this year for a number of outstanding
achievements including:
Donation of Carvins Cove Easement
The Environmental Stewardship Award
(Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge
The Adaptive Reuse Award (Roanoke Valley
Preservation Foundation)
Emerging Artists Series
Outstanding Adult Program (Virginia Public
Library Directors’ Association)
Fire-EMS Department
Outstanding EMS Agency for the Western
Virginia EMS Region
Governor’s Award for Outstanding Fire
Department Response
Oral History Initiative
Neighborhoods USA Notable Award
Police Department
Virginia Law Enforcement Challenge, 1st Place
(Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police)
Operation Heatwave, 2nd Place, Virginia
State Police
Print Publications
Roanoke Citizen
Gold Award (Association of Marketing and
Communications Professionals)
Gold Summit Award (Public Relations Society
of America, Blue Ridge Chapter)
Annual Report
Gold Award (Association of Marketing and
Communications Professionals)
PLAY
Silver Summit Award (Public Relations Society
of America, Blue Ridge Chapter)
Silver Circle Award (City-County
Communications and Marketing Association)
Renovate Roanoke
Outstanding Cooperative Program with Other
Libraries and Agencies (Virginia Public Library
Directors’ Association)
Valley View E-Branch
Premier Visual Award and a 2008 Visual
Victories Award (CBL Specialty Retail
Conference)
Outstanding Service Innovation (Virginia
Public Library Directors’ Association)
Web site
Second Place in Center for Digital Government
Digital Cities Survey (cities with population
between 75,000 and 125,000). Roanoke was
ranked first in the survey in 2001, 2002,
2003, 2005, and 2006. n
2 ROANOKE CITIZEN Fall 2008 For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

“ Local government is about balancing
views, resources, and making decisions
that are best for the community.”
leadership Profile
By Christina Koomen
Alvin Nash
Question: What made you
want to serve on City Council?
answer: Like everybody else, I read in
the paper about the situation with Councilman
Alfred Dowe. I felt terrible and was sad
for all concerned. I received a phone call
from a couple of longtime friends of mine
encouraging me to apply for the open seat,
and then I got a call from a couple of Council
members asking me to consider applying. I
have always been interested in Council and
since I would not have to run a campaign or
raise a lot of money in a short time, I decided
to give it a shot.
Question: What qualities do
you bring to City Council that
benefit its service to citizens?
answer: As a lifelong resident, I am
committed to the progress of Roanoke. I
believe that this city remains a “balanced
option” for an individual or a family to live
a good quality life. I have a positive attitude
about life and I have always worked well with
a team. I excel in cooperation while retaining
my integrity and responsibility. I have given
back to my community in many ways but
the best way to give back is to serve. I have
25 years of experience in various forms of
business management, program development,
and community involvement. I feel confident
that my experience can serve the community
and assist City Council.
Question: In your opinion,
what is the most important
function of City Council?
answer: City Council should provide
leadership for the good of the community.
Local government is about balancing views,
resources, and making decisions that are best
for the community. There are five areas that
reflect my philosophy: Council should be
efficient in spending tax dollars and managing
assets for which it is responsible; Council
should keep the community informed about
its activities and listen to the concerns of the
community; Council should provide public
services such as roads, water supply, safety,
sewerage, and have appropriate emergency
protection plans; Council should support the
economic and cultural development of its
communities and protect the environment;
and Council should represent its constituents
to other state and federal governments.
Question: What do citizens
need to understand about
City Council?
answer: City Council is a team. Individually
we have no power, but collectively we can
make decisions that will affect people for
decades. I want people to understand that
being a Democrat, Republican, or Independent
is secondary to being responsible. On City
Council, there are seven heartbeats and each
represents a diverse individual who cares
about the people of this city, and who is
trying to be fair and reasonable.
Question: What is leadership?
answer: To me leadership means to act
in a manner that is honorable, courageous,
compassionate, and ethical. Leadership
is having character, character is having
responsibility, and responsibility is the one
trait that makes this city function as it should.
Alvin Nash says it’s better to be the person
who can settle a fight than the person who
starts one— and this from a former U.S. light
heavyweight kickboxing champion. Over the
years Nash’s life has come to embody the
classic yin and yang balance that forms the
foundation of the martial arts he enjoyed as a
young man.
