The Roanoker January/February 2024 - 12
Do You Know...?
Do You Know...
John Garland?
written & photographed by Dan Smith
One of Roanoke's premier re-builders has his eye on
community, neighborhood, the old days.
I
t is a small, but easily-recognizable fraternity and, of it,
John Garland says, " Roanoke is blessed with
community-minded developers. " He should
know. He's right there at the top of the
short list, which includes Ed Walker, Lucas
Thornton, Brent Cochran, Bill Chapman (of
Richmond) and Corbin Prydwen.
These men are responsible for a spate of
visionary redevelopment projects that include
buildings as big as the Higher Education
Center and as small as single-family homes,
mostly in the City of Roanoke. They stand out
not only because they are of high quality, but
also because they follow a vision of Roanoke that
focuses on historic preservation, efficiency and love of
community.
Garland who has seen a long career at the head of his own
His and Spectrum Design's most spectacular and widely admired
project was the conversion of the old Norfolk & Western office building
into the Roanoke Higher Education Center. It was a project where " the
city showed developers how [historic redevelopment] is done. " But the
Center is far from his favorite.
He prefers smaller projects that impact neighborhoods in a notable
John Garland: " There were about
two people living downtown. Now
we're well over 2,000. "
way. His fraternity of redevelopers is primarily responsible for creating
downtown homes for Roanokers. " When we started, " he says, " there
were about two people living downtown. Now we're well over 2,000. "
He points to considerable work being done on the West End,
several abandoned or neglected businesses in decline,
and bringing back forgotten homes.
His fave? 2049 Windsor Avenue in
Roanoke, a 1920s English Tudor. " It was
the first building I did with my sons, " he
says. " We worked closely in all facets,
a family project. " He has a nostalgic
tie to the renovation of the old S&W
Cafeteria downtown into 16 West, a
group of businesses occupying the
space now. " We've never made any
money with this, " he says, " but I like
it because of its history. " Likewise, the
former Leggett department store, which
is now mostly apartments, has a personal
history for him.
His apartment projects have been notable for
their affordability in most cases. " I never thought he
looked at profit the way others do, " says Holland. " And
companies (John Garland Associates, Spectrum Engineers, Spectrum
Design) evolve into Garland Properties, which he operates with his two
sons, Aaron and Mark, in what many would consider his retirement years.
His renovation totals, he estimates, run to 15 buildings and 200 apartments
in Roanoke alone.
Garland is a Roanoke native, one of three children of Marie and
Graham Garland and father of Anna and Rebecca, in addition to the
boys. He and Maria have been married for 46 years. Aaron manages
Garland Properties and Mark owns Redux, a design-build company.
Garland has a master's and bachelor's from Virginia Tech.
Garland Properties, the newest iteration of the family business, owns
and operates " around 40 properties, " Garland estimates, and in recent
years, as Roanoke properties became scarce and expensive, has branched
out to Danville, Martinsville/Henry County and Pulaski.
Keith Holland, community development director of Martinsville,
has worked over the years on a number of projects with Garland in
several localities and when a need for his type of expertise arose recently,
Holland called. Garland immediately " made a footprint here, " says
Holland. The projects " have had a significant impact " on Martinsville
because Garland " has a keen sense of what is needed and what will jell. "
One of Garland's newest salvages is in the Wasena neighborhood
where a group of buildings was being used for storage of old, rotting
furniture and was in line to be torn down. It is now, with Garland's
touch, a thriving commercial stretch in a solid and growing residential
neighborhood. It is the kind of project-one that nobody else wants-
where Garland excels.
12
january/february 2024
his projects have significant impact. " The renovation of the old Electra
Buick dealership downtown features some apartments for $795 a month,
considered a steal these days. Historic tax credits help defray costs and
Garland has learned well how to play the money game, getting the
maximum support for his renovations. The goal with these projects, he
insists, is " to benefit the entire community. "
Projects that result in mixed use, architect Chris Venable says, are
reminiscent of the 1950s-1970s, but that " fell out of favor to suburbs.
Density defined the old neighborhoods, but it became an automobiledominated
market. Mixed use is good for the neighborhoods. "
Garland " sees the old and unoccupied and imagines. He follows
through. "
Architect Lenore Weiss of Spectrum Design sees Garland as " the
ultimate entrepreneur. Everything he works on tends to be a success.
He cares about the history of these buildings. He seeks to make the
place better. "
Garland's most recent project has been the resurrection of the old
Colonial Elementary School in Troutville, which a group bought from
the county for $10. Garland has put considerable work into the school
and managed to land two truckloads of furniture for it when a bank
moved and wanted to get rid of its old furniture.
Garland's career has been marked with projects that benefit people.
" He is socially conscious, " says Holland. " I find him to be a good human
being and I don't know how he gets by with the fantastic [rental] rates "
he charges.
Says Weiss, simply: " He is one of the best people I've ever known. " I
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The Roanoker January/February 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker January/February 2024
The Roanoker January/February 2024 - Cover1
The Roanoker January/February 2024 - Cover2
The Roanoker January/February 2024 - 3
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The Roanoker January/February 2024 - Cover3
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