Commonwealth Architects provided architectural services to Cityscape, LLC for the rehabilitation of the former Roanoke Ice and Cold Storage building located in The Wasena Historic District in Roanoke, Virginia. Built between 1924 and 1926, the facility has been transformed into a mix of apartments and commercial spaces and is breathing new life into this once industrial neighborhood.
The five-story brick cold storage building, now known as The River House, offers 128 apartments, while the one-story ice plant provides a restaurant, outdoor dining, office spaces, and rock climbing gym. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the project followed the standards set forth by the Secretary of The Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation of River House returns a historic structure to a place in the life of the city and plays an important role in the revitalization of Roanoke’s Wasena neighborhood.