Nash was born and raised in Roanoke, one
of five children whose family was displaced
from their Northeast neighborhood by the
urban renewal movement of the mid-20th
century. They moved to Hurt Park, where they
were among the first families to live in the
new housing project there. Nash attended
local schools, followed by Virginia Western
Community College, where he studied
architecture, drafting, and blueprint reading, and
hooked up with Hayes Seay Mattern & Mattern
as part of a state apprenticeship program.
“Having come from Northeast to where I am
now proves that there is opportunity, there is
a chance for people to work their way up,”
Nash reflects.
In those days, Nash’s mother was on the board
of Total Action Against Poverty (TAP) and got
Alvin involved by encouraging him to lead a
karate class for agency participants. By chance,
another employee at TAP mentioned needing to
review the Federal Register for a grantwriting
project, and because his work at HSMM had
familiarized him with this document, Nash
offered to help— and his career with TAP was
launched. About 10 years ago, Nash spun off
from TAP the Blue Ridge Housing Development
Corporation, the agency he still heads.
Some of the key issues facing the city, Nash
believes, are neighborhood revitalization,
business development, and education.
However, he says he’s not here just to offer
a lot of answers. “What Council needs, and
what the city needs, is the right questions.”
His main talent, he believes, is trying to
appreciate and understand what people care
about, and making them comfortable working
with him on solutions.
Nash joined City Council in the spring, and says
he’s looking forward to working with the new
members, and seeing what he can accomplish
in the coming year.
“I think for some reason this is where I should
be,” says Nash, with zen-like insight. “Time
will tell.”
To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke
ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 3

Reason
#3
Diversity
By melinda mayo
You’re Included
Many people think of Local Colors as an annual festival held in Elmwood
Park. But did you know it’s also a year-round program dedicated to cultural
education and awareness?
Local Colors enriches the quality of life for everyone in the Roanoke Valley.
Through lectures, storytelling, displays, performances, and authentic
cooking demonstrations our community gains a better understanding of
the cultural groups which reside in this area of Southwest Virginia. Led
by Executive Director Pearl Fu, the program culminates each May with
the Local Colors festival— a day of sharing and learning through the
celebration of authentic music, arts, crafts, and food representing the city’s
diverse cultural community.
“More than 70 countries and 30 cultural groups participate in the Local
Colors festival,” says Fu, who is a member of the Mayor’s Multicultural
Affairs Advisory Committee. In 1999, the Library of Congress declared
Roanoke’s Local Colors festival a “Local Legacy” in Southwest Virginia. In
addition, the event has received international recognition in China World
News, Hispanic News, the Hsing Hua News in China, Hartford Courant, and
the Independent Tribune.
As part of the yearlong Local Colors program, Fu also serves as an
advocate to resolve cultural misunderstandings. And she sometimes creates
presentations to promote cultural understanding. For example, she was
asked to present a program about Christmas around the world. So, she
developed a presentation about how other cultures celebrate Christmas
and shared it with community groups.
“It’s not just about ethnicity,” explains Fu. “Local Colors reaches out to
people who are different. It’s about diversity— race, gender, age, and
socio-economic status. It’s complete inclusiveness.” n
multicultural profile
When you say the name
Pearl Fu, people in Roanoke
know exactly who you’re
talking about. A city resident
for more than 21 years,
she has taken the lead in
promoting cultural diversity
throughout our community.
Fu is a native of China and
a graduate of Peabody
Conservatory of Music in
Baltimore, Md. “When my three daughters were young,
I started as a volunteer in the local school system,”
says Fu. In time, she was hired for after-school
programs and musicals.
Her professional career includes public relations work
for Marriott Hotels and Holiday Inn. She has also been
a consultant to companies such as General Electric
and Ingersoll Rand, as well as local places like Center
in the Square and the Roanoke Valley Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
Fu’s public service includes membership on Governor Mark
Warner’s Hate Crimes Committee, Governor Tim Kaine’s
Asian Advisory Council, and on the board of the
Roanoke Chinese Association.
She is best known as the founder and organizer of Roanoke’s
multicultural program and festival, Local Colors. And she
helped establish Roanoke’s Sister City relationship with her
hometown of Lijiang, China. Fu freelances as a writer, lecturer,
performer, special events coordinator, and interpreter.
