HOLLINS, Va. – Roanoke County is undertaking a transformative initiative with the Hollins Center Plan, set to reshape the Hollins area over the next decade.
“It’s the highest concentration of employment as well as residential complexes in the county, so we also see it as a gateway into Roanoke County being one of our largest interstate exits. So, it’s right for commercial redevelopment opportunities,” said Principal Planner Alexander Jones with Roanoke County.
Four years into the plan, several projects have already been completed. Some of those projects include a Starbucks on Plantation Road and a Vistar Eye Center on Airport Road. Two new hotels have been added too, including the SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Tru by Hilton both on Gander Way.
Roanoke County implemented several transportation and safety projects in Hollins as well. One of the recent changes is on Plantation Road.
“Along Plantation Road, we now have the shared use path along there. So that goes all the way from Willamson Road and connects to Waldron Park to Lila Drive Intersection all the way up to Gander Way. So, there’s now a full Plantation Road shared-use path for that corridor,” said Jones.
A significant milestone this year for the Hollins Center Plan is the groundbreaking ceremony for the Roanoke County Career and Technology Center.
“We’re hopeful for the anticipated opening of fall of 2026 on that project,” said Jones.
Future projects are poised to revamp the area too. The county wants to make improvements to Sadler Park. It even wants to add a convenience store on Williamson and Plantation, and it wants to remodel the library that is in Hollins. Roanoke County wants to improve transportation and safety in the area to make it safer for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians. One of the areas will be Peters Creek and Williamson Roads.
Jones also said the plan includes creating walkable communities where residents can conveniently access workplaces and retail stores.
“So, we’d like more housing options that are mixed in all of this where you can actually live out there and actually walk and go out to eat or you can walk and actually go to work. We’ve had good conversations over the years with Hollins University as well of what this entire corridor could look like to connect it more with their university as well,” said Jones.
The big projects within the Hollins Center Plan are anticipated to unfold over the next five to ten years.