Roanoke City leaders considering major changes to the downtown area

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ROANOKE (WSLS10) - More business, residential properties, and public green space could line the streets of downtown Roanoke in the near future. The Roanoke City Planning Office is considering making a few major changes to the downtown area.

The planning commission in partnership with city council members is looking to draft an urban development proposal to help address the needs of our growing city.

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Businesses, residential areas, market places, and parking spaces are some elements that Roanoke City leaders told us foster an urban downtown design.

"In in the 70's and 80's buildings were torn for parking lots," said City Manager Chris Morrill. "We took two-way streets and made them one way, so people could flee to the suburbs faster. We did some things that just weren't good for urban design."

Now, with an active downtown, the Roanoke Planning Commission is looking to improve the urban layout of the city's center.

Some priorities on the city's to do list are...

-renovating vacant buildings or empty surface lots for retail and office spaces

-adding parking and shrubbery along the roadways

-and changing some one way streets into two-way lanes which can create slower traffic and visibility to store fronts.

"One more thing is to try to create a network of green spaces of civic squares throughout the downtown," said Roanoke City Planning Director Chris Chittum.

Or like the Wells Fargo Plaza. The goal is to bring in new retailers, offices, and more residents.

"We could probably double the downtown and not see much in terms of a negative impact," said Chittum.

It's a change Chocolate Paper, a staple in the downtown community welcomes.

"It's going to mean more customers coming in the store or walking by the store," said Chocolate Paper Manager Carly Almarez. "And, we'll get more exposure that way and that's good for any business."

Come the spring of 2016, the planning commission will have a detailed draft. Then council will ask for public input in order to move forward.