The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-22
HOW ROANOKE IS BUILDING.
Over 100000 Put in
Houses in 1890.
Over 1000 Houses Built, and Ovor 1000
Mon Employed I'm Building Operations.
Some OF tho Most Notable Buildings
Erectod--What Is Being Done Now, and
What Is to DO Dono This Year.

Tho sound OF tho hammer Is heard in
the land. The stranger in Roanoke is
impressed with tho extent of the build
ing operations in this, and even at this
period Of the year, when climatic condi-
tons are unfavoraEle to house building,
buildings in every stage of erection
may be seen on almost every street in
Roanoke.
The stately mansion Of the rict man
and the moro humble cottage of the
laboring and working man, are evory-
whore going up in this Magic City.
Over 1000, 900 were spent on buildings
in the yoar 1890 in Roanoke. The num-
Dor Of houses built was about 1000 or
1880, and tho number of men givon
employment in the construction of these
buildings, from tho mason who laid the
foundation stones to tho painter who
put on the last finishing touches, was
1000.
The figures are not official, but arc
given after a careful study of the situa-
ton, and after interviews with many
contractors and builders in tho city. No
official record Of the number OF build
ings and their cost is kept and it is
impossible to make other than an
approximate statement of the aggregate.
In 1889, the previous yoar, 900 houses
were built at an average cost of 81, 200
each. Tho year 1883 witnessed the
erection of 500 buildings.
Some worry handsome and costly
structures helped to swell the amount
of money spent in building operations
during the past yoar. Some of thess
wore the left wing of the Hotel Roanoke,
built at n cost of $50, 900; tho Ponce dc
Leon Hotel, q six-story structure, cost
ing 100000; TIE TINES building, cost
ing $4,000; n large storehouse on tho
wost side of jefferson street between
Railroad avenue and Salem avenue,
costing 900, and tho Moomaw and
O'Leary buildings on the east side Of tho
same street, costing about 100000 and
$4,000 respectively; tho Bridgcwater
Carriage Company's building, costing
SIS, 600; the Virginia Brewing Compnny's
structure, costing $4,000; tho three
story addition to Marshall's cafe, cost
ing $4,000; Oakley & Woolwines throc-
story establishment, costing $4,000, be-
sides many costly private residences.
These buildings alonc represent the
expenditure of over quarter of a
million of dollars, and thoro arc others
in process of construction on which
largo amounts have been expended
which will help considerably to swell
the volume of building expenditures.
Some of these arc the Terry building,
tho foundation of which has been laid
on tho corner of Jefferson and Campbell
streets, which win be seven stories high
and will cost 100000. The first floor
Of tho largest banking institutions of
Roanoke, the First National Bank and
the Roanoke Loan, Trust and Deposit
Company. Others, the Day building
nearing completion on Campbell street,
to cost about $40, 600; tho Lee Hotel,
being built for Nicholas & Wood, on
the southwest cornor of Salem avenue
and Commerce street, has been going
up rapidly and tho frame work on the
third story is up; the foundation for
the handsome double structure in which
the Citizens Bank will have its quar-
ters has been laid on tho south side of
Campbell street.
The walls of Postmaster Asberry's
now business building on Salem avenue
arc going up rapidly, and likewise on
tho double store for wholesale purposes
on tho corner of Roanoke street and Sa-
lem avenue.
Mcssrs. Il. ]. Eclloff and James A.
Yagor have greeted handsome residen-
ces on Church street.
The Wost End is being built up rap
idly. Pretty cottages and elegant resi-
dences arc going up in that section by
tho dozen, and many of them arc among
tho hardsomcst in tho city.
Dyer Bros. &c Thomas large livery
stable, extending across block and
fronting on Kirk and Robertson, has
been cascd with brick
A row of neat cottages has Just been
completed on Tazewoll street, alongside
of Woodland Park,
Tho Roanoke Construction Company
has just completed ten six and seven
room houses Oh Valley street, and six
on Wells.
Quite q number of new houses are go
ing up in the northeast and northwest
sections.
The walls of what is to bo handsome
throe-story brick store for Wholesale
business on Campbell street arc going
up rapidly. The building is being
erected for DR.. w. p. Reese, of Franklin
county, and he has already rented it to
Baltimore wholesale merchant. 1t
will cost $4,000.
w. S. Pearson is having three.story
brick store erected on Salon avenue
east of the market-house
Among the handsome private resi-
dences erected last year were those of
E. ii. Stewart, L. l.. Powell, C. A. Huff
man, S. D. Ferguson, Roy B. Smith, T.
T. Fishburne, and many others
The aggregate cost Of the buildings
on Campbell street alone, between
Jefferson and Commerce streets, last
year was about Sl75, ZOO.
The outlook for 1891 is very bright.
Tho contractors of the city have all
the work they can do, and the reporter
for The TINES could only find them
during the daY by hunting thnm when