The VEC at the corner of Preston and McIntire is getting remade, and not everybody’s happy about the new look. I think it’s way better. #
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
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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Hideous. The sense of scale between the new elements and the rest of the building is jarring and actually worse than the original facade (which is saying a lot considering how bland the original is.) But attempting to paste on neo-classical elements on a building from the 1960s government-modernist style is an especially bad choice. It’s the equivalent to putting false eyelashes and rouge on a cow. (No offense to cows in general.)
Gee, I thought it was pretty awful before and actually quite noticeable. Noticeably bad. I think it looks a lot nicer now. My main reaction when I saw the changes in progress was just one of gratitude that they didn’t tear the whole thing down and build new.
The architect must have taken it upon himself to make a building uglier than that hideous new thing at the corner of Rio and 29. I’m not sure we can declare a winner just yet, but unless something drastic changes, this one is in the lead for now. Damn, it may be uglier than even Lewis and Clark Square.
Would someone please define a pretty building in the area and give examples….I always thought beauty was in the eye of the beholder…..
I can certainly appreciate that this building is totally inconsistent with the rest of town. And if there’s an architectural pattern that consists of putting an enormous cornice on top of a building, I don’t know about it. :)
Jogger, the bank at the corner of High and Park is a lovely little building. Modern, classic, and it fits in so well that most people I mention it to had forgotten it is there. It serves the people who need it very nicely though and allows both walk up and drive up service. All that within the context of a nice formerly residential historic area.
The cast iron building that houses, among other things, the Quest Bookshop is also rather nice. It’s beautiful, to this beholder’s eye at least, and like the other I mentioned does it’s job very well without making a spectacle of itself. Those are just a couple of examples, but it wouldn’t be hard to go on at length.
The building’s appearance has been greatly improved in my opinion.
Well Waldo, there is the Monticello Hotel that only has the cornice on two of four sides and the cornice is about the same size. Of course that building is three or four times the height, so it is in proportion to the hotel. 400 Preston is a better looking building now and the cornice is way too big. The corner street treatment makes it a net win in my book.
Why the city didn’t have arch. control on this corner does however, boggles the mind. They can pick out paint colors on the mall but get no review of an entrance corner building?