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Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)Tamara Kennelly, University Archivist
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
The collection is open for research.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box or container], [folder], Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings, Ms2000-093, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Part 1 and 3 of the Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings was acquired by Special Collections at an unknown date. Part 2 was donated to Special Collections in 2001 through the Office of the Vice President for Administration and Treasurer at Virginia Tech.
The Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings were processed at two different periods. The processing, arrangement, and description of the Part 2 accession of Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings commenced in October, 2003 and was completed in November, 2003. The drawings in Part 1, which were an earlier accession, were processed in 2001. Because of the size of the collection and staff limitations, it was not possible to reprocess the drawings in Part 1 so that they conform to the standards used in Part 2.
There are also unprocessed materials, which are available for patron use and listed in Part 3.
The original Hotel Roanoke was built in 1882 by the Norfolk Western Railroad for $60,000. The hotel started with 34 rooms and quickly grew to 94 rooms in 1890. It was severely damaged by a fire in 1895 and was rebuilt. It continued to expand through wars and the depression. By the 1950s, it had over 384 rooms within its distinctive half-timber English Tudor style facade.
As the public began to use interstate highways rather than passenger rail for travel, the Hotel Roanoke experienced a decline in business. Unable to compete with the national hotel chains located near the interstate highway, the Norfolk Western Railroad decided to concentrate on the transportation aspects of their corporation and closed the Hotel Roanoke in the fall of 1989. James McComas, then president of Virginia Tech, was approached by city leaders to accept the hotel as a gift and develop a first class hotel and conference center. The Virginia Tech Foundation accepted and renovated the Hotel Roanoke, while the City of Roanoke constructed the adjacent conference center.
The $27.8 million renovation of the Hotel Roanoke was financed through a mixture of funding sources: a consortium of local financial institutions loaned the project $6.5 million, a $6.0 million loan through section 108 HUD loan program with the City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the creation of 300 new jobs, $3.0 million from the sale of land surrounding the hotel, $4.0 million loan from the Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc., $1.3 million loan from Doubletree hotels, $1.0 million loan from a local Roanoke foundation, and $6.0 million from local citizens and companies in a local fund drive to save the historic hotel. The Hotel Roanoke is privately owned by a for-profit subisidiary of the Virginia Tech Real Estate Foundation, Inc.
Since reopening in the spring of 1995 as the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, the 332-room facility has received many historic preservation and architectural awards. It was placed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places and on the Virginia Landmarks register, and it received the 1996 National Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award for restoration and preservation.
The Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings consist of an extensive set of drawings, blueprints, and photocopies. Original perspective drawings mounted on presentation boards and a file with specifications for the remodeling of 24 east wing bathrooms in the hotel are also part of the collection. The drawings in the collection span the years 1890-1983. The bulk of the drawings are from 1937-1953.
Part 1 includes blueprints for the swimming pool, motor inn, and laundry; floor plans; heating, cooling, and plumbing plans; elevations; finish schedule; kitchen, ballroom, office, beauty shop, and parking plans; details of entrance and back porch, and various interior and exterior details and alterations.
Part 2 includes structural steel drawings; heating, cooling, ventilation and plumbing systems; external and internal details for various rooms and features; floor plans, framing plans, elevations and sections; foundation plans; blueprintss for alterations; and various landscape details.
Part 3 contains unprocessed materials.
The drawings were divided into two parts depending on the time of accession. Part 2 was further subdivided into series depending on serial numbers, overall subject matter, and chronological sequence. Part 1 was arranged somewhat chronologically. The drawings span 1890-1983.
Part 1 is arranged in thirteen series, housed in portfolios 1 to 13. Individual drawings in Part 1 were assigned numbers in the inventory available online . However, these numbers indicate only the position in the portfolio relative to the other drawings. The assigned numbers have not been written on the drawings.
Part 2 is arranged in nine series by job number and subject matter. It is further arranged in chronological order. Each series is housed in a portfolio ranging from A-I.
Part 3 is unprocessed.
The guide to the Hotel Roanoke Architectural Drawings by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).
