Some of you older folks might remember Gill's Motor Court and Restaurant. Some of you younger ones might look at the sign and find it vaguely familiar.
Look at it again. The distinctive shape of it. The placement of the circle.
Get it yet?
Does this help? (courtesy GIS)
You still pass it every day. The Roma Restaurant and Motel. Abandoned for years on Williamson Rd. (4611). Well, nearly abandoned.
A year does not pass when, according to sources in the RCFD, there is not a fire from squatters in the main 'motel' building.
It's not unthinkable that the photographer for the Roanoke City GIS was leery of getting too close to the building, hence the shot from back by Queen Nails 3. There are many other angles from which a similar photo could be taken.
Gill's/Roma was built in 1940, consisting of roughly 14 rooms, an office, and a large restaurant. It offered a clean, hospitable nights rest to the weary traveler in the days before 581.
I can venture to guess what happened next. Gill's was most likely a family owned and operated venture, which came upon hard times and was sold. It reopened as the Roma, an Italian themed restaurant and motel. It did well enough for a while. But the advent of 581 put a serious crimp in the number of long-haul travelers who would be on Williamson Rd. So traffic increased, while business decreased. Whatever fate brought it to the point which we all see it at today, it exists as such. For sale, abandoned, squatted in, burned several times over, and ignored.
It has an owner, someone who should be taken to task for allowing it to exist in the condition its in. Someone who probably has either forgotten about the place, or is holding out for a higher price. In either case, the rest of the surrounding area suffers.
With an assessed value of just north of $440k, the fact that the buildings would need demolition (sadly, this includes the restaurant and sign), the land being higher in value than the buildings - at this point, the focus should have shifted away from getting highest price and towards extracting the property from Williamson Rd.
For the betterment of the surrounding business community, the local residents, and all of us that have to travel past it in our daily commutes.
Would that it have remained in the condition we see it as Gill's Restaurant and Motor Lodge, it would be a landmark. In the condition it is today, it has become an eyesore.
Remove the malignancy, and hope that the ground is fertile enough to support something other than another Car lot.
For the common good.
9 comments:
Thank you for this. I've always wondered what the history of this building was and what the sign once looked like. It is truly a depressing sight today. What a blow to civic pride. I think 52 Weeks of Romance should buy the site and put up a building with 52 rooms, each with a different theme.
An interesting concept, although Im not sure how ready Roanoke is for a full on "No Tell Motel"
But it would be a good use of the space, certainly.
w/ that concept, I think the conservative villagers would burn down the place.
conservative? HA
aint seen it yet, buncha heathens monday through saturday.. its only sunday they seem to give a damn.
Glad to hear Roanoke's heathens are alive and up to no good. Confession: I haven't lived in Roanoke for some time, but I visit often and consider it home.
Roanokegirl - would you consider doing a short interview as to why you don't live here anymore, and what would bring you back full-time?
Or you can just tell me straight out - whatever you wish.
Well here's my news: I'm already planning to move back! That's how I found your Web site, Googling for Roanoke culture, trying to see what's out there.
In a word, D-I-V-O-R-C-E is bringing me home to the comfort of family, friends, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I haven't lived in Roanoke since I graduated from high school in 1985. I'm looking forward to house-hunting in Old Southwest, Raleigh Court, and any place that's within walking distance of a good restaurant.
I'll be in Roanoke for most of the month of May. I'd be delighted to do an interview.
Well, if I might suggest it - perhaps starting a blog of your own on the process of moving back to Roanoke.
Plus - it would gain you entrance into the elite Star City Bloggers Alliance. And who wouldn't want to be part of that?
Just found your blog. I guess I'm one of the "old ones" of whom you spoke. Lived all but three of my 52 years here in Roanoke. The Roma Restaurant had the BEST Italian food ever!!! I believe the reason for this property's demise was a family squabble of some kind over Mr. George's estate. It might even still be owned by the George family.
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