Grandin Road Commercial Historic District facts for kids
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Grandin Road Commercial
Historic District |
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 Location in Virginia
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| Location | Grandin Road SW, and Memorial Avenue, Roanoke, VA |
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| Area | 7 acres (0.011 sq mi; 0.028 km2) |
| Built | 1906-1952 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, Spanish Revival, Art Deco and Art Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001450 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 27, 2002 |
The Grandin Road Commercial Historic District, often called Grandin Village, is a special historic area in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its important history. You can find it in the Raleigh Court neighborhood.
Grandin Village is centered around the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Grandin Road (US 11). It's known for its unique shops and restaurants, many of which are owned by local people. This area is a great example of a "mixed-use" urban village. This means it has both homes and businesses close together. It has even become a model for how other parts of the community might grow in the future.
A Look Back: Grandin Village's Story
Grandin Village started to grow in 1906. This was when the Virginia Heights Land Corporation was created. This company helped develop the Virginia Heights area. This happened after the Memorial Bridge opened, connecting the area to downtown Roanoke.
Development began at the intersection of Grandin and Memorial. The first Virginia Heights Elementary School was built there in 1907. By 1911, the Roanoke Street Railway Company finished building a streetcar line. This line connected Raleigh Court/Virginia Heights to downtown. With the streetcar, more shops and businesses quickly appeared in what is now Grandin Village.
In 1919, Virginia Heights became part of the city of Roanoke. Most of the buildings you see in the district today were built between 1917 and 1945. During this time, Grandin Village became a main shopping and service area for people living in southwest Roanoke.
On July 31, 1948, the streetcar service in the area stopped. This also marked the end of all streetcar travel in Roanoke. After the 1950s, new buildings in the district were designed to be friendly for cars. The area saw a bit of a decline in the mid-20th century. But since then, Grandin Village has bounced back! It is now a popular spot for shopping and dining.
The Grandin Theatre: A Local Gem
The most famous building in Grandin Village is the Grandin Theatre. It first opened its doors in 1932. The theater was designed by Eubank & Caldwell. It has a unique look, combining different old architectural styles. It was Roanoke's first movie theater built outside of the downtown area.
The Grandin Theatre showed movies continuously until November 11, 2001. It then closed because the building was getting old and needed repairs. But after it closed, the Grandin Theatre Foundation worked hard. They raised enough money to fix it up. The theater reopened on October 20, 2002. Today, the Grandin Theatre is the only historic movie theater left in the Roanoke Valley.
