In Harrison, landmarks of northwest Roanoke’s historical Black community are still a part of daily life. Prescriptions are filled at Genoa Healthcare pharmacy, located inside the building where Burrell Memorial Hospital opened in 1921. It provided medical care to African Americans denied service at the city’s segregated hospitals. The congregation is active at St. Gerard Catholic Church, formed in the 1940s as Southwest Virginia’s only parish for Black Catholics. Dozens of seniors rent apartments in the old Harrison School building, built in 1917 as the Roanoke Valley’s first school for Black students. In the 1950s 10th Street was a dividing line in northwest Roanoke. White residents lived on the west side, while Harrison and other neighborhoods to the east were part of an African American community full of Black-owned businesses and proud homeowners. Urban renewal projects in the 1960s disrupted those communities, displacing residents and businesses. By the time nonprofit The Hope Center opened in Harrison in 2015, crime was a problem in the neighborhood, says Executive Director Darlene Lewis. However, Lewis says she has seen crime become less of an issue since then, a trend she partially credits to her community center. The Hope Center originally provided a safe place for kids to hang out after school, and today it focuses on community events that attract hundreds of all ages. “We still have a community here, and the people do love each other,” Lewis says. “That’s what we’re building on. We’re building on respect, love and helping our neighbor.”
Established in the 1950s, St. Gerard Catholic church serves a vibrant community of faith.
The Burrell memorial hospital is located right in the heart of the neighborhood.
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Food and snacks along 11th Street
Harrison has historically been a residential neighborhood, but there’s a three-block-long business corridor along 11th Street Northwest. There, Jersey Water Ice sells hoagies and water ice, a frozen dessert similar to Italian ice. Across the street, The Collective is a coworking space that rents out offices, shop space and a podcast studio to local entrepreneurs and event organizers. There are a pair of convenience stores on the streets selling snacks and drinks. Less than half a mile to the south, Twisted Track Brewpub serves pizza, sandwiches and house-brewed beers. Groceries are farther, as Food Giant supermarket and Roanoke Co-op Downtown are each about a mile away. Any shopper can buy ownership stakes in the co-op, but customers don’t have to be owners to buy groceries there. Within a few blocks of the co-op are dozens of downtown restaurants, pubs and museums. They include Six and Sky Rooftop Grille, Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery and Kids Square childrens museum.
The Co-op in downtown Roanoke features several restaurants and is the main hotspot in the city.
Jersey Water Ice is a historic family owned hotspot with frozen desserts.
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From dump to dive-in at Washington Park
Located across Orange Avenue from Harrison, Washington Park isn’t just a green space with two playgrounds and a pair of basketball courts. It was the site of a Civil Rights Movement standoff between city officials and Black residents. Sixty-plus years ago, the city used the park as a dump, and the surrounding African American neighborhoods had to deal with the odors and occasional fires that originated from it. In the 1960s, Rev. R.R. Wilkinson and the Roanoke NAACP pressured the city to close the landfill. Wilkinson told the city council he would bring a group of mothers pushing their babies in carriages to line up in front of the dump and block trucks from entering. The city relented, moving the landfill elsewhere. A public pool was added to Washington Park in the ‘70s, but it closed in 2022 due to leaks. A new pool is slated to open in 2025. From the park, pedestrians and cyclists can get on the 4-mile Lick Run Greenway; the paved trail extends south to downtown Roanoke and north to Huff Lane Park, across the street from Valley View Mall. A block from Harrison, Melrose Park hosts three basketball courts that were renovated in 2022, as well as a playground. St. Gerard Catholic Church is across the street from Harrison, and there are a handful of churches in the neighborhood. Sweet Union Baptist Church was founded in 1910, and a century later it was led by the late Rev. M. Sylvia Ball, the first African American woman to pastor a Baptist congregation in Roanoke.
Washington Park also has access to the Lick Run Greenway.
the Lick Run Greenway runs through the neighborhood and the city and has miles of trails.
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The Hope Center in Harrison serves as a community hub for support and resources.
