Proposed South Roanoke Apartment Complex Made Feasible By Zoning Reforms

A proposal for a 36-unit apartment complex in South Roanoke owes its viability to recent zoning reforms, developers say.

Plans for the apartment building involve demolishing four century-old residences in the 2200 block of Richelieu Avenue, across from the Crystal Spring commercial area. 

A stone’s throw from Carilion’s campus, the development may be the largest residential project proposed since Roanoke zoning reforms made building multifamily housing easier. Those policies prompted public debate and lawsuits. Housing advocates and city officials say the reforms will help address a critical gap in housing supply.

“We feel like it's a good project all the way around in terms of meeting a housing need, employing local people, built by local people and financed by local people,” said Court Rosen, director of development at ABoone Real Estate Inc. 

The three-story building would have a brick and pressed fiber cement exterior and include balconies.

“I know that there are some who opposed, even through litigious means, opposed the zoning amendments,” Rosen said. “I think this kind of project speaks very favorably to that [ability to create more housing].”

Under the city’s old zoning laws, the property could only host 14 residential units or would have to face a rezoning hearing. Now, the property can accommodate up to 36 units.

“We're a city that's landlocked, that can't expand borders, that has very limited development and redevelopment opportunity at a scale that makes sense financially,” Rosen said. “Ultimately, in order for a project to go forward, it has to make financial sense.”

The apartments would lease at market rates. Rosen said the location is ideal to take advantage of growth at Carilion Clinic and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

The project would involve demolishing four homes that date between 1916 and 1925, according to city property records.

That has prompted concern from the likes of Alison Blanton, a trustee of the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation.

Blanton said the foundation supports the goal of creating more affordable housing but feared the zoning changes might encourage developers to tear down historic buildings.

The homes include a 1916 Folk Victorian house, two American Foursquare homes built in the early 1920s and a 1925 brick quadplex. Blanton said the homes are typical of the styles of homes in early 20th century Roanoke and help define the character of the neighborhood. 

“I'm not surprised at all to see that developers are taking advantage of this new zoning to, you know, jump in and provide market rate housing in a desirable neighborhood where they can maximize their profit on it,” Blanton said.

Developers spent time considering whether the buildings could be renovated, but such a project did not make economic sense, according to Rosen.

Rosen said nine people lived across the four buildings, including the former owner of the four properties. The proposed complex, which Rosen described as in the conceptual stage, would include a mix of one- and two-bedroom units in the 900-square-foot range. Apartments will include spacious walk-in closets with washers and dryers. There would be 38 parking spaces behind the building.

Mike Simpson said he lived for 20 years in the upstairs duplex of one of the converted single-family houses that faces demolition. He said tenants were notified in December and had to be out at the end of February.

Simpson said his monthly rent was $650. He said he is disabled and has had a hard time finding another place in Roanoke renting for $1,000 or under. He said he is currently staying with a friend in Floyd County.

“It’s been very trying,” Simpson, 64, said. “This rezoning thing that the City Council did is what helped with my demise, all of our demises.” 

ABoone Real Estate purchased the four properties in December for a combined $1.7 million, according to city property records.

Preliminary plans for the project were submitted to the city in January. Rosen said developers, which include Alexander Boone, Ab Boxley and himself, will decide in the next 45 days on moving forward officially.  

“We do think … with the growth of the medical school, which is planning to double in size, the growth of the research Institute, that there's a real demand for housing and a real undersupply of housing,” Rosen said. “While not a silver bullet, this is certainly a part of trying to provide more housing to meet that need.”