Her musical background has given her a love for the arts.
“What’s so great about Roanoke is the fine arts are so
alive here,” says Fu. “There is so much to enjoy.” A true
promoter of our city and its cultural diversity, she is best
known as Ambassador of Goodwill for Roanoke.
4 ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008
For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

By Lynda Zielinski
Reason
#4
A great Downtown
All
Aboard!
Heart and Soul
Thirty years ago, downtown Roanoke was
going nowhere. Merchants had closed up
shop. Street life had grown a bit seedy.
Locals and tourists alike had little reason
to visit. But today, downtown Roanoke is
the place to be.
“Downtown’s revitalization is the
culmination of 20 years of hard work and
cooperation between the public and private
sectors— people who wanted Roanoke to
continue to grow and thrive,” says Brian
Brown, administrator of Roanoke’s Office
of Economic Development.
One such public-private partnership
created Center in the Square, which
opened to rave reviews in 1983. This
cultural center proved a critical first step
in downtown’s revival, both for drawing
people downtown again, and for getting
people excited about its future.
To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke
Downtown got another boost in the 1980s
with renovations to the City Market Building.
The Market Building is poised for additional
renovations in the near future.
Encouraged by low-interest loans, building
code changes, and financial incentives to
rehabilitate older buildings, individuals
and developers alike are renovating
vacant warehouses and the upper levels
of office buildings into studio apartments,
condominiums and upscale town homes.
These new spaces are flourishing as more
and more people realize the benefits of
downtown living.
Bill Carder, director of Downtown Roanoke
Inc., predicts downtown will continue
to grow as it celebrates the opening of
the Taubman Museum of Art this fall.
Meanwhile, the city continues working to
attract unique retail shops, “those you
won’t find at the mall.”
Residents and visitors now have plenty of
reasons to love downtown. In addition to
new stores, new restaurants offer diners
a variety of cuisines, and several of these
offer a lively musical nightlife. Multiple
museums offer a host of year-round exhibits
and programs, and at Mill Mountain Theatre
patrons can enjoy classic musicals as well
as exciting new works. The event calendar
includes numerous celebrations throughout
the year, such as Festival in the Park
and Dickens of a Christmas. Party in the
Park, Movies in the Park, and Art by Night
provide ongoing opportunities for a night
on the town. And no visit to Roanoke
would be complete without a stroll through
the historic Farmers Market.
With so many offerings, downtown truly is
regaining its status as the heart and soul
of the city. n
The Star Line is coming to the Star City,
linking the Riverside Center for Research
and Technology to downtown. This
free trolley service will provide a fast
and convenient way for those in the
75-acre technology park to shop and eat
downtown. The trolley route runs from
the Carilion Memorial Hospital to the City
Market with stops along Jefferson Street,
Franklin Road and at the Jefferson College
of Health Sciences. Two trolleys will run
Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
providing pickup and drop-off every 10
minutes. A third trolley will be added from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so that service will be
available every 5 minutes during peak
lunch hours.
The Star Line was created through a
partnership with the City of Roanoke,
the Greater Roanoke Transit Company,
Carilion Foundation, and Downtown
Roanoke Inc. The red and gold trolleys
will feature large windows, air
conditioning, and wooden benches,
and are handicap-accessible, meeting all
the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. The Star Line is expected
to begin operating this fall.
ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 5

Good Corporate Citizenship
Reason
#5
strong
Business Leadership
Mike Rigney at Glade Creek
Orvis means (environmental) business
When you think of the Orvis Company,
the first thing that comes to mind is fly
fishing. It’s true, Orvis built its business on
selling fishing tackle. Even though it has
expanded to selling things like clothing,
gifts, luggage, and art, it has never strayed
from its environmental roots. Instead,
those roots have continued to be part of
the culture of the company Charles Orvis
founded in 1856. In fact, Orvis himself was
a conservationist and served on what today
we would recognize as nonprofit boards.
Orvis’ Roanoke office opened in August
1987, and is very much a supporter of the
company’s legacy. “We believe conservation
is important to our lifestyle and our
business,” says Mike Rigney, Vice President
of Operations. “Orvis measures what we’re
consuming and identifies how we impact
the environment through our use of water,
electricity, propane gas, paper, trash taken
to the landfill— every consumable product.”
