ROANOKE, Va. – Reimagining Southeast Roanoke — the former American Viscose Plant is getting a new look and being created into a mixed-use space.
“Our goal is to turn Riverdale into an amazing place that welcomes folks from every background, every part of the city, every part of the region and visitors to come and have a great time,” Ed Walker, a developer said.
Well-known developer, Ed Walker is taking on the huge project and has just announced that Baskervill, based out of Richmond, has been chosen as the master planning firm to redesign the more than century-old building.
“As the world evolved, decimating communities- and when we can reimagine how to bring them back in a mass like this, really does reinvigorate, bring investment and opportunity and population back into a city center,” Burt Pinnock, principal and chairman for Baskervill, said.
The plan is to continue to build on the list of businesses that already call the former Viscose Plant home.
“To keep the existing light manufacturers that do all these cool and creative work whether it’s Dominion Door and Hardware or Noke Van Co, we love those people we want them to stay, we want it to remain a low-inexpensive rent and that’s an important thing to maintain,” Walker said.
The end goal for Riverdale may be years down the road, but we are told the vision should be put to paper by the end of March.
“I think this is a phase thing, I certainly think it’s you know it’s outwards of 20–25-year kind of growth, but anything worth having is certainly worth waiting for and working for,” Pinnock said.