Overview of Putting Assets to Work Initiative

The City of Roanoke is reimagining the Amtrak Station area as a gateway to our community. Putting Assets to Work is a strategic placemaking initiative designed to transform city-owned property within a half-mile radius of the Roanoke Amtrak Platform into a vibrant, walkable, and welcoming urban district.

Backed by a $770,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, we are partnering with the expert consulting team at RebelGroup to unlock value from underutilized public assets. The City and its partners anticipate continuing to advance this effort through 2028.

Reimagine Roanoke’s Civic Assets

Help us transform key community spaces into vibrant centers that serve our residents and visitors.

While the study will ultimately focus on 2–3 high-priority projects, we are currently evaluating the following strategic locations, each with unique opportunities for transformation:

• 1 & 7 Jefferson Street: Currently housing the SBDC and Workforce Development Board; being assessed as a primary integration point for the Amtrak Station.
• 710 Williamson Rd. NE (Berglund Center): Evaluating new ways to anchor a premier entertainment district that draws people into the city.
• 24 Wells Ave Segment: Assessing the feasibility of a shared entrepreneur hub next to the Culinary Arts program to support Roanoke’s creators.
• Loudon & Gainsboro Segments: Exploring how vacant parcels (including 0 Loudon NW and 115 Centre Ave) can be assembled for high-impact neighborhood growth.
• 202 Henry Street Segment: 14 city-owned parcels currently used for parking, being reimagined as high-density spaces where people can live, work, and play.

Progress to Date

The project continues to move forward with the goal of unlocking the value of underutilized public assets to create a welcoming gateway for the community. Progress to date includes:

• Setting the project’s direction: Beginning in March 2026, the team’s initial efforts under this study focused on confirming the City’s priority sites and objectives for this effort. Based on this input, the team focused first on downtown sites at 1 & 7 Jefferson.

• Initial analysis of downtown sites: In Spring 2026, the team reviewed existing downtown plans, gathered stakeholder input from City and downtown leaders, completed an initial technical analysis of City-owned sites, and explored alternative locations for a new Amtrak station. The City is now completing additional analyses and gathering feedback from nearby property owners to refine the proposed station location options.

• Other priority sites: In Summer and Fall 2026, the team will begin analysis of other high-priority sites in the City’s portfolio, including the Berglund Center site and a collection of City-owned parcels in the Gainsboro neighborhood. To date, the team has reviewed findings from the City’s Entertainment District Focus Group and begun exploring potential partnership models for the site. In Gainsboro, the team is beginning a technical analysis of included parcels and will soon begin engaging with community stakeholders to assess future development opportunities.