The Hotel Roanoke is full again, but recent consolidations in the banking and transportation industries have left about 12 percent of downtown's office space empty. Meridium Inc. Since opening in Roanoke six years ago, Meridium has slowly taken over more and more space in the First Union Tower. In the past 18 months alone, the software developer has doubled its staff to more than 60 people. Steve Carter is hoping downtown revitalization will work in Craig County like it has in Roanoke. The tiny county of 5,100 hasn't attracted a new business in four years, so locals are looking to New Castle, the county seat, for new economic vitality.
Residents also plan to tackle long overdue water and sewer improvements.
It's a big job for a small locality, but county officials are determined to get more aggressive. Business taxes pale in comparison to the amount residents in the county pay. Botetourt County waited until the late '80s to begin promoting economic development. Now this county of about 25,000 people is developing the largest industrial park in western Virginia. Construction on Botetourt Center at Greenfield got under way last year after three years of cultural and historical investigation.