Kmart is suing Whole Foods’ developers for building on their land without permission, Rachana Dixit writes. Apparently, the owner of the shopping center is allowing Whole Foods to make some improvements to land that Kmart leases, but the developer has started building a road—eventually Hillsdale Drive—and additional parking where Kmart says they’re not allowed to. Though this could just be a simple property dispute between two neighboring properties, it could affect Hillsdale Drive Extended that’s planned to parallel 29N, which is one of the very few new roads that’s actually being developed in the area anytime soon.
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 #
-
Archive for Sideblog »
No comments yet!?
I’m not up to the level of most of Waldo’s readers or contributors so please excuse me….
but am I the only person to whom this Hillsdale Ave.-extension project appears on it’s face to be a disaster? Especially with a Whole Food and other subsequent commerce, this looks to me to be another case of the corrupt workings of local pols and developers, ( I’m thinking the Parkway.)
You know I’m no traffic engineer, but it doesn’t take one to see that more pavement does not always produce less congestion.
Thanks
I don’t know if it is correct to classify the cooperation between the City government with the Parkway opposition as corrupt….but I do agree that the proposed road is a disaster. But wait, these are the same guys opposing the Parkway. Hmmmm.
Unless that family that owns the pepsi plant- allows the connector to go east of their plant to connect to Hillsdale… then it will be a waste of effort.
When I say East- I mean around the pepsi plant as far away from 29 as possible.
There seems to have been a lack of communication between the parties in the past; however, I wonder why Kmart didn’t bring up any objections to Council or the Planning Commission before now.
Just Bob, the road is to go west of Pepsi, through the narrow strip of woods between Pepsi and the post office. To the east is much too steep, it’s almost a cliff. Through the Pepsi lot would have made sense but then we would not have that wonderful sweet beverage during droughts! I know, they are wonderful corporate citizens, but you will never get road anywhere but to the west.
The Post Office will not be giving up any of their land for that portion of the project. And it hardly makes sense to have it go west of the pepsi plant when there is already buildings constructed and in place.
It’s a bad idea all the way around.
More info here, which is probably accurate:
http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/index.php/Hillsdale_Drive_Extension
There’s a pretty hillsdaledrive.org website but it doesn’t seem to get updated.