old_curmudgeon on 5/27/2008 3:21:52 PM wrote:
Governments fail. At pretty much everything, but ESPECIALLY when it comes to running a business, which is what the Market Building is. In a city which is almost completely lacking in architectural charm, the market Building stands out. It also provides one of the only places downtown for moderately priced, locally owned restaurants. I am sure, given a respectful renovation and a thorough cleaning, it could be an even better place. I just don't trust city government to get it right. Ever.
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Travelguy on 5/23/2008 8:56:16 AM wrote:
There is way too much talk about the city market building. Has anyone considered the building may have served its purpose over the years? The sidewalks around it are caving in and walking across Campbell at lunch time can be a challenge. The vendors talk as if they own the City and the building. Roanoke needs an out of town developer to put up a NEW building with adequate capacity and room for expansion. This old building cannot keep up with the expected increase in visitors in the years ahead. Also, please build another Hotel downtown "movers and shakers"!! Visit Greensboro and stay at the new Proximity Hotel. It would be perfect for downtown!!
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llqva104 on 1/8/2008 10:44:39 AM wrote:
Renovating the current building, making use of the upper floors and KEEPING the current "local" vendors is the way to go for the Roanoke City Market Building. It is the City Market Building and the people in this city should be very concerned with trying to keep the market builidng a historical icon with local "flavors". We do not need a Dave & Buster's or Jillian's in the heart of Roanoke City; that is just a ridiculous suggestion! If you want to "build" an area with that kind of facility; concentrate on the Tanglewood Mall area...an area that needs more activity so the mall itself does not crumble.
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TripleActionJones on 1/8/2008 9:39:38 AM wrote:
money,not monsy
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TripleActionJones on 1/8/2008 9:39:03 AM wrote:
Also,I think renovating the building and cleaning it all up is the best proposal.
Get the 2nd and 3rd floors in use
Everyone I talk with loves the variety of food vendors in the market building, thinks it's great, and just wishes it were kept up a little more.
Like the bathrooms.
Doesn't cost much monsy to renovate bathrooms.
There's 2 floors going to waste, just waiting for vendors/retailers,etc.
What seems like a waste to me would be spending money to tear down a building and put another structure in it's place,especially if the public likes what is already there and just wishes for it to be improved upon.
I read there was the idea of joint ownership,between the city and a private investor.That's a good proposal as well.
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TripleActionJones on 1/8/2008 9:38:39 AM wrote:
Progressive like what?
Has this certain city manager said those words in public or are you saying this is something you have heard?
I like to be in the know but not to go on rumors so it's hard to know whether that is something put stock into or not.
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RoanokeFound on 1/8/2008 7:11:50 AM wrote:
Just so you are all informed.
It has been spoken by a certain city manager, that her fondest hope is to see the Market Building torn down, and something more "progressive" put in it's place.
Apparently, this is plan B - barring any decent proposals.
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sickandtired on 12/10/2007 4:08:07 PM wrote:
Valid points that are well-expressed. It will be interesting to watch the process unfold. I was a proponent of the "For the City" gang because I was tired of the endless debate over the stadium. The stadium is gone, but the debates over minutia continue.
As for Mill Mountain, I think that it should remain as is, and I don't see a trendy restaurant adding that much to the mountain. I guess we'll have to see.
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TripleActionJones on 12/10/2007 3:58:04 PM wrote:
.
haha.....sorry,I wasn't trying to bait.
Well I really have no idea at the moment who I'd vote for next May to be honest.Best to wait and read up as much as I can on each candidate after the candidates are announced.
I'll say I've never been a big supporter of those in favor of rebuilding an amphitheater where they just tore down Victory Stadium.
And while I agree with those who don't think a restaurant on Mill Mountain is going to be the economic or tourist boon that some think it will be , I'm not completely against the idea either. I just think there are things that could be done with the money downtown or IN the city that would benefit the city as a whole better.
Change can be really good, but it needs to be the right kind.
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sickandtired on 12/10/2007 10:52:20 AM wrote:
Triple Action, you can't throw out the bait like that! We need names!
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TripleActionJones on 12/10/2007 9:22:25 AM wrote:
.
Interesting article on the Democratic party in this morning's paper.
