Just 16 months after it was announced, SNL Financial held the grand opening of their new headquarters, the old National Ground Intelligence Center building, on Thursday. The 270-employee company has signed a 33-year lease for the city-owned building, in addition to paying the $5MM to renovate the hulking structure. Employees will start to move the few blocks to the new building on Monday. SNL doesn’t yet know what they’ll do with their massive, soon-to-be-vacant building on the Downtown Mall. Courteney Stuart has the story in this week’s Hook, and Liz Nelson in Thursday’s Progress.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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
four six 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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WOW! Saturday Night Live is coming to Charlottesville. I mean I know they are kinda of lame last couple years but having them right here in c-ville…what?
Wait financial not the TV show…nevermind
haha
It is still ugly if you ask me! No wonder NGIC left for 29N.
When first built during the Johnson Presidency it was the HEW building.
HEW left for Philly, I think. Lot of Cville natives, most serving as secretaries, were very sad to see them go.
FSTC (forerunner of NGIC) occupied it when the Nixon administration moved them from temporary (Government speak for buildings not expected to last as long as they did) buildings in Washington, DC.
NGIC moved because they needed more space but the planning for that building was in progress for 15 to 20 years. I think they are now overcrowded – and so it goes.
If one carefully reads, as a stranger in Charlottesville , the lead in the Progress, one will not know where SNL moved.
Waldo has paraphrased it. Whether he noticed the bad information in the lead I don`t know.
Typical Progress.
I agree. I am continuously appalled at the low writing skill levels of people in the writing profession. On another note, I wrote Liz Nelson concerning the deficient comparison, in my view, of so-called sister cities Besançon with Charlottesville. I received no reply; not even a form letter.
I dropped a line to Elizabeth once about an error and she replied thanking me for acting as a "lookout".
I think she meant proofreader. I can`t be sure but I sensed she didn`t care one way or the other what the readers thought.
I think the city beat stories used to be beautifully written. And the Greene, Orange and Madison stories before that. And the Greene, Orange and Madison stories now. And the cops stories now. And the court stories, and the Louisa, Fluvanna, Nelson and Buckingham stories. And the Albemarle stories. And the ones about UVa hospital.
This really is kind of hilarious, though:
"SNL Financial celebrated its move into the National Ground Intelligence Center on Thursday, helping to ensure future business growth in downtown Charlottesville and the continuance of the mammoth building as an employment anchor."
Did that come of the motherfucking press release?! "Future business growth in downtown Charlottesville"?! THEY MOVED OFF THE GODDAMNED MALL!
I guess I agree with you lunatics somewhat after all.
actually, it’s not hilarious, considering the fact that they only moved two blocks, and are still located well within the boundaries of what could be considered "downtown". even moreso, their new building is a block away from city hall, which is about as "downtown" as you can get. the only thing "hilarous" about your post is the fact that you’ve exposed yourself as a fool. "downtown" is not bounded by market, water, 7th and ridge streets.
actually, it’s not hilarious,
Well, you and I must just have different senses of humor.
considering the fact that they only moved two blocks, and are still located well within the boundaries of what could be considered “downtown”.
Exactly. So how does a company moving from one downtown building to another downtown building — from the middle of downtown to the edge of downtown, thereby vacating a building on the mall — help “to ensure future business growth” in the neighborhood? Growth? I’m sorry, but that strikes me (and apparently a couple of others) as wildly uncritical cheerleading.
even moreso, their new building is a block away from city hall, which is about as “downtown” as you can get.
Yeah. Really vibrant, bustling area there, next to City Hall.
I think most people would disagree with your estimation of what’s “as downtown as you can get.” I think most people, actually, would say that the Downtown Mall is as downtown as you can get. See: It’s got the word “Downtown” in the name and everything.
the only thing “hilarous” about your post is the fact that you’ve exposed yourself as a fool.
Sticks and stones. Gosh, Liz, I’m sorry I made fun of your story, OK? Keep up the good work, really.
“downtown” is not bounded by market, water, 7th and ridge streets.
Just keep telling yourself that, and maybe someday it’ll be so. The rest of us, though, will be happy to rely on common sense.
you raise some valid points. but this sentence still isn’t hilarious…
“SNL Financial celebrated its move into the National Ground Intelligence Center on Thursday, helping to ensure future business growth in downtown Charlottesville and the continuance of the mammoth building as an employment anchor.”
watching someone get hit in the groin with a football is hilarous. movies about college road trips are hilarious. this sentence? not hilarious. not even mildly humorous.
on a related note, i wonder what they’ll turn the old SNL building into. apartments? another bank? maybe they’ll turn it into yet another performing arts space. god knows we can’t get enough of those.
I will concede that college road trip movies, as well as porn-themed superhero movies, are more funny than that sentence.
agreed.