Roanoke City Panel Rejects Valley View Mall Site for Proposed Inpatient Rehab Facility
ROANOKE, VA — A long-discussed inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center may still be coming to Roanoke, but the City Planning Commission made it clear Monday that it should not be located near Valley View Mall.
In a unanimous 4–0 vote, the commission recommended that Roanoke City Council deny a rezoning request that would allow an 80-bed inpatient recovery facility to open inside the vacant building at 5060 Valley View Boulevard, located on the spur leading directly into the mall. The structure, owned by Mar Roanoke LLC, once served as a Virginia Employment Commission office and later housed outpatient treatment services — a use permitted under current zoning.
The proposed rezoning would shift the property from commercial use to institutional, triggering strong pushback from several groups who say the plan doesn’t match the character or purpose of the Valley View corridor.
Major Opposition From Local Business Community
In an unusual move, the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce publicly opposed the project.
Chamber President and CEO Eric Sichau told the commission that the Valley View spur acts as an important “welcome mat” into the region’s main commercial destination.
While acknowledging the community’s serious need for addiction treatment options, Sichau argued that the building’s location “is not the highest and best use” for such a facility.
Nearby hotels echoed that concern.
Attorney Brian Kearney, representing the owners of the Best Western, Comfort Inn, and MainStay Suites, questioned the city’s classification of the plan as “regional housing services,” saying the project behaves more like a medical operation than any kind of housing.
“It’s not a campus. It’s not institutional,” Kearney said. “It makes no sense.”
Developers Say the Site Makes Sense — and They’re Running Out of Options
Representatives for Mar Roanoke LLC maintained that the property is a strong candidate for the project.
Joaquin Luaces, part of the ownership group, said the inpatient facility would be secure, would see far less daily traffic than an outpatient operation, and would operate with 21- to 28-day treatment cycles without visitor access.
Luaces said the group has spent 18 months searching for alternative uses or potential buyers for the 20,000-square-foot building.
“So it’s either going to be an inpatient,” he said, “or we’re going to try to pitch it out again as outpatient.”
Mar Roanoke LLC purchased the property in 2018 for $5.2 million. It is currently assessed at $4 million.
Safety Questions and Zoning Concerns
Commission members questioned what risks, if any, the center could pose to the surrounding commercial area.
Michael Rothstein, who oversees licensing for similar treatment facilities in multiple states, told the board he couldn’t recall any cases where the public was endangered or where people attempted to force their way into a rehab center.
Even so, several commissioners said their concerns were not about the patients — but about the zoning change itself.
Commissioner Betty Jean Wolfe said she agrees Roanoke “extremely needs” treatment services but worries that an institutional zoning designation would follow the property even if ownership changes.
“For that reason, the vote is no,” she said.
Commissioner Adetoye Oshoniyi added that he views Valley View Mall as “a key asset” that still has life in it. Bringing institutional zoning into that corridor, he argued, doesn’t align with the area’s long-term commercial vision.
Commission chair Frank Martin, whose real estate firm is marketing the property, abstained from voting.
What Happens Next
Roanoke City Council will now take up the rezoning request during its 7 p.m. meeting on Monday. Council members will decide whether to follow the Planning Commission’s recommendation or move forward with the project despite the pushback.
As the region continues to grapple with substance abuse and overdose concerns, the question remains:
Where should Roanoke place new treatment resources — and who gets to decide what “fits” in the Valley View area?
If you plan to have this facility there are plenty of areas in the valley to consider. I don’t think the location in question is right and shouldn’t be chosen due to owners need to fill for his gain. If you plan to have this business make sure public knows it is just the location in question to keep media in check. A lot of people only read first three words and think they know the rest. Now you have some throwing hissy fits.