Grandin Road Commercial Historic District
Encyclopedia
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. 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.
, 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. By 1911, the Roanoke Street Railway Company would complete a streetcar line between Raleigh Court/Virginia Heights and downtown. With this streetcar extension, development of the commercial establishments of the present-day Grandin Village would accelerate.
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. 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. 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. After a period of decline in the mid-20th century, the district has since rebounded and has become a local retail and dining destination.
.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
located in the Raleigh Court
Raleigh Court, Roanoke, Virginia
Raleigh Court is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in southwest Roanoke along U.S. 11 . It borders the neighborhoods of Greater Deyerle on the west, Wasena on the east, Cherry Hill, Mountain View and Norwich on the north and Franklin-Colonial and Grandin Court on the south...
neighborhood of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, U.S.A
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Centered at the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Grandin Road (US 11
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia runs north–south through the western part of the state, parallel to Interstate 81.-History:What is now US 11 was added to the state highway system in 1918 as portions of State Route 10 and State Route 3 . SR 3 became State Route 33 in 1923, and US 11 was applied to...
), Grandin Village has become one of the more eclectic areas of Roanoke, with an array of independently owned retail and dining establishments. 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.
History
The area where Grandin Village is presently located traces its origin to 1906 with the establishment of the Virginia Heights Land Corporation. This land corporation was responsible for the initial development of Virginia Heights after the opening of the Memorial BridgeMemorial Bridge (Roanoke, Virginia)
The Memorial Bridge is a two-lane, long bridge spanning the Roanoke River along Memorial Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia. The bridge serves as a connection between the southwestern areas of the city with central Roanoke. Built by contractor W.W. Boxley, the bridge consists of five spans, with...
, 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. By 1911, the Roanoke Street Railway Company would complete a streetcar line between Raleigh Court/Virginia Heights and downtown. With this streetcar extension, development of the commercial establishments of the present-day Grandin Village would accelerate.
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. 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. 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. After a period of decline in the mid-20th century, the district has since rebounded and has become a local retail and dining destination.
Grandin Theatre
The centerpiece of the Grandin Village is the Grandin Theatre, originally opening in 1932. Designed by Eubank & Caldwell, its eclectic design features elements of various revival styles, and opened as Roanoke's first suburban movie house. The theatre would operate continuously through November 11, 2001, when it would close its doors due to its deteriorating condition. After its closure, the Grandin Theatre Foundation successfully raised enough money to renovate and reopen the theatre on October 20, 2002. Today the Grandin survives as the lone historic movie theatre in the Roanoke ValleyRoanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
.
External links
- The Grandin Theatre official website