To demonstrate it means business, Orvis
has set some specific goals for itself as
a company. For example, they donate
5 percent of pretax profits each year to
conservation efforts around the area, and
are committed to becoming carbon neutral
by the year 2020.
Like many other companies who have
committed to environmental stewardship,
Orvis’ Roanoke facility has replaced all
its old light fixtures with T-8s and added
motion sensors. The company made a
$350,000 capital investment to replace
the lights in its Roanoke facility. “By using
more efficient lighting and less energy,
we are not only saving the planet, we are
saving money,” says Rigney. As a result,
they are saving 39 percent on electricity
bills, allowing them to save between
$8,000 and $10,000 per month.
Another reason Rigney believes Orvis’
conservation emphasis is beneficial from
both an environmental and a business
standpoint is because it gives the company
a competitive advantage in attracting
employees with like values. “We lead by
example and demonstrate to our associates
and the community how important
environmental stewardship is,” says Rigney.
“Conservation is part of our core values,”
adds Rigney. “We encourage our associates
to instill these values into the workplace
as well as their daily lives. We are always
seeking ideas to impact the community
through conservation.”
For example, the Roanoke facility will be
implementing new warehouse systems in
2009 with less dependency on paper. They
are also encouraging customers to use
their Web site for service, as well as their
Live Chat feature. According to Rigney, this
will provide better service for customers
without impacting the environment.
“We lead by example
and demonstrate to
our associates and
the community how
important environmental
stewardship is.”
By melinda mayo
— Mike Rigney
6 ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008
For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

One of the projects the Orvis Roanoke office staff is working on is the restoration of
Glade Creek. With the assistance of Trout Unlimited, they hope to approach businesses
near the creek’s location that would be willing to partner with them on this project. The
stream runs alongside U.S. Route 460 for a short distance and passes within 3 miles of
the Orvis distribution facility. Glade Creek has potential to offer excellent habitat for trout
and would be an important restoration in an urban setting.
Another way Orvis demonstrates
it is serious about protecting the
environment is through the company’s
decision to hire a Senior Facility
Manager to look at the life of the facility
and its sustainability. Other Orvis offices
are doing this as well to reinforce the
focus on sustainability and conservation.
Orvis maintains its environmental
philosophy by modeling its values
to employees and encouraging them
to look for opportunities to conserve
energy, such as carpooling. Another
opportunity the Roanoke facility offers
is for employees who live in areas
that don’t recycle to bring their items
to work for recycling. Orvis’ staff has
also established a Social Concerns
group, comprised of employees who
want to volunteer their time to help
promote special initiatives, including
conservation efforts.
“It’s worth the investment of time and
energy for our company to be a good
environmental steward,” says Rigney.
“It comes down to this: We are walking
the talk when it comes to putting our
values into action.” n
To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke
ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 7

Roanoke wants
YOU
Reason
#6
Focus on
Young Professionals
By Bobbi A. Hoffman
The exodus of the city’s best and
brightest young people is a hot topic in
Roanoke. Young professionals represent
growth, an increased tax base, new
businesses, and future leaders. But many
students who leave the area for college
move on to bigger urban areas and
don’t look back. That’s where Roanoke’s
Office of Economic Development comes
in. Using innovative programs, special
events, and social-media strategies, staff
aims to reverse this trend.
According to Special Projects Coordinator
Stuart Mease, young professionals look
for two things: jobs and things to do.
He recalls a conversation with a Virginia
Tech student who said she was familiar
with Roanoke because she had shopped
at Valley View Mall.
“We had to do something to show
students that Roanoke has something
different to offer,” says Mease. Bringing
students downtown became a primary
objective, spawning “Roanoke Wants U.”
This inventive program hosts fieldtrips
to show college students that Roanoke
offers jobs and many activities for young
people. Roanoke Wants U visitors receive
free transportation on the SmartWay bus,
a downtown walking tour, and lunch at
a restaurant popular for its nightlife. The
day includes an information session with
local business representatives, chosen
specifically to match the students’
majors. To date, more than 300 students
have visited.
