Organization wants to improve Williamson Road for future development

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ROANOKE (WSLS10) - The Williamson Road Area Business Association is pushing to develop a nearly 55 thousand square foot building to house restaurants and stores. Leaders in the organization said the goal is to develop a "village center" on Williamson Road to drive high end stores to the area. Before that can happen, they said they have to make Williamson Road more attractive for potential developers.

People who live in the Star City said it was the main road to travel.

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Owners like Justin Guilliams of Basement Toys and Comics said he like many others on the road see a lot of car traffic,

"When I was a kid, my grandmother lived right up here we used to walk to Dunkin' Donuts, to B&D comic book shop," Guilliams said.

Which is why Guilliams said he's ok with members in the WRABA to make the road more attractive to bring in bigger businesses but first, members said they have to improve parts of the road, like sidewalks and give a facelift to some of the properties.

"Particular in improvements in order to make this the next up and coming for developers to want to come here and build," Wendy Jones, with WRABA said.

Jones said she's looking for developers to build 55 thousand square foot facility that could also house apartments or potentially a grocery store, which would bring in more money to area in the long run.

"The ultimate goal is to start getting developers to come here to develop the village center or nodes that are called for in the city's vision plan," Jones said.

Jones said the plan could take several years before anything happens but she is working with the city by inviting city staff and leaders to walk with her to see what needs to improved on the road.

"it's exciting to work with the city it's exciting to see some of the changes its exciting to bring things into fruition it's going to take time," Jones said.