Last night, a team of architects from Philadelphia’s Wallace Roberts & Todd unveiled their plan to give the east end of the Downtown Mall (and much of downtown) a new look and some new features. Council approved the design process back in December, and this is the result of that. The initial goal was to design a CTS bus transfer station, but the plan now includes a mall expansion, planing trees along West Main, dead-ending South Street and installing a parking garage under the amphitheater. Some people are unhappy with the plan, though, notably because it can’t possibly be accomplished with the $3M in federal grant money that has been allocated. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Yearly Archive for 2002
Page 51 of 75
writes: Yet another local casualty of the telecom downturn, Adelphia Business Solutions filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today: Adelphia Business Solutions Files Chapter 11 ABS owns significant fiber facilities in the greater Cville region and was one of the first competetive dialtone providers.
Can we get a show of hands? Who’s still in business?
SNL Financial is moving from their Downtown Mall headquarters to the old National Ground Intelligence Center, just a few blocks away. The City has worked for the past year to attempt to locate a tenant for the 100,000 sq. ft. building since NGIC moved out in the county and the federal government gave the building to the City. The building requires about $6.5M in renovations, which SNL will pay for, though it’s proposed that $2.5M of that be funded by a seven-year loan from Charlottesville to the company. The 30-year lease is worth $14.8M, plus property taxes. City Manager Gary O’Connell says that he’s not concerned about the prospect of finding tenants for the 50,000 sq. ft. building that SNL currently occupies. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress, which is particularly worth reading because of the extensive details offered in the story.
The Department of Environmental Quality is looking into UVa’s power plant to determine if they’re violating the federal Clean Air Act or Virginia law. The investigation was prompted by UVa’s recent application for a permit to increase output. Jake Mooney has an extensive article in today’s Progress.
White supremacy group EURO (European-American Unity and Rights Organization) has requested transcripts of Dr. Rev. Alvin Edwards’ sermons from his Mt. Zion Baptist Church from last September until January. In a press release, the organization effectively accuses Edwards of causing the recent attacks on UVa students, saying: “Considering the position Reverend Edwards has taken on the assaults, and the political nature of many black churches today, we are very concerned why three young Black teens from his congregation would target Whites for attacks. If his sermons incited these Black teens to attack Whites we want to know it, and put a stop to it.”
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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