It serves as a good preliminary template on who you might wish to vote for in next year's elections as well - no matter which party you take sides with - which very well could determine the fate of the market building.
I have a better idea who not to go with at least.
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bikerjohn on 12/10/2007 7:51:29 AM wrote:
Maybe they are planning to put in a wal-mart? No, my friends, but the timing does seem a bit odd. Can't have them dirty smelly hippy youth ruining - I mean running -around our newest star, the art museum? Might scare away the patrons - who clearly need - er, deserve - a more upscale place to eat - I mean dine.
I agree with the reader who thought valley forward's efforts would be better spent mid-town if their objective is as they claim.
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dfarnham79 on 12/8/2007 10:03:55 AM wrote:
The city can spend $7 million for a Salem Ave parking garage needed only by yuppie condo-buyers (all 20 of them) but cna't find less than half that for the market?
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roenoke on 12/7/2007 5:58:39 PM wrote:
you're sooo big-box pop Z.
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Walker on 12/7/2007 3:47:41 PM wrote:
I am convinced the City government uses issues like this as a distraction.
"Look at all the problems we face!" They do little to nothing on all and consider it a good effort. Pathetic.
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ziranthia on 12/5/2007 4:13:46 PM wrote:
http://www.bowtiecinemas.com
Here is the link to Bow Tow Cinemas. One is actually coming to Virginia. A very neat concept, I must say!
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Travelguy on 12/5/2007 3:54:32 PM wrote:
I visited the Market Building today and I agree something must be done to clean it up.
The Center in the Square people might consider to move the food court to that building and expand on the food options, including chains. The old historic market building will probably remain in its present form due to the many regulations on historic places. I like the cinema concept.
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DiamondDave on 12/5/2007 2:16:44 PM wrote:
Wow! No one else in America has a chain gym or a gimmicky theater! Maybe we could raze another building and put in a TGIFriday's or a Chili's. That would make Roanoke really special!
Sigh.
The food court always seems busy to me. The place just needs a facelift.
(I'll be viewing my movies at the Grandin, thanks.)
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councilwatch on 12/5/2007 1:59:15 PM wrote:
Letting private enterprise take over, only brings us back to the immediate need for the parking garage endeavor. No businesses want to move into a building where there's no parking. We need to put in a big, nice parking garage tomorrow and sell the Market to upscale retail icons next week.
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ziranthia on 12/5/2007 1:46:40 PM wrote:
I say sell the building and let private enterprise take over. That old food court was nasty anyway. Possibly a good location for a Gold's Gym or a Bow Tie Cinema. I realize I have done a complete fly-by, but Bow Tie Cinemas are upscale theaters that bring nostalgia back to going to the movie theater, and would complement the market area, along with a Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. Just a suggestion. Oh, I was in Roanoke for Thanksgiving, and must admit that the new museum is quite, what you might say, unattractive.
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old_curmudgeon on 12/5/2007 1:41:07 PM wrote:
Dr. Bishop may, in fact be doing a great job. Time will tell. But the School Board is appointed by the City Council, and has no taxing authority of its own. So, ultimately, you cannot separate the school administration from the city administration. And the city administration has stumbled along for years making misstep after misstep. Oh, and aren't both city High Schools "dropout factories", according to that recent study? Hmm?
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jamesgarris on 12/5/2007 12:24:56 PM wrote:
If it is not making money, then close it, sell it; but let capitalism rule.
That is the big problem with Roanoke City, the market (capitalism) doesn't rule. Big government spending - tax credits, government support businesses and buildings, etc is what is done by Liberals who don't believe in capitalism. Look at Roanoke County's downtwon - Tanglewood, that downtown has only things that the market wanted - housing, apartments, movie theaters, 2 grocery stores, lots of businesses, government headquarters, banks, telecommunications companies, shopping, etc. Roanoke City's downtown would give their "eye teeth" for many of those things.
Private enterprise with no government aid is what the answer is to the market building.
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MsElenaeous on 12/5/2007 11:34:10 AM wrote:
Roanoke needs to invest more in that building, not think about elminating it. Once again, their priorities are all screwed up. Focus on downtown first, if you want to have a downtown. I agree with a lot of other posters...expand it to include not only food venders but other artisans as well. Add more tables, get a wireless signal that works, and draw the crowds from the Art Museum. If the city does decide to get rid of everyone I'd like invite them to come to Roanoke County, perhaps they can be part of Keagy Village.