Individual drawings in Part 1 were assigned numbers in the inventory available online .
Separate spreadsheets for Part 2 are also available. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.
Blueprints of proposed swimming pool, motor inn, laundry, air conditioning study, and floor plans.
Blueprints of track level plan heating, site plan and riser diagram, door and window details, elevations, interior elevations, terrazzo plans, door and finish schedule.
Blueprints of door and finish schedule, waiting room, coffee shop plan, preliminary floor plans, electric light, power and bell system, valve control schedules, foundation plans, and roof and penthouse machinery drawings.
Blueprints of details of swimarium, gable wall column setting, sections through fiberglass and plexiglass, kitchen equipment layouts, heating and cooling risers, air conditioning study, coffee shop kitchen plans, electric lights and power circuits, ballroom plan, beauty shop office, Shenandoah room details and sections.
Blueprints of floor plans, alterations and additions of basement study, fountains room, kitchen details, furring window stools, marble details, floor plans and elevations.
Blueprints of office for traffic department, steel ladders and access doors, space for Pullman company in Hotel Roanoke, floor plans, and diagram for water drainage.
Blueprints of elevations, wiring drawing, and fire pump and riser details.
Blueprints of renovations of shops, health centers, passenger station, elevator shafts, waiting room, laundry room, penthouse plans and details, ice water circulation diagram, and foundation room counter bakery.
Blueprints of service station, parking lot, pneumatic temperature and electric sequence, and roof sections.
Blueprints of details of entrance vestibule, drawings of back porch, store room and refrigerating room, cigar counter, mail box and chute, cupola details, enlarged garage parking, column schedule, situation plan, electric diagram and wing wall placing plan.
Blueprints of steam generating plant, exterior details, sections, AC-b and AC-p controls and restaurant details.
Elevations, door and window schedules, alterations and additions, piping layout plan, oriel windows, stair and station details and beam details.
Details of handrails, light cove details, exhibition room plans, spandrel details, footing and foundation pans, roof and attic framing plan, toilets and exhaust ducts, room service checkers ducts, cashiers counters, telephone shelf, and location of tunnel for foundation plan.
Blueprints of structural steel drawings for all floors, ranging from 08.1937-09.1937
Blueprint drawings for heating, ventilation and plumbing, all dated 10.5.1937
drawings for external and internal details, bathroom details, beauty parlor, palm room, cigar room details, and internal details of cornice, gable and stairs.
Blueprint drawings for all floor plans, framing plans, elevations and sections.
Blueprints of drawings showing details of typical bedrooms, bathrooms, and beauty parlor; footing and foundation plans; floor framing plans; column schedule; electrical plans and riser details.
Blueprints of drawings showing key plans for all floors, kitchen floor base details, door schedules and room finishing schedule, pantry details, and penthouse details. Also includes drawings showing alterations and additions to the main building.
Details of windows, floor plans, elevations, spandrel details, air conditioning systems, pipe gallery, heating venting and plumbing details.
Blueprints drawings of alterations and additions, including floor plans, elevations, details, floor framing plans, mechanical plans, and electrical plans.
Original drawings of grating for paved areas, equestrian door, underground doors, installation of screens and laundry plans, fountain room details, unit enclosures, rack in engineer's office and additional stairs No. 2. Original drawings of exit stairs No 2, bench support letter rack and cashier window. Also includes original drawings of additional Exit stairs, masonry boilers, soiled linen hamper, health club, mirrors in corridor, fire protection, ventilation, deep well pump house, sprinkler system catch basin, wrought iron balcony, and garage ceiling plan.
Original drawings of lifts (Otis), doors, front elevator, bath details, driveway, enclosure between ballroom and corridor, fire ladder, reflector signs, electric drawings, ventilation, marquee details, reflector signs, refrigerator for meats, water pump, external wood details, writing room, ice converter chute, locking device for accordion and original boards of diagram, display cases, tunnel details.
Copies of drawings of floor plans dated 1983. Blueprints of drawings showing fire protection, air conditioners, elevations and renovation of beauty shop.