123 Kirk Ave.

(pic from January, 2005)

This is 123 Kirk Ave. Formerly the Hotel Raliegh. A.K.A. Lilly's Boarding house.

The actual Hotel Raliegh was on Campbell, this was the back end - which also served as a mortuary and chapel for the undertaker whose storefront was also on Campbell. (Im not going to tell you the name, if you dont know it - just look around next time your down there.)

There was a fire here roughly 20 years ago. Took out the Kirk Ave side of the Hotel. This building was condemned. It has sat in pretty much the same condition since. This photo was taken in January, this is the same building in 2002. (the GIS itself appears to be offline right now, I will try and get a pic posted later of the building from above)

On the GIS overhead image, you can see a few work trucks parked out front. Obviously the rebuilding of this has been a slow process. The sign in the window above reads "Baker D Co Inc." If you look at the 2002 photo and then the 2005 photo, you can see some work has begun.

Well, on my last trip downtown a few days ago, my wife (official noticer of things to be noticed) noticed a work permit in the window. The name on the permit was "Center in the Square". Yet when I searched Roanokegov.com for the permit information - there has not been a permit issued since 2003. And that was a plan review, which has since expired. Plan was for "RESTORE FACADE INTERIOR RENOVATIONS", which was also denied due to regulations on C/O and minor details of the ADA code.

So, the question begs itself - what is Center in the Square doing with it? Walking by, up to the windows for a good look in, the amount of remaining architecture and design is astounding. Granted the old tin ceiling is now stacked up at the window, which oddly enough matches the tin ceiling in the entryway to Sheila's Cafe, but on the 2nd floor the original tilework on the walls (purely decorative, not the morgue) is still there.

This is yet another mystery in and among all the development going on downtown.