Well wishers greet the first train in the expansion of Amtrak Northeast Regional service to and from Roanoke at the downtown Amtrak platform Monday, July 11, 2022, in Roanoke.
Earlier this year, the city closed the prominently located, privately owned parking garage in downtown Roanoke near the Amtrak platform after finding it to be unsafe. Since then, little progress toward repairing the structure is apparent.
In April inspectors found a bulk of issues and deemed it unsafe for public use. Following the April 24 citation, the city gave the Roanoke Station Garage's owner one month to make repairs.
Months later, the parking garage is still in need of repair. On Nov. 15, the city issued a notice of unsafe structure to C. W. Francis and Son, which owns Merchants Parking Co. Will Trinkle, president and CEO of C. W. Francis and Son, did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
The list of code violations cited in the notice of unsafe structure is extensive. The sole elevator in the building is out of commission and has been for years; there are exposed wires by the elevator and all throughout the structure. The metal stairs are "severely rusted" and need to be repaired or replaced. The concrete walls, floor and ceilings are damaged and cracked in some places. Light fixtures and junction boxes are damaged, rusted and exposed to water. The metal cables for fall protection are loose in some places, and some of the railings are also loose.
The inspection report also recorded "unsanitary conditions throughout the structure."
The city also issued a citation for violating the trash ordinance Dec. 3, said Jeffery White, codes compliance administrator for Roanoke. According to the citation, the owner was supposed to address the trash violation by Dec. 10.
Failure to address the code violations is a criminal misdemeanor and can carry a fine of up to $2,500, according to the notice of unsafe structure.
Many of the violations in the November notice were also recorded in the citation from April, including the rusty staircase, exposed wire and broken elevator.
Previous inspections have found evidence of human habitation. The Nov. 15 notice directed the owner to secure all openings to the structure and make the required repairs by Dec. 12. Occupancy of the garage is currently prohibited, White said.
On Dec. 11, a man got stuck in the parking garage's elevator. Roanoke Fire and EMS responded and requested assistance from the heavy technical rescue team "due to the complexity of the rescue," according to a Facebook post from the department. The rescue took nearly an hour and the man was taken to a nearby hospital, the post said.
Merchants Parking Co. owes $57,185 in taxes on the property as of Dec. 13, according to records from the city Treasurer's Office.
The city has taken legal action and plans to pursue further legal steps, White said. The owner has not provided the city with a plan for the structure, but the code enforcement office "remains committed to continuing efforts to ensure compliance," he said.
Lily Kincaid (540) 986-5851
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