Grandin Road Commercial Historic District
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| Grandin Road Commercial Historic District |
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| (U.S. Registered Historic District) | |
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| Location: | Roanoke, VA |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Area: | 7 acres (0.011 sq mi/0.028 km²)[1] |
| Built/Founded: | 1906-1952 |
| Architectural style(s): | Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, Spanish Revival, Art Deco and Art Moderne |
| Added to NRHP: | 2002 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 02001450 |
The Grandin Road Commercial Historic District, also referred to as the Grandin Village is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places located in the Raleigh Court neighborhood of the independent city of Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A. Centered at the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Grandin Road (US 11), Grandin Village has become one of the more eclectic areas of Roanoke, with an array of independently owned retail and dining establishments.[2] Today the district has been noted as one of Roanoke's best examples of a mixed-use urban village, and has subsequently been used as a local model for future mixed-use developments within the community.[3]
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[edit] History
The area where Grandin Village is presently located traces its origin to 1906 with the establishment of the Virginia Heights Land Corporation.[1] This land corporation was responsible for the initial development of Virginia Heights after the opening of the Memorial Bridge, which serves as a connection into downtown Roanoke.
The development at the t intersection at Grandin and Memorial would see its initial development with the construction of the original Virginia Heights Elementary School in 1907.[1] By 1911, the Roanoke Street Railway Company would complete a streetcar line between Raleigh Court/Virginia Heights and downtown.[4] With this streetcar extension, development of the commercial establishments of the present-day Grandin Village would accelerate.[1]
In 1919, Virginia Heights was annexed into the city of Roanoke, and during the period stretching between 1917 and 1945, the majority of the structures still in place within the current district were constructed.[1] During this period, the Grandin Village would emerge as a major retail and service area serving the residents of southwest Roanoke.
On July 31, 1948, streetcar service to the area was abandoned, which also marked the end of streetcar transit altogether within the city of Roanoke.[4] The demise of the streetcar transitioned the area into the automobile era, whereby much of the post-1950s development within the district was designed to accommodate the automobile.[1] After a period of decline in the mid-20th century, the district has since rebounded and has become a local retail and dining destination.[2]
[edit] Grandin Theatre
The centerpiece of the Grandin Village is the Grandin Theatre, originally opening in 1932.[1] Designed by Eubank & Caldwell, its eclectic design features elements of various revival styles, and opened as Roanoke's first suburban movie house.[1] The theatre would operate continuously through November 11, 2001, when it would close its doors due to its deteriorating condition.[5] After its closure, the Grandin Theatre Foundation successfully raised enough money to renovate and reopen the theatre on October 20, 2002.[5] Today the Grandin survives as the lone historic movie theatre in the Roanoke Valley.[1][5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Blanton, Allison Stone (May 2002). National Register of Historic Places nomination, Grandin Road Commercial Historic District District. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
- ^ a b Grandin Village Business Association. Grandin Village Business Association: About GVBA. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
- ^ Cramer, John D. "Roanoke wants more urban villages", The Roanoke Times, August 8, 2002, pp. B1.
- ^ a b Dalmas, James E. [2006]. "Chapter 3: Streetcar Routes and the Development of Roanoke: Raleigh Court Line", The Street Railways of Roanoke, Virginia 1887-1948 (in English). Roanoke, VA: Historical Society of Western Virginia, 20-21. ISBN 0971053162.
- ^ a b c Jones, Beth. "Grandin gets rave reviews at its reopening preview", The Roanoke Times, October 21, 2002, pp. C1.
[edit] External links
- Grandin Village Business Association official website
- The Grandin Theatre official website
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