The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - 98

THEN &

NOW

The Patrick Henry Hotel

T

Jenny
Kincaid Boone

is a Roanoke-based
freelance writer and
former business
journalist. She is a
Roanoke College
and Northwestern
University graduate
who is passionate
about exercise and
chai latte.

98

MARCH/APRIL 2018

HERE ARE NOT MANY PLACES in Roanoke that
evoke such feelings of nostalgia as the Patrick
Henry Hotel.
Since its beginning in 1925, when the Colonial-Revival
style hotel was built to accommodate the city's growing
number of traveling salesmen, it has been a symbol of
elegance and history for locals and visitors to downtown
Roanoke for decades.
The 10-floor Patrick Henry, named for the U.S.
founding father in a naming contest, and its swanky
ballroom hosted wedding receptions, parties, community
meetings and many other special events. Rosie O'Donnell
and Martin Lawrence are among some of the celebrities
who performed for comedy shows at Down the Hatch, a
bar formerly located on the hotel's first floor.
The hotel, which is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places, has had its up and downs, including

ownership changes, bankruptcy, a 2007 closure and a
transformation and 2011 reopening, led by Roanoke
developer, Ed Walker.
Though the Patrick Henry no longer is a hotel, it still
exudes the elegance of its historic glory.
Now, it features 132 luxury apartments, businesses and
event space, including a refurbished ballroom.
Today's lobby, compared with the 1935 scene pictured
here, sports a modern look, with taupe colored chairs and
sofas, white columns and a game room area with a pool
table. There is one restaurant in the lobby area-FPS Cafe
& Spirits, featuring a bar and dueling piano performances.
Another, Fresh Baked Bakery, faces Jefferson Street.
Remnants of the hotel's past linger. Just look up. Several
antique chandeliers, restored during the hotel's revival,
dangle from the lobby's ceiling, shining light on a new
era for this beloved downtown landmark. I
TheRoanoker.com

JULIANNE RAINONE / ARCHIVAL IMAGE COURTESY OF THE VIRGINIA ROOM, ROANOKE PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this beautiful building has transformed from hotel
into an elegant living, business and event space.


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The Roanoker - March/April 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - March/April 2018

The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - Intro
The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - Cover1
The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - Cover2
The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - 3
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The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - Cover3
The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - Cover4
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