Where should growth in the City of Charlottesville go? Besides, “over there”?
Interesting juxtaposition of stories over the weekend from Charlottesville Tomorrow. (bolding mine)
Demographers at the University of Virginia are forecasting a sharp increase in Albemarle’s population by the year 2045, but a smaller rise for the city of Charlottesville.
“Charlottesville has had a fair amount of growth and I think it can continue having it, but I think it’s going to be much more challenging given its geography,” said Hamilton Lombard with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
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Lombard said whether projections meet reality will depend on land use decisions made by Virginia localities.
Related: Density in Downtown Charlottesville. If not here, where?
And then this proposed project in Downtown Charlottesville, near the CFA Institute, Hemoshear, and the whole of Downtown Charlottesville.
Great Eastern also is now proposing as much as 10,000 square feet of commercial space on 10th Street Northeast that could be used for restaurants or shops. Mitchell said that would mean a reduction of apartments in the building.
The updated application also includes results of a market study conducted by S. Patz and Associates that demonstrates a demand for the 126 units in a community with an apartment vacancy rate of 0.7 percent.
“The demand for this type of living based on downtown-area apartment occupancy rates and past development trends is currently not being met, partly due to the limited number of readily available sites,” reads the conclusion of the market study.
Great Eastern also is proposing to cap the number of bedrooms at 180 and that leases will be for each apartment rather than by bedroom. Leasing by bedroom has become a common practice among new housing complexes on West Main Street, including the Uncommon and the Flats at West Village.
Update 7 July 2017: the East High Street project was narrowly approved and it was an interesting City Council meeting to watch.
Listening to the comments at tonight’s City Council meeting; it’s amazing how people don’t want the City to change/grow/evolve.
— Jim Duncan (@JimDuncan) July 6, 2017
I hope Charlottesville and Albemarle will work together to build the infrastructure necessary to support the growth.
The president of one group that has called for the city and county to establish an optimal population size said the growth is in part due to infill redevelopment that has been encouraged by city officials.