This weekend has a host of real-estate related activities – The Blue Ridge Home Builder’s Home ShowThe Treehugger’s Ball (text courtesy of Dave Norris’ site)We are excited to announce that the Living Education Center for Ecology and the Arts (LEC) and Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation (ACCT) are teaming up to host the 1st Annual TREEHUGGERS BALL, a party to celebrate community, environmental awareness, meaningful education and alternative transportation…. The Treehuggers Ball will take place on Saturday, March 11, 2006 from 7-11pm, in the Old Michie Building-609 E…. This glittering event will include performances by two locally-famous bands, delicious food and drink, interactive festivities for party-goers young and old, and a silent auction…. The event is designed to raise funds and draw attention to the work of LEC and ACCT…. For more information, contact: Alia Anderson, 295-6554 or Ernie Reed, 971-1647.”Solar how water system presentationSolar hot water systems are an efficient, economical and elegant way to heat water for home, commercial and industrial use. Come learn more about their history, design and applications at the Charlottesville Community Design Center on Saturday, March 11 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Local experts Roger Voisinet and David Watkins, owners of the area’s largest solar firm in the 1980’s: Virginia Solar Contracting Services, will give a presentation on the basics of how solar hot water systems work, how they are designed and installed, and how much money they can save on water heating costs.I can’t pinpoint the time that 1) I knew about things such as the Treehugger’s Ball or 2) when I started to care. All I know is that if I weren’t showing property all day tomorrow and Sunday, I’d have good things to do this weekend.
Date Archives March 2006
The development news continues
The HooK has two excellent articles this week concerning development/growth.There grows the neighborhoodI love this part, referencing Hollymead Town Center:The only pedestrians — one touted hallmark of the neighborhood concept– enjoying the view are folks hurrying between car and shop….Thomas says the county expects each development “to have sidewalks, and have the developments be pedestrian oriented– which is a higher standard than simply providing sidewalks.”Asked about the sidewalks, Wood says wryly, “We don’t build sidewalks until we put in the streets.” He says Hollymead will eventually boast 2.5 miles of sidewalks.This is comforting:Critics complaining of “Fairfaxing” or “Loudounizing” can take comfort from this. There are only 1.4 million square feet of commercial space here. To become an “edge city” requires 5 million square feet of commercial space.This pretty much sums it up. Thanks to The HooK.
Homeshow this weekend
Don’t forget about the Home Show this weekend. Last year I saw the coolest toilet ever. I can’t wait to see this years’ offerings. The DP has a round-up.
Kelo’s legacy
UVA Law School’s Julia D. Mahoney has an interesting paper on the fallout and legacy of the Kelo decision: Kelo’s Legacy: Eminent Domain and the Future of Property Rights. Here is the abstract:Judging from the furious public response, one might imagine that Kelo v. New London, which upheld the condemnation of homes for mixed-use redevelopment, represented the abdication of judicial oversight of legislative and administrative decisions to condemn property for ostensible “public use”. Yet, if anything, the opposite is true. The Court’s leading precedents prior to Kelo mandated near total judicial deference to condemnation decisions. By contrast, the majority opinion in Kelo implied, and the one concurring opinion — written by a member of the majority–underscored, that the “public use” limitation constitutes a real check on exercises of government power. Increased judicial oversight could yield benefits. Even though courts may not be superior–or even equal to– legislatures and agencies in their capacity to grapple with the complex moral and economic issues involved in eminent domain, the fact that courts may veto condemnations can serve as a powerful check on undesirable behavior.Hat tip to the Property Prof Blog.
A Pop-up on the City
Taking off on The HooK’s recent post about pop-ups, I just put this house on the market in the City. Visual Tour, podcasts and more to come soon.
On Barry Bonds
If he’s just staying in for the record, why don’t the players just not pitch to him? What better statement from those who haven’t cheated?I don’t care too much for baseball, but I do have great disdain for cheaters. Of all the articles I read yesterday on this, this one by Buster Olney stood out.
A better implementation of the “Town Center” model?
Despite that this plan originated somewhat in Celebration, Florida, there is one aspect of this plan that makes sense:Besides the location, many of the 3,000 residents rave about the pre-1940s-style architecture that includes Victorian, Colonial Revival, French and country homes, many with front porches that residents say makes their neighborhoods more close-knit.Hmmm. Not building cookie-cutter homes, putting at least some consideration into creative design? Not an entirely bad idea, in my opinion. Other builders are incorporating town-planning elements of TNDs in otherwise conventional tracts. More cities across the nation are starting to require these kinds of urban designs, as part of a general movement called “smart growth” to corral sprawl.It may not seem like it sometimes, but we are not the only ones struggling with growth.