In this case, growing is a good thing. The neighborhood is thriving, homes are selling, people are happy. The neighborhood may not be 100% what was originally envisioned, but from my outsider’s point of view, I would argue that it is better – the neighborhood has taken ownership and initiative.
If you haven’t been in the Belvedere neighborhood recently, you might want to take a drive through. Better yet, drive in, park, and talk to the neighbors.
Why is Belvedere doing so well?
1 – It now has the feeling that it’s thriving. Psychologically, buyers need this.
2 – It’s in a great location; well-positioned to both Downtown Charlottesville and the 29 North (DIA/NGIC) Corridor
3 – The inventory has shifted and adjusted to the market – quite a few townhomes are selling there now.
4 – The Meadowcreek Parkway is (probably/supposedly/perhaps) going to be built, Finally, providing bicycle access to Downtown Charlottesville.
But really, when people are looking for homes, they’re looking at the aspects that they cannot control – what’s outside the four corners of the property.
I was showing houses in the Belvedere neighborhood a few weeks ago. Here’s the scene:
We walked out of the builder’s model and up to the back of the neighborhood to where the neighborhood connects to the Rivanna Trail and saw deer. Walking back down to the heart of the neighborhood, we ran into one of my clients who has lived in Belvedere for nearly a year and she spoke of how much she and her family love living here. Leaving her, we walked across the street to buy some homemade organic cookies and lemonade made with turbinado sugar from some of the entrepreneurial kids. We go into the builder’s model home, talk for a while and upon coming outside, see that the cookie-and-lemonade-sellers have been joined by a girl on a stool in a tie-dye shirt strumming a guitar.
To recap:
– Wildlife (deer)
– Happy resident
– Wildlife (happy kids)
– Musical accompaniment
Not bad.
Have I mentioned that the neighborhood has fiber internet (one of the very few neighborhoods in Charlottesville that has fiber internet)?
Related reading:
– A Good Neighborhood (Belvedere) in Charlottesville
– Belvedere Pioneers Celebrate One Year –
– Two Years in Belvedere -clients reflect on two years in Belvedere
– All stories I’ve written about Belvedere
Woot! This is a great summary. We really are a great group, and the community design is good, too. I was recently peppered with questions at a gathering when folks found out I lived in Belvedere. Do you like it? What is is like? I found myself recounting the history some. Bret and I have always enjoyed living here. It exceeded our expectations. Now, we just giggle when we walk around Belvedere because it actually is a neighborhood. Hey Bubble Bloggers: ththththththththththt!
AWESOME that you continue to love your place, since you are going to be flooooded with tenants at “The Reserve” luxury apartments, the unplanned  300 unit addition to the Belvedere idea that came about due to the Developers’ need for $$$….and with the SOCA fields at the back–there’s going to be lots of folks tramping through to enjoy the place with you.  When you want to leave the enclave, it’s almost impossible to make a left onto Rio (when’s that traffic light going in?)  and Rio, even after the Meadowcreek Pkwy is finally open, will be bumper to bumper, since, as surely you know, all that building going on toward Downtown is low-income (“affordable” housing), and on the other end of Rio, across from Fashion Square,  is another “luxury” apartment complex about to spring up. So loving where you live is, again, awesome, since you’ll be locked in there.  And if you’re so happy, what do you care about the bubble bloggers?  Who, by the way, wish you nothing but love and peace.
Jim-In September 2010 I was new to Belvedere and Piedmont Realty & Construction. During the Parade of Homes Belvedere came alive with the community opening it’s arms to the many visitors. It was evident what kind of community Belvedere really is-it feels like “Home”. There will be many new families that will call it home in the next few months. I am proud to have been a part of Belveder’s growth. Happy Selling!
If you were interested but needed an extra reason to stop by the Neighborhood we’re planning a Community Yard Sale Saturday and Sunday May 21-22 from 8-1.
 Should be a fun time – I believe the lemonade stand will be up and active 🙂
you go teagan//// willow &  kallan make some college monet
We’ve been looking at Belvedere over the last few years, occasionally walking through the growing neighborhood and looking at the attractive open houses. What we’ve seen seems well constructed (except that the materials in the garage apartments are out-gassing). What’s still lacking are amenities in walking distance: one would like to buy a cup of coffee at a wifi coffeeshop, pick up a few groceries, go to a restaurant. I think this is in the planning stages? But truly, that’s what’s dreadful about the suburbs: nothing purposeful to walk to. Where we live now — we are walking distance from Belvedere — in order to get anywhere without driving (such as Albemarle Square) one must walk next to Rio Road a fair distance, and anyone can tell you that it’s not pleasant to walk next to a busy road where cars are whizzing by at 45 mph. At least there are now some crossing signals for pedestrians. The issue is pedestrian-friendly development, in the full meaning of what a neighborhood should be, along the style of the more closely built exurbs. A lot of us suburbanites are getting tired of driving everywhere.
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