Historic Can Company Going on Auction Block

The Virginia Can Company as it looks ...^

... and as it could look.^

The historic Virginia Can Company, more commonly known as the Heironimus Warehouse Building, will be sold at auction April 21 at noon putting a hault to ad agency owner Katie Wallace’s grand plan to convert the building into retail and residential space.

Wallace’s plan has been the focus of a study by Virginia Tech students and has been a work in progress for some years. Financing it has been a challenge, especially in this economy. At the Tech symposium a few months ago, she said she had no idea when or if the plan would be completed—but the drawings remain optimistic and attractive.

The building was constructed in 1912 as a factory for the Virginia Can Company and was used as a warehouse for S. H. Heironimus Co. most recently. The two-story building has 50,948 squqare feet and are joined by walkways. There is a courtyard between the buildings.

The buildings feature large double-hung windows, skylights, tongue and groove flooring, exposed brick walls and a clear ceiling height of 14 feet throughout much of the buildings. There is considerable potential for adaptive re-use, which is what Wallace saw.

Exterior detail includes dentil molding, tongue and grove soffits, keystones above windows and doors, slate hip roof and brick. There is also a 2,256 square foot one-story cinder block addition. The property is zoned D, Downtown and the assessed value for the property is $377,700.

On February 22, 2006, the property was entered into the National Register of Historic Places. It is also in the City of Roanoke Enterprise Zone.