Another successful endeavor was
a “reverse job fair,” sponsored in
conjunction with a Virginia Tech business
fraternity. In this clever twist, Tech
students set up booths to promote
themselves while employers made the
rounds to meet— and possibly recruit—
them. Mease plans more of these events.
The city’s dedicated site,
www.roanokeva.gov/connect, is an
example of social-media outreach.
The online database allows people
interested in moving to Roanoke to
post resumes that employers can view.
More than 3,000 people from around
the country have registered, and nearly
80 report finding jobs.
What’s next on the agenda? Believing it’s
never too early to convince people that
Roanoke is a great place to live, the Office
of Economic Development will reach out
to an even younger crowd: Roanoke’s
K-12 students. n
Help For
Entreprenuers
Roanoke’s Office of Economic Development
seeks to create a positive business climate
for the success of the city’s entrepreneurs.
To encourage this success, the office has a
program designed specifically to assess smallbusiness
owners’ needs and point them in the
right direction for help.
Assistance takes the form of training and
networking opportunities, referrals to local
business groups, and financial incentives,
including up to $1,000 for training at Virginia
Western Community College and Virginia Tech,
among others; and $5,000 backing for business
loans.
To qualify, businesses must have a written
business plan and be located— or plan to
locate— in the city’s Entrepreneurial Zone,
covering 1,800 acres around Norfolk Southern’s
east-west tracks.
The program has already assisted one startup,
and works with local business and college
groups to encourage more participation. Future
plans include establishing a board of local
entrepreneurs to discuss ways the office can
help small businesses.
For more information, call 853-2715.
8 ROANOKE CITIZEN Fall 2008
For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

Reason
#7
support for Youth
creating
young citizens
By
Christina Koomen
Roanoke youth enjoy spending time at the Main Library’s Teen Center
One thing that makes Roanoke a
progressive community is the city’s
many programs and initiatives targeted
specifically toward young people, to help
them prepare for their roles as citizens.
Last December, Roanoke Public Libraries
created a Teen Center featuring enhanced
collections, new computers, music listening
stations, and TVs with gaming equipment.
“It gives them a community place where
they can hang out, socialize, and learn,”
says Teen Librarian Alicia Gladwell. “Also,
teens are our future patrons, so we want
them to come back.” With a nationwide
trend toward more services for teens,
renovations to the Gainsboro and Jackson
Park branches will add teen centers at
those locations as well.
Parks and Recreation’s Youth Services
Division focuses on improving the
quality of life for all young people. Youth
Services has been behind such initiatives
as V.O.Y.C.E. (Valuing Our Youth Through
Community Engagement), which held its
first statewide conference in August. The
division has helped coordinate efforts
such as the highly successful year-old
program that allows city school students
to ride Valley Metro buses for free. And
Youth Services hosted this spring’s “Night
of Champions” banquet to recognize
and encourage young people who have
demonstrated positive efforts toward being
good students and making the most of
their school experience.
The city has also partnered with its
public schools, Virginia Tech, and other
organizations and volunteers on a new
program called “Promise of Roanoke.”
Launched in spring 2007, “Promise
of Roanoke” has offered a forum for
discussing issues affecting youth, and
creating ways to involve the community in
helping young people succeed in school
and in life.
These recent initiatives complement
other efforts such as the popular D.A.R.E.
program and its summer camps; Fire-EMS’s
in-school safety presentations and Fire
Safety Week art contest for school children;
and Social Services’ Kids N Krisis program
which helps send children back to school
with the supplies they need.
The City of Roanoke is committed to
creating a positive environment for its
young people, and the importance of
this commitment is hard to overstate. As
Superintendent for Youth Services Marion
Vaughn-Howard puts it, “We’re talking
about creating young citizens, so if we
don’t start early we’re going to lose.” n
To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke
ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 9

Reason
#8
Progressive Planning
Breaking
Construction at Carilion’s Riverside Center
for Research and Technology
old ground
By Christina Koomen
It’s the ultimate before-and-after story:
a languishing industrial site gets a new
lease on life as a shopping square or a
residential subdivision or an office complex
or an urban park. Such is the story of
brownfields redevelopment, one of the
most important recent trends in land use
management and city planning.
