Riverdale
The Riverdale project
Developer Ed Walker is making moves to revitalize southeast Roanoke. The $50 million Riverdale project will transform the over 100-acre Roanoke Industrial Center. Once completed, the site will offer housing within walking distance of the Roanoke River Greenway, as well as restaurants, an entertainment stage, art studios and pickleball courts. Efforts have been made to zone this area as a “downtown” for flexible land use. While there has been concern among locals that the redevelopment will be too expensive for current southeast Roanoke residents, Walker has said that affordability is one of the project’s priorities. Still, the project is scheduled to take 16 years to complete, wrapping up in 2040 according to plans.Roanoke River Greenway access and Golden Park
There are two entrances to the Roanoke River Greenway in Riverdale. The Underhill Avenue entrance leads toward Tinker Creek and the Roanoke River Bridge. Along the way, and alternating wood and black iron fence follows a paved path on the right, and dense shrubs and trees grow to the left. Closer to the water, the path narrows and gets shadier as the tree canopy becomes lusher. The Bennington Street entrance to the greenway leads east and more tightly contours the water. This paved path is popular with bikers, runners or those looking for a leisurely scenic stroll. Nearby Golden Park is open, grassy and within walking distance of some homes. A row of sycamore trees lines the park’s southern edge. Kids run around on the playground, teenagers play pick-up games on the basketball court and dogs play in the open green space.Early 20th-century housing
Winding two-lane roads surrounded by thick brush lead to the southern part of the Riverdale, where the elevation rises. Residents here can look down from the hillside at the homes of those living in the neighborhood's northern section. Riverdale has a mix of historic properties and new construction, with older homes making up most of the neighborhood’s housing stock. Cape Cods and bungalows from the early 20th century sit beside recently built Colonial Revivals. Potential homebuyers can find a property in Riverdale for between $120,000 and $270,000, with homes that need some fixing up on the lower end of that price range and new builds on the upper end. “Southeast Roanoke is affordable,” Taylor says. “There are a lot of fixer-uppers. It’s good for someone that might have a lower budget and doesn’t mind putting in work when they move in.” Renters occupy a large portion of the neighborhood as well, with apartment buildings like the Mount Pleasant Villas Apartment Complex accommodating them.Grocery shopping at Bennington Place
Riverdale’s sole shopping center, Bennington Place, has a Food Lion grocery store, a nail salon and an e-cigarette shop. Locals will need to travel outside the neighborhood, perhaps to a brewery like Three Notch'd Craft Kitchen and Brewery or a pizza joint like Benny's Marconi's in downtown Roanoke, to find something to do on Saturday nights. But many folks head to Riverdale Baptist Church on Edgerton Avenue on Sunday mornings. Riverdale is also home to the Western Virginia Water Authority and the Roanoke Regional Water Pollution Control Plant, which ensures 37-million gallons of sanitary sewer water from throughout the Roanoke Valley are up to water quality standards.Roanoke City Public Schools
Roanoke City Public Schools serve the neighborhood. Students can attend Garden City Elementary School, which gets a B-minus from Niche, before John P. Fishwick Middle School, which receives a C-plus. They can finish their public education at Patrick Henry High School, which scores a B from Niche and offers Dual Enrollment with Virginia Western Community College.2 miles to downtown Roanoke
Bennington Road, which encompasses the neighborhood’s western border, is the neighborhood’s main thoroughfare. Once it crosses the river, it turns into 13th Street and starts the 2-mile drive toward downtown Roanoke. Valley Metro buses along this road lead throughout the city. To reach Salem, locals can hop on U.S. Interstate 581, just outside the neighborhood, for about 14 miles. Vinton is about 3 miles northeast via Dale Avenue. In case of emergency, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is about 3 miles east. To leave the Blue Ridge Mountains and travel anywhere in the country, residents can hop on a plane at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, about 8 miles northeast.


Agents Specializing in this Area
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Jessica Rossello
DIVINE FOG REALTY COMPANY LLC- ROANOKE
(540) 240-9263
50 Total Sales
1 in Riverdale
$213,500 Price
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JP
Jennifer Porter
Responds QuicklyRE/MAX ALL STARS
(540) 900-1578
131 Total Sales
2 in Riverdale
$91K - $126K Price Range
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GA
Gregg Ayers
Responds QuicklyPRIME REAL ESTATE SERVICES INC
(540) 779-1841
48 Total Sales
1 in Riverdale
$49,950 Price
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April McGhee
Responds QuicklyL T MCGHEE & CO
(540) 613-5632
98 Total Sales
1 in Riverdale
$155,000 Price
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AB
Ashley Beason
Responds QuicklyWAINWRIGHT & CO., REALTORS(r)
(540) 900-0770
34 Total Sales
2 in Riverdale
$126K - $175K Price Range
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Sara Fisher
Responds QuicklyLICHTENSTEIN ROWAN, REALTORS(r)
(540) 240-9718
33 Total Sales
1 in Riverdale
$250,000 Price
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Riverdale | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 9 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 9 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 10 | 4 |
Robbery | 7 | 4 |
Burglary | 10 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 8 | 4 |
Larceny | 6 | 4 |
Crime Score | 8 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Riverdale Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Riverdale, Roanoke sell after 53 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Riverdale, Roanoke over the last 12 months is $338,000, down 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
Minimal Transit
Transit 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.
Nearby Neighborhoods

Southeast Roanoke neighborhood alongside two waterways

Affordable neighborhood just north of the Roanoke River and 2 miles from downtown

Struggling Roanoke neighborhood with historic homes, robust recreation

Southeast Roanoke neighborhood that's targeted for improvements

A former rural town on the edge of southeast Roanoke annexed by the city in 1949

A turn-of-the-century enclave tucked between Mill Mountain and the Roanoke River