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phatman on 12/5/2007 10:30:39 AM wrote:
i say make it into a gambling casino...with prostitutes and the works...
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tigerlilly on 12/5/2007 10:09:22 AM wrote:
DiamondDave beat me to it... RIGHT ON!
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tigerlilly on 12/5/2007 10:08:28 AM wrote:
I'd rather see the money for the Amphitheater go to the Market for downtown revitalization. I could wait on an Amphitheater but with the new museum opening THIS is a much higher priority. The DRI might really like this idea. The Market Building is as much a part of Roanoke as Mill Mountain. Maybe Valley Forward will focus their effort on this building - this is a much more important project than the restaurant on Mill Mountain that from what I am hearing won't come about anyway.
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DiamondDave on 12/5/2007 10:04:31 AM wrote:
Old Curmudgeon:
Dr. Rita Bishop is in charge of educating our kids and is doing a great job.
The City Market Building should be THE priority for the City--ahead of a Mill Mountain restaurant, ahead of an amphitheater, way ahead of a stepped plaza. It's the focal point of the market square. And you have to care for what you already have before you build more.
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councilwatch on 12/5/2007 9:14:30 AM wrote:
Boston's Quincy Market is a great example of a similar market done right. http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/ I know that it's in, well, Boston, but I've been there several times and it's a similar size building to our market. Quincy Market is so clean and well-lit. The bathrooms are nice and bright.... It can be done, if City Council wants it done. Just like with the HUD deal, I'd take a close look at who's getting contracts for all the work done on the Plaza and the Parking Garage. The ole' boy network is still firmly intact- just a little bruised from last year's exposure. But it's still there.
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bethdeel on 12/5/2007 9:09:02 AM wrote:
...or it could be a real gem just in time for the opening of the new art museum, when international press and media will be here.
Maybe the Roanoke City Market Building could be revitalized as a really cool marketplace complete with an indoor/outdoor farmers/craft market. Select Food Vendors could stay in a reorganized capacity. Keep Gone CoCo, but totally get rid of 'Art on Gold' and the cheeZ jewelry store. Hire a designer and architect to 'redo' and turn upstairs into an awesome music venue that we desperately need (I am sure the city has the resources to figure out how to put an emergency exit and access to the 3rd floor.) It could be a real gem, but right now it is a real stinker, literally.
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TripleActionJones on 12/5/2007 9:02:30 AM wrote:
Another thing to take note of - the city wants to spend $7.6 million on repairing a Church Ave. parking garage but not $2 million on the market building,which to me is a greater piece of downtown?
It's a greater investment than a stepped plaza as well.
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TripleActionJones on 12/5/2007 9:01:55 AM wrote:
.
This bit of info in the article says much - "2005, City of Roanoke takes over management from Advantis "
The city has owned it for less than 2 years,an insubstantial amount of time in the market's long history.
I'm not so much concerned with them selling it,but who it's sold to and what their intentions are to do with it.
It's great as is with all the food vendors and should be expanded upon with the 2nd and 3rd floors. Talk about revitalizing downtown and boosting economy? I think it would work well as a mini mall of sorts with more vendors and retailers on the upper floors.
It's a money losing structure?
Add more vendors for more revenue.
Sink the money into fixing and cleaning it up and that will attract more vendors.
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Walker on 12/5/2007 8:57:25 AM wrote:
Good point Curmudgeon,
You know how I feel about our GOVT. Schools. They are rotten to the core. But, anyways, I think it would be a huge mistake to allow the market building to be taken down.
Odd how some historical landmarks enjoy protection and even a facelift, yet others fall by the wayside.
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laurie1125 on 12/5/2007 8:44:24 AM wrote:
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
and a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
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old_curmudgeon on 12/5/2007 8:35:45 AM wrote:
And just think. These same people who will not maintain their own facilities (Victory Stadium, Market Building, Fishburn Mansion, etc.), and cannot make a decision (amphitheater), are in charge of educating your children. Interesting...
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