If you are not from the area, you might think endless debate is
something which comes from the drinking water in the Roanoke Valley.
We had a chance on an early morning visit to the Roanoke Farmer's Market to walk over and make up our own minds on the new Roanoke Art Museum.
On the one hand, I think the structure will certainly draw attention to Roanoke's downtown. That is a really good thing. Roanoke's downtown area is wonderful place.
It is a very human scale place where it is possible to enjoy a few hours in a downtown area with as little city pain as possible. Parking is easy to find. There are never beggars on the streets like in San Francisco.
When I compare Roanoke Farmer's Market and Market Building with its food vendors to places like Baltimore's Inner Harbor or Boston's Faneuil Hall, I think Roanoke comes away a winner.
Don't get me wrong, I love the fried clams and prime rib at Durgin Park, but I also love places like Roanoke's Burger in the Square. Obviously there is a difference in scale, but Roanoke has much to be proud of in their downtown.
On the other hand, the location of the new Art Museum is a tough spot. For a place to gain real fame, you need to have it so your average Joe (pardon me Joe Kennedy) can take a really good picture. I think that is going to be hard for the new museum. You want to capture the image, but you need to stand about fifty yards out into space.
It is possible to take some great pictures of the Sydney Opera House because it is surrounded by water. I was trying to think of how you could fix the Roanoke Art Museum. Short of relocating a street, I am out of ideas.
I guess we will just have to see what kind of notoriety the new Art Museum brings for Roanoke.
