Hotel Roanoke
Encyclopedia
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro
neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia
. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech
and operated under the Doubletree Hotels
brand. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1996.
The Hotel Roanoke was built in 1882 by the Norfolk and Western Railway
(now part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
), which had recently constructed its administrative offices in the city, bringing in over a thousand railroad workers. It officially opened on Christmas Day, 1882. In July, 1898, a fire started in the kitchen which shut down the hotel for several months. The hotel was reopened in January, 1899, restored with a few additions.
The next major renovation took place in 1938, remodeling the hotel to have a more Tudor
look. Additional new wings were added in 1947 and 1955.
In 1989, Norfolk Southern deeded the Hotel Roanoke to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech) for $65,000 (USD). After the flag lowering ceremony on November 30, the hotel was closed. Sale of the contents began and continued for 17 days.
In 1992, the "Renew Roanoke" campaign was launched to raise enough money to reopen the hotel. Virginia Tech had set a deadline of December 31, 1992 to have enough money. By late fall, the campaign was still short $1,000,000. In an unprecedented Christmas-time fundraiser, the campaign succeeded, raising $5,006,000. Norfolk Southern then donated an additional $2,000,000; 30 times what it received for the hotel. The Hotel Roanoke reopened in 1995 and still operates today.
A conference center was built directly adjacent to the Hotel Roanoke and opened in 1995. A pedestrian bridge was also constructed over Norfolk Southern's railroad tracks to link the hotel and conference center to downtown Roanoke near the Wachovia Tower.
Roanoke's landmark former passenger rail station was built across the street from the hotel. In 2004, it was converted in a museum devoted to the photography of O. Winston Link
as well as housing the Roanoke Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center is operated by Doubletree Hotels (a division of Hilton Hotels) and is partnered with the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center .
Gainsboro, Roanoke, Virginia
Gainsboro is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke immediately north of Downtown, across the Norfolk Southern Railway right of way, between Interstate 581 and Orange Avenue. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison and Gilmer on the west, Washington Park on the north,...
neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
and operated under the Doubletree Hotels
Doubletree
.Doubletree by Hilton is a worldwide brand of upscale, full-service hotels and resorts trademarked by Hilton Worldwide. There are currently more than 220 locations with 55,000 rooms worldwide in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, China, United Kingdom, Italy, Slovakia, Tanzania, Norway...
brand. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1996.
History
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
(now part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
), which had recently constructed its administrative offices in the city, bringing in over a thousand railroad workers. It officially opened on Christmas Day, 1882. In July, 1898, a fire started in the kitchen which shut down the hotel for several months. The hotel was reopened in January, 1899, restored with a few additions.
The next major renovation took place in 1938, remodeling the hotel to have a more Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
look. Additional new wings were added in 1947 and 1955.
In 1989, Norfolk Southern deeded the Hotel Roanoke to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
(Virginia Tech) for $65,000 (USD). After the flag lowering ceremony on November 30, the hotel was closed. Sale of the contents began and continued for 17 days.
In 1992, the "Renew Roanoke" campaign was launched to raise enough money to reopen the hotel. Virginia Tech had set a deadline of December 31, 1992 to have enough money. By late fall, the campaign was still short $1,000,000. In an unprecedented Christmas-time fundraiser, the campaign succeeded, raising $5,006,000. Norfolk Southern then donated an additional $2,000,000; 30 times what it received for the hotel. The Hotel Roanoke reopened in 1995 and still operates today.
A conference center was built directly adjacent to the Hotel Roanoke and opened in 1995. A pedestrian bridge was also constructed over Norfolk Southern's railroad tracks to link the hotel and conference center to downtown Roanoke near the Wachovia Tower.
Roanoke's landmark former passenger rail station was built across the street from the hotel. In 2004, it was converted in a museum devoted to the photography of O. Winston Link
O. Winston Link
Ogle Winston Link , known commonly as O. Winston Link, was an American photographer. He is best known for his black-and-white photography and sound recordings of the last days of steam locomotive railroading on the Norfolk & Western in the United States in the late 1950s...
as well as housing the Roanoke Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center is operated by Doubletree Hotels (a division of Hilton Hotels) and is partnered with the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center .
Famous guests
In addition to hosting many conventions, the Hotel Roanoke has also had a number of famous guests, including:- Dwight Eisenhower
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