Author Archive for Waldo Jaquith

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Google Street View Incorporates Charlottesville

Published by Waldo Jaquith on March 30, 2009 in General News. 6 Comments

Charlottesville and Albemarle have, at long last, been included in Google’s Street View photography within their maps. The county coverage isn’t exactly exhaustive, but just about every street in the city has been photographed. I figure their truck came through sometime late last summer, based on the cues that I can pick up within the photos. I’ve already found my car parked in front of my office, though the graveled mountain pass that I live on didn’t make the cut. Collectively, the area’s businesses are going to lose a lot of work hours tomorrow as people scope out the town through the eyes of Google. Thanks to Kyle C. for the news.

X-Lounge Bars Sikhs

Published by Waldo Jaquith on March 30, 2009 in In Brief. 23 Comments

UVa’s Indian Student Association tried to hold a meeting downtown, but the X-Lounge wouldn’t let in a Sikh member, on account of his turban. Would they have allowed Councilor Huja to enter?  #

Walking on Proffit Road

Published by Waldo Jaquith on March 29, 2009 in In Brief. 2 Comments

Steve Ashby provides this first-person film of what it’s like to walk down the residence-heavy, sidewalkless Proffit Road.  #

The Area’s Largest Landowners

Published by Waldo Jaquith on March 