Brownfields are properties suspected of
harboring environmental contaminants
because of the kinds of operations
which took place on them. In addition to
industrial properties, they can also be old
gas stations, dry cleaners, or buildings
with lots of asbestos. The Environmental
Protection Agency made the definition of
a brownfield intentionally broad in order
to maximize the opportunities for people
to purchase these sites and turn them
around, taking advantage of the financial
and advisory assistance available through
brownfields programs.
There are brownfields corridors and
individual sites all over the City of Roanoke.
Perhaps the best known local example of a
reclaimed brownfield is the Riverside Center
for Research and Technology, where several
former industrial businesses are being
replaced by the Carilion Biomedical Institute
and other structures.
“The possibilities are wide open,” says
Roanoke Senior Planner Ian Shaw. “With
a little creativity, you can really do a lot
of things.”
Roanoke has become a leader in reusing
and converting brownfields sites. The
city has received six EPA grants totaling
approximately $2.1 million, covering all
four grant categories: assessment, cleanup,
revolving loan, and job training. In fact,
because of Roanoke’s success, the EPA
visited the city in August to conduct an
outreach and orientation session for other
Virginia localities.
Brownfields redevelopment is critical to a
city like Roanoke, where some 94 percent
of buildable land has been used, and
much of the remaining open land is in the
floodplain or on slopes. But redeveloping
brownfields goes beyond matters of
acreage. As Brian Brown, administrator of
the city’s Office of Economic Development,
says, “It’s the opportunity to take sites in
your community that are blighted, that are
hurting property values, that are hurting the
redevelopment of your neighborhood, and
bring them back to a vibrant use that will
benefit the community by providing jobs,
investment, and community pride.” n
10 ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

Reason
Investing in
Neighborhoods
#9
King Harvey and Jimmy Cook at Hurt Park’s
new townhouse development
Old Neighborhood
By Angie Williamson and Frederick Gusler
New Horizons
Take a stroll down Salem Avenue near Hurt Park Elementary School
and you’ll notice things are changing. Hurt Park, or “West End” as it
was named originally, was once one of the city’s finest early suburban
neighborhoods. As with many older city neighborhoods, homeowners
moved to newer suburbs after World War II. But now, after years of
disinvestment, Hurt Park’s time has come again. After investing in the
“Southeast…By Design” and Gainsboro neighborhood improvement
projects, the city is focusing federal funds and city staff time on the
revitalization of Hurt Park.
For the first time ever, the major housing agencies in Roanoke – the
Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity,
Rebuilding Together Roanoke, Total Action Against Poverty, and
Blue Ridge Housing Development Corp.— have teamed up to work
cooperatively and share grant funds. The Hurt Park public housing
complex is being redeveloped with new homes and an improved street
pattern. In the next few years older houses will be restored, new homes
will be built on vacant lots, and repairs will be made for low-income and
elderly homeowners.
To guide the Hurt Park Revitalization Initiative, which officially kicked
off in May, city staff from various departments meet regularly, along with
representatives from the housing agencies, the Hurt Park Neighborhood
Alliance, and the newly formed Hurt Park Advisory Council.
“With so many agencies and city departments out to do good in
this neighborhood, I’m excited about our prospects for a brighter
future in Hurt Park,” says Frank Baratta, HUD coordinator in the city’s
Neighborhood Services Division.
But this revitalization is more than just bricks and mortar. A
comprehensive array of programs is being carried out as part of the
initiative, including infrastructure improvements, tutoring, job training,
and business assistance.
To get city news on your e-mail or pager, visit www.roanokeva.gov/myroanoke
Renovate Roanoke:
Education. Preservation. Celebration.
Mark your calendars for this fall’s Renovate Roanoke
home improvement fair.
• Friday Oct. 10, 7 p.m.: Keynote speaker Brent Hull,
author of The Death of Craftsmanship
• Saturday Oct. 11, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Workshops and
demonstrations on home repair issues; vendor
booths; tours of historic homes
Location: Jefferson Center, 541 Luck Ave., Roanoke
Price: Free
Find out more: www.roanokeva.gov/renovate
“The agencies and community groups participating in this collaborative
effort share a strong commitment to invest resources to not only
improve housing options, but also to build a sense of community
among its residents,” says RRHA Executive Director Glenda Edwards.