Gatherings at The Hope Center
The Hope Center is known for its signature annual events that give the neighborhood a place to hang out. One is the Memorial Day weekend cookout, which requires three days of grilling beforehand to whip up enough hamburgers and hot dogs to feed the 500 attendees, Lewis says. “It’s like a family reunion in the streets.” During the annual Christmas for Kids event, donors and The Hope Center provide presents for more than 100 children before hosting hundreds of kids and adults at a party that features catered food, facepainting and an appearance by Santa Claus.
Vintage home styles
Houses date to the late 1800s and early 1900s, with Folk Victorians, American Foursquares and Craftsman homes along narrow streets. Most houses don’t have driveways, and only a few of the compact lots have room for grass alleys where homeowners can park their cars. Front doors are usually only steps from the sidewalk, but covered front porches provide places to relax outside. Several properties need to be renovated to be livable, with turnkey home prices starting around $100,000. Newly refurbished houses fetch $200,000.
The neighborhood's layout promotes a walkable community, with porches facing the street.
Foursquare homes in Harrison are characterized by their boxy shape and practical design.
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Forensics and gaming clubs at Patrick Henry High
Homes are within 2 miles of two schools children can attend: Lincoln Terrace Elementary School and Lucy Addison Middle School. Niche gives both schools grades of C. B-rated Patrick Henry High School, about 3 miles away, has some of the most varied extracurricular activities in Roanoke City Public Schools; there are clubs for students interested in forensics, tabletop gaming or writing for a literature magazine.
Students explore a dynamic curriculum at Lincoln Terrace Elementary School.
Patrick Henry High School has received an overall B rating from Niche.
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Reaching downtown Roanoke
The neighborhood is alongside Orange Avenue, an east-west road that locals can use to get across town and reach Salem or Vinton. From Orange Avenue, drivers can merge onto Interstate 581; the highway runs north to south through Roanoke and connects to Interstate 81, which extends through western Virginia. It’s possible to walk to parks, churches and convenience stores thanks to Harrison’s sidewalks and grid layout. Most of the neighborhood is less than 2 miles from downtown Roanoke. However, walking there can be tricky due to gaps in sidewalks and train tracks pedestrians need to cross over. Buses stop about once an hour along 5th Street as it shuttles between downtown and the Big Lots on Hershberger Road.
Interstate 81 provides easy travel to downtown restaurants and retail.
The metro buses run frequently throughout the neighborhood and the city.
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Written By
Alex Soderstrom
Photography Contributed By
Robert Pierce
Video By
GL Moses
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BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES PREMIER, REALTORS(r) - NORTH
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You will love this 1920s classic brick four square located in the heart of Roanoke City. Entry level features a large foyer, living room with stunning original glass doors. Custom stained glass windows, accent the original woodwork. A large dining room, a half bath, spacious kitchen and large pantry. Upper level provides 4 spacious bedrooms and 1 full bath with potential to finish attic space for
GREAT TURN KEY INVESTMENT APTS - UPGRADED ELECTRICAL WIRING - STORAGE IN ATTIC AND BASEMENT - NEWLY PAINTED METAL ROOF - NEW WATER HEATER FOR UPSTAIRS UNIT - FRESH PAINT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE - FRONT AND BACK PORCHES - NEW LUXURY VINYL TILE - NEAR BUS LINE - BLOWN IN INSULATION IN UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS WALLS AS WELL AS IN ATTIC - NEW CABINETS IN UNIT TWO - LAUNDRY HOOKUPS IN BOTH UNITS - LEVEL
Property Id: 1682101This charming 2 story 3-bedroom, 1 and a half-bathroom house located in Northwest Roanoke City close to Downtown offers hardwood floors, freshly painted walls and bright and airy rooms. Located within walking distance to public transportation and nearby convenience stores.
Large Rooms | High Ceilings | Stainless Appliances ( Fridge + GlassTop Stove) | Ceramic Tile Surrounds | 1st Level offers a Large Foyer and Living Room, Master Bedroom, Large Kitchen, Full Bath and a Mud Room | 2nd Level offers 4 Bedrooms and a Full Bath
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an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,029
Median Age
38
Population Density
9 ppl/acre
Population under 18
28.2%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
17.4%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$44,999
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$47,480
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
89%
College Graduates
4.8%
Significantly below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
0.7%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
69.8%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
43''
Average Winter Low Temperature
29°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
1''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
45/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
35/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
40/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
