The Albemarle County Planning Commission has rejected, by 4-2, the request by the would-be developers of North Pointe to rezone 269 acres to permit the construction of the development. The $250M, 664,000 square foot development has been in planning for nine years now, and its creators hope to gain approval through following the county’s new urbanist neighborhood model. Developer Charles Rotgin argued that North Pointe met the standards of the model, but the planning commission argued that the project “is as far from the neighborhood model as possible.” This will go to the Albemarle Board of Supervisors who, particularly with the recent election of one (or possibly two) pro-development members, will likely override the Planning Commission’s decision. David Dadurka has the story in today’s Progress.
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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I am so so about north pointe. Everyone here knows I am a big fan of the Hollymead Town Center. Yet I found out the developers of North Pointe were the same people that give you the crap hole shopping centers like Seminole Square and the one on Pantops where Taco Bell and Roses is at. So I can’t image them doing a great job.
I wasn’t aware of that. Both of those "developments" suck – horrible traffic patterns, poor layouts, pedestrian-unfriendly, tough to get into and out of, about everything you DON’T want.
Agree re the caliber of develoment on Pantops. You are so right.
The sooner the county (the line is at Free Bridge unless they changed it) razes that eyesore the better. And baby, that`s the County`s idea of an entrance corridor.
What is worse there is no accountability for these gross errors in judgement (Nowadays people think if someone says "I`m sorry" that is taking responsibilty – what crap – taking responsibility is when one suffers consequences and that, sure as Adam lost a rib, doesn`t happen around here – incest is too mild a term –
let me guess, it ain’t on your bus or hike route. AWWWWWW poor thing!
LOL! Bus? The ONLY time I hop on a BUS is to go to UVA games, and, HIKE?
I’m all for sensible development, but the team that gave us the two centers in question did lousy jobs. Not easy to get my car into and out of, cheap or non-existant landscaping, and in the case of Pantops a collection of pretty crappy merchants – nothing worth all that paving. Pave away, but give us something worth stopping for.
Pantops fault was when they got Giant. Giant requires any stores that is in their shopping center to pay the rent to them and not a landlord. Why do you think Harris Teeter replace them in Hollymead Town Center. Giant wants big money from any business that might move next to them.
And explain exactly how they did a ‘lousy job’? Is it too far from your precise Charlottesville? So if they are doing a lousy what about Best Buy or the new Albemarle Place? Does those two developments meet your standards?
Pantops and Rivanna Ridge (the Giant center south of it) are mutually exclusive. Pantops didn’t “get” Giant, Giant built their own center. The stores in that shopping center pay rent to Giant because Giant developed and owns the center. Since they built the place, it seems reasonable to collect rent from the other tennants – in that case, Giant is the landlord. That’s not the case at Seminole Square, and wouldn’t have been the case at HTC, where Giant is and would be a tenant themselves.
As for the two centers in question, Pantops is an asphalt paver’s dream. Plenty of parking, and there’s always a free space because there’s not much there worth stopping for. I believe the original idea was to capture that end of town and appeal to those who live southeast of C’ville. Didn’t quite pan out though, and the decent stores have left, leaving behind empty storefronts and cheap rent, which generally attracts low-budget entities. The center has terrible signage (seriously – have you ever seen a worse use of signage?), and the expansive parking lot surrounded by distant stores doesn’t appeal to me. Apparently it doesn’t appeal to a lot of people, judging by the ample available parking.
As for Seminole Square, that’s a lot better, but the traffic patterns are really bad. It’s not that easy to get into or out of. Because of its location, it has far better traffic than Pantops, and Giant is a great anchor store for them. It also has better landscaping than Pantops.
Regarding Best Buy, IMHO the City was taken for a major ride. All the City saw were tax dollars (what a shocker – the City government sees tax dollars!), and didn’t think that the result would be an enormous Best Buy advertisement clearly seen from the 250 bypass.
Finally, you seem intent on making this discussion personal. You might want to check other postings of mine and see if you can find anything to support your “precise [sic] Charlottesville” remark. I thought this thread was about shopping center design.
IamDaMan3, I’m assigning you some reading about urban planning, such that you can engage in discussion on the topic with greater knowledge. You may read either book. They are:
Suburban Nation is available at JMRL — it’s in at Central. Home from Nowhere is also available — it’s in at Gordon, due 12/02 at Central, and 12/09 at Northside.
There will be a quiz, in the form of ongoing discussion at cvillenews.com. Extra credit is available for reading both.
" where Giant is and would be a tenant themselves"
Hey Big Al, did you read the sign in front of the land in HTC. It says "Future home of Target and Harris Teeter". Oh yeah I keep forgeting, the HTC is in Ruckersville. Charlottesville and the face of the world ends when you pass Wal*Mart.
Speaking of Wally World, I heard of a rumor and this is just a rumor that Wal*Mart might be building a supercenter. And it ain’t going to be in Albemarle. I heard that they were thinking about putting it at the Greene County border. They would for sure close the one in Albemarle. I am wondering how that would make all the Piedmont coucil and other Anti Growth people feel about that. I guess Wal Mart wouldn’t be on the bus route and people in Cville would *gasp* have to drive a long way to get them in the middle of no where. Plus I am sure Greene would be happy to get all of that great tax dollars.
ARGGGH, no more homework. I finished college like 3 years ago. And no, I wasn’t a english major :P.
I misspoke – should have said "would have been." But perhaps you need to drive by again – the Hollymead Town Center is most certainly in Albemarle County, a good 5 or so miles south of the county line.
If Wal-Mart opens a super center in Greene, I’m more interested in how the pro AND anti-growth factions will feel about the big empty box stuck between Jim Price and Sam’s Club, because you can be sure Wal-Mart will leave it vacant, or perhaps let an antique mall move in. That’s what they do.
Yeah, I know Wal Mart will leave it vacant. Who knows? Maybe it will be a eyesore for the county and a reminder for them for being such pain in the arse in business. I do like the irony.
You might think I’m kidding, but I’m not. I think that you would really enjoy either one of these books, and I’m certain that it would aid in this recurring discussion of growth, planning, etc.