Center in the Square

Is Center in the Square just the one building on the Roanoke City Market?

No, we are in four locations. Center in the Square is our signature facility and the original home (opened in 1983) to five organizations on the City Market. Then Center on Church, home to The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge and Mill Mountain Theatre's Waldron Stage, opened in 1988. Roanoke Ballet Theatre and Opera Roanoke joined the Center family in 1997, they are located in the Jefferson Center and we pay their rent there. Center in the Square purchased and renovated the Shenandoah Hotel in 2000, which provides space for Mill Mountain Theatre's educational programs and for housing visiting actors and theatre artists. Finally, there's the newly renovated N&W Passenger Station, which is home to the O. Winston Link Museum.

How can Center in the Square undertake big new projects like the N&W Passenger Station at a time when money is so tight?

Negotiations to develop the O. Winston Link Museum began in 2000, long before the current funding crisis. Funds raised for the Passenger Station project came from sources not generally available to Center in the Square and represented new money for the Roanoke Valley, such as the Transportation Enhancement funds awarded by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Transportation Board. The project addressed seven of VDOT's twelve funding goals, including support of transportation and historic renovation. Contributions to the Passenger Station project were restricted to the station's renovation. These funds did not aid, in any way, Center's day-to-day operations of its existing facilities.

How did you have the idea for a downtown cultural center?

The idea for a downtown cultural center first began to form in the late 1970s. Downtown Roanoke was deteriorating, and none of the Valley's cultural organizations had a satisfactory, permanent home with adequate facilities to accomplish their dreams. Numerous facilities were proposed, but the founders settled on a vacant 1914 feed and seed warehouse on the corner of Roanoke's Farmers' Market, reinforcing and bolstering one of downtown's natural strengths. More than 50 organizations were invited to move into Center. Only five accepted the challenge to move downtown, not a very attractive option at the time.

What organizations are part of Center in the Square?

These organizations are Art Museum of Western Virginia, History Museum & Historical Society of Western Virginia and its O. Winston Link Museum, Mill Mountain Theatre, Opera Roanoke, Roanoke Ballet Theatre, Inc., Science Museum of Western Virginia and Hopkins Planetarium, and The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge.

Does Center in the Square own all of the museums and put on all of the plays by itself?

No, actually Center in the Square is responsible for the facilities. The seven organizations for which Center in the Square provides a home are all independent. They put on all the wonderful events, exhibits, and performances.

How can I find out what fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables are available on the Farmers' Market?

Call Downtown Roanoke, Inc. which manages the Market, at (540) 342-2028. The Farmers' Market in Roanoke is the oldest continuously operating market in Virginia, open six days a week year-round.

How do I find out about other tourist attractions in the Roanoke Valley?

The Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau has a Visitors Center at the newly renovated N&W Passenger Station at 101 Shenandoah Ave, across from the Hotel Roanoke. The phone number is (540) 342-6025 or (800) 635-5535 You may also contact them by email at info@visitroanokeva.com .