Browsing Category Growth

The Walkable City – Achievable in Charlottesville?

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What would it take to make Charlottesville and Albemarle truly walkable? People who live in areas that are walkable are happier, leaner, have more money for leisure, spend more time with their families … is that really achievable in the Charlottesville area?

The answer is – the public would have to express its desire for this, the leaders would have to listen to the people, collaborate, plan and execute a vision that would enable the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle to create more walkable and bikeable localities. Of course, in an area that takes 30+ years to build a short Parkway, I think there’s a better chance of flying cars gaining prominence than thoughtful infrastructure being implemented.

What could be done to craft a truly walkable City/County?

Walkability matters – there are growing urban cores within Charlottesville and Albemarle and the sprawlish segmentation continues. But … what if each of these urban cores grows up and densely?

This is the original Google Map I did in 2007. I’ve updated it for today’s world. Biscuit Run is no longer planned. Albemarle Place is now Stonefield (and is built). North Pointe is far off in the horizon.

This is a map of the “town centers” in the Charlottesville – Albemarle area

(If you’re looking for homes near these, use the radius search on my search site)

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West Main Street – The Solution to UVA’s Housing Crunch?

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That’s what it’s seeming like, and the Charlottesville City Planning Department is starting to realize the ramifications of being said solution to UVA’s growth.

Charlottesville Tomorrow reports (read the whole thing):

Several members of the Charlottesville Planning Commission said Tuesday they leaned toward not approving an apartment complex on West Main Street unless the needs of an adjacent public housing site are taken into consideration.

“I have grave concerns about the social justice and the environmental justice issues of putting a project like this next to Westhaven,” said CommissionerGenevieve Keller.

The developers of the proposed 189-unit development, the Standard, had a preliminary discussion with the commission during its meeting Tuesday night. The developers need a special use permit to allow for additional density and building height.

The ramifications – rents, homeownership rates, transience, transportation, the demand for ancillary services – of so many rental units coming on the market at pretty much the same time will be … interesting. We’ll know more in 24 months.

And here you have the story of transportation/infrastructure/”planning” of Charlottesville and Albemarle … in a nutshell (bolding mine):

The Planning Commission is slated to vote on the special use permit later this year, but Keller said she wanted to wait until the results of a $350,000 study of infrastructure required to guide redevelopment of West Main Street. No timetable for that study has been made available.

Look … I’m not saying they should wait for the study results, but I am saying that our localities’ respective proclivities to plan and study and plan to study and study the plan – while growth happens is harmful. To the localities, to businesses, to basic qualities of life of those of us who live here.

Background story on RealCentralVA from October 2012. Some of the other stories I’ve written about West Main Street.

A look at West Main on Google Maps.

I *really* wish Flickr allowed for geographic searching; searching for “West Main” isn’t so useful.

COeverywhere looks really promising from a mobile perspective for (hyper)local insight.

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Local Elections Matter – Charlottesville and Albemarle Edition

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The Virginia Public Access Project - Albemarle County

Local elections matter immensely – they’re where our growth, land use, property taxes, police and more relevant policies are implemented. I’ll be writing about the Albemarle, Charlottesville and Greene elections more as we get nearer to the elections, but for now, three of the most important resources available for Charlottesville and Albemarle and local/state politics, respectively are:

– Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Candidate Forum Calendar. They will be posting their comprehensive Election Guide soon.

– VPAP, the Virginia Public Access Project tracks money in elections. Sadly, it appears that Albemarle and Charlottesville are the only two local localities participating.

— Albemarle – So far, $86,303 is being reported as having been raised between the three races. Duane Snow is getting killed in fundraising – Liz Palmer reporting nearly $30k versus his $8,500
— Charlottesville – So far, about $12k is being reported as having been raised. Will this be the year a non-Democrat gets elected to City Council?

– C-Ville’s recent Albemarle County Supervisor interviews. Rio District, Samuel Miller and Jack Jouett.

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Downtown Charlottesville Expanding

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Essentially, that’s what’s going to happen if this Strategic Investment Area plan in the the City of Charlottesville comes to fruition – even in part.

More bike lanes, more connectivity, more density – Charlottesville could truly become more citified through the implementation of these proposals.

“It’s the center of the town, people live there, there are no cars and it’s wonderful,” Kuttner said. “This is such an amazing opportunity.”
 

The centerpiece of the plan is a linear park that would span the study area. A stream would flow through a central plaza on the Ix property to provide a public gathering place. Meadows and gardens would be created to filter stormwater. 
 
“There’s been a big focus on moving on this city to be a more green city,” Quill said. 

Several streets would be reconfigured with bike lanes and wider sidewalks. Second Street Southeast and Garret Street would be modified to accommodate additional buildings. 
 


View Larger Map

Click through to read the options presented to the City, or download the PDF here.

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Development in Charlottesville – Future and Present

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Bill Emory asks some great and important questions about current and future development in Charlottesville, “Charlottesville” being the “City of Charlottesville” not “Charlottesville MSA” or “Charlottesville and Albemarle.” A must-see photo essay.

The overreaching question is: How do we move to excellent urban planning?

(and how do we connect Charlottesville and Albemarle and the greater Charlottesville area?)

Thanks to Sean for the pointer.

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Bundoran Farm’s Second Act

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Bundoran Farm, the preservation development near North Garden and Batesville in Southern Albemarle was foreclosed on last year.

Dave McNair at The Hook reports on how they’re moving forward under new ownership. I’ve always loved that development and wish it was viable on a larger scale.

Either way – as Dave reports, they should be able to make a much better run at it; the original price in 2006 was $31 million; the foreclosed sale price was $7.5 million.

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