For residents and business owners who have endured years of disinvestment, the program could change the street’s trajectory.
Along Northwest Roanoke’s 11th Street, boarded-up windows and faded storefront signs tell the story of a corridor hollowed out by neglect.
Over the three-block stretch, empty buildings outnumber the few that remain open — a symptom, residents say, of the city’s long history of overlooking the street.
But on a recent Saturday in February, a small group took to 11th Street to reimagine its future. On a walk guided by the Main Street Initiative, participants paused at each empty storefront, leaving blue sticky notes with ideas for what could fill them: shops, restaurants, housing, event venues and green spaces…