The city’s commitment to invest HUD funds in the Hurt Park
neighborhood over the next two years will hopefully spur private
investment and long-term sustainability. Thanks to a committed group
of citizens, city staff, and local agencies, the revitalization of Hurt Park
is already well underway. n
ROANOKE CITIZEN Fall 2008 11

inside out
By Bobbi A. Hoffman
Reason
By Bobbi A. Hoffman
great#10
Cultural Amenities
The Taubman Museum of Art
Eight years after the City of Roanoke donated an empty lot on Salem Avenue, the
new Taubman Museum of Art rises dramatically from the spot, creating a modern
gateway to the city. The museum’s award-winning design— with its peaked and
curved roofline— confirms the city’s commitment to the arts and its desire to
become a more popular destination for cultural tourism.
“We are thrilled to be at the end of construction for this stunning facility, and we
look forward to opening our doors on Nov. 8 to provide our community with a
spectacular setting in which to enjoy and explore art,” says Georganne Bingham,
executive director of the museum.
The Nov. 8 grand-opening celebration begins at 10 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting
ceremony, followed by tours, entertainment, and activities— both inside and
out— from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dance and musical performances, including the
William Fleming Drum Corps, and children’s crafts and puppet shows are on tap.
The day’s events are free and open to the public.
“It’s a time for the community to celebrate the opening of the Taubman Museum,”
says Kimberly Templeton, the museum’s director of external affairs. She expects as
many as 12,000 visitors on opening day. Visitors who want to enter the museum at
a predetermined time can obtain free “time tickets” from the museum’s Web site.
Architect Randall Stout and benefactors Ambassador Nicholas and Jenny Taubman
will be on hand for a week of festivities, including a black-tie gala, a dinner for
donors, and a members’ preview.
At 81,000 square feet, the Taubman Museum nearly quadruples the size of the
museum it replaces. New spaces include a café, auditorium, theater, library,
and terrace.
Gallery space triples, which Templeton says “will allow us to bring in the kind of
temporary exhibits we’ve never had the opportunity to have before. It will make
a huge difference in the quantity and quality of exhibits.”
Visit www.TaubmanMuseum.org for more information about the grand opening
and upcoming events. n
Center in the square
When Center in the Square opened to much
fanfare in 1983, the Art Museum of Western
Virginia was one of the original organizations
housed in this groundbreaking facility. But the
museum’s departure this fall is not so much
a problem as an opportunity for Center to
reinvent itself for the future.
Center’s plans include updates to and
remodeling of the spaces occupied by the
History Museum of Western Virginia, the Science
Museum of Western Virginia, and Mill Mountain
Theatre. Center has also extended an invitation
to the Harrison Museum of African American
Culture to move into the complex, which could
happen as early as spring 2009. The atrium and
the building’s entrances will be revamped to
make them more visible and inviting.
Center in the Square’s overhaul will also include
more “programmable” public space, using about
10,000 square feet carved out of the former Art
Museum area. Possible uses include a cyber
café, retails shops, and other venues to appeal
to younger audiences. This kind of space is
an important component for many museums,
because the income it generates can help offset
operating expenses.
All told, Center in the Square’s improvements
promise to make it an even more dynamic
presence in downtown’s cultural scene.
12 ROAnOKe CitiZen Fall 2008 For city services or information, visit www.roanokeva.gov

The Arts are back for an encore.
THE 2 ND ANNUAL ROANOKE ARTS FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 8 - 9, 2008
ROANOKEARTSFEST.ORG

Make our readers your customers.
A new opportunity for advertisers
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Beginning in 2009, the City of Roanoke will offer a
unique advertising opportunity. Make our readers
your customers with a full color advertisement in
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Roanoke Citizen offers a valuable audience for
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Roanoke
City Council
The Honorable
David a. Bowers
Mayor
The Honorable
Sherman P. lea
Vice Mayor
The Honorable
Gwendolyn W. Mason
The Honorable
alvin l. Nash
The Honorable
anita J. Price
The Honorable
Court G. Rosen
For more information, visit
www.roanokeva.gov/communications
The Honorable
David B. Trinkle
the city of Roanoke
215 Church Avenue
Roanoke, Virginia 24011
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