ROANOKE, Va. – In an effort to bring more private investments to northwest Roanoke, a non-profit teams up with a property management company. Their goal is to return a rundown building back to its historic glory.
There's piles of rubble everywhere you look inside and and on the roof of the 11th Street Village Center, but soon there will be new apartments and a commercial business center giving people a place to live and work.
Parts of the historic building are being torn down, just to be built back up again.
"It was just laying dormant and I went and checked on it. And the guy that owned it wanted to sell it so I reached out to Garland Properties and we collaborated in getting the building," said Shawn Hunter of The Peacemakers.
For the Peacemakers and Garland Properties, the goal is to create commercial or business space downstairs and residential apartments upstairs.
Hunter says the building was once a black-owned hotel.
"Bring back some life to the community. Particularly this corridor of 11th Street. At one time it was a high-crime area," said Hunter.
Aaron Garland helps his family-owned business manage and develop properties in Roanoke, mainly downtown and the Old Southwest neighborhoods. He says it's time to contribute to the northwest neighborhood.
"For my father, he is very passionate about this neighborhood because he grew up on Williamson Road and he remembers this neighborhood when this was a hotel and there was a Kroger's grocery store on the block," said Garland
The Peacemakers are using volunteers and people living in the neighborhood to help with demolition work. It's their way of providing jobs while helping with the project.
"This allows them to take part in revitalizing their community. They're going to respect it more," said Huner
The next step for the Garland Agency and the Peacemakers is to secure the funding and submit the design plans for the building. They hope to have everything completed in 12 months.
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