Roanoke County is accepting proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the former McDonald dairy barn and site located within the Vinton Business District.

The German-style barn was built in 1938 and occupies 6,618 square feet on 8.10 acres of land off Hardy Road. It is located in the Vinton Business Center, a planned mixed-use business park.

Jill Loope, Roanoke County Economic Development director, said the goal is to attract a developer with experience in converting historic and/or blighted properties into viable projects for business growth and success.

The barn site is zoned PTD (Planned Technology District) and offers a unique opportunity to be repurposed for a variety of commercial or industrial uses. The property is jointly owned by Roanoke County and the Town of Vinton.

“We are open to considering the vision of the proposer, which is why we issued the RFP,” says Loope. “Considering the small size of the building, it is expected to generate interest for smaller commercial uses such as a restaurant, brew pub, small scale brewery, entertainment venue, or mixed commercial/office/retail uses. Obviously, there could be any combination proposed including any of these uses or other suggestions.”

The property is close to downtown Vinton and adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is the potential for Virginia and National Historic Landmark designation and historic tax credit eligibility, which would enable the developer to receive up to 45 percent of construction costs back. The town and county would like to convey the property and structure “as is.”

Anyone interested in making a proposal has until 3 p.m. on July 31, with more information, including a tour of the facility available, by contacting Loope at 772-2124 or  jloope@roanokecountyva.gov