Charlottesville's Real Estate Blog. Buyer &/or Seller Representation, Real Estate News
The debate on the Western Bypass was fairly well summed up today in a tweet:
CTB member Peake “this has gone on too long. It’s time to move on this project it’s a US Highway not Charlottesville’s” #WesternBypass
The Western Bypass isn’t the perfect road, and may not even be a good one, with it northern terminus being south of Forest Lakes. But this area needs transportation improvements.
Amazing what technology can do. Of course, who knows if it will ever be built.
Read it, download it, critique it. I’ll be posting a direct link to the PDF later today.
Nest Realty’s Nest Report is out – a comprehensive look at “where we are” right now in the Charlottesville real estate market.
Click through to download the report.
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(Really, Albemarle)
What, Pray Tell, is the Character of the Area Surrounding the Shops at Stonefield?
Just curious.
Albemarle’s Architectural Review Board is in a bit of an unenviable position, but let’s be serious.
The Shops at Stonefield are going to be big, likely going to be ugly, will probably look like almost any other big box development in the US, and will represent a huge step towards homogeneity in Charlottesville/Albemarle.
The ARB guidelines state (PDF):
Compatibility with the character of the Entrance Corridor:
5. It is also an important objective of the Guidelines to establish a pattern of compatible architectural characteristics throughout the Entrance Corridor in order to achieve unity and coherence. Building designs should demonstrate sensitivity to other nearby structures within the Entrance Corridor. Where a designated corridor is substantially developed, these Guidelines require striking a careful balance between harmonizing new development with the existing character of the corridor and achieving compatibility with the significant historic sites in the area.
Maybe they’re operating under guidelines different than the ones I was able to find.
So, what exactly is the character? I looked at the existing “entrance corridor”:
Seminole Square mall – Cheeseburger in Paradise, the Express Car Wash, Chili’s, strip with Sprint and the UPS Store, on the east side of 29, Burger King, and lots of parking lots. Stonefield is replacing the old Blockbuster and 7-11, and lots of trees and natural landscape. If the ARB truly wanted to be consistent, the Shops at Stonefield would have to emulate trees.
Note that a labeled look from above shows the existing character of the 29 corridor.
Think about this the next time you shop at a chain.
One by one, store by store, the chains expand, earning a few more dollars a share and further insulating themselves from the communities they used to serve. No, my neighbors and I don’t need another drugstore, we have plenty. That’s not going to change Walgreen’s mind, and it’s not going to help Jimmy and his team, either. My heart goes out to them. Thanks for everything you did for our community, guys.
Admittedly, many of the chains are locally-owned; but they aren’t as locally-owned as true locally-owned stores. Think Mudhouse and Starbucks. CVS and Parkway Pharmacy in Crozet. The Markets and 7-11. Harris Teeter and Great Valu in Crozet.
In a related story, the developers at Stonefield are finding that their stores may be welcome but their architecture is not.
The alternate title to this post was “Priorities.” The hard part about living in Charlottesville is making time to take advantage of opportunities. 
I could have been showing houses, or writing, or emailing clients. 
Instead, I made a memory with my daughter.