Roanoke real estate developer Ed Walker is one of the people behind the purchase the former Valleydale Foods plant in Salem.
A team made up of community-focused professionals and investors from Salem, Roanoke and outside the region will work to redevelop the property, according to a prepared statement sent by the development team. Walker was the only person to confirm his involvement.
The exact plans for the building have not been decided. The statement said it might be industrial or mixed-use, but there are no plans to transform it into residential space right now, although that could change during the design process. The statement said there is a “clear bias to bring some new industrial employment opportunities to the building and to Salem, if possible.”
“As with every project, we intend to be good stewards of the building, of its history, of this great company, of its former employees and good stewards for a bright future at Valleydale,” Walker said in the statement. “I would love to see some mixed uses that included light industry that would create some new jobs and bring workers back to Valleydale. It won’t be hot dogs, but hopefully there are some other light industrial uses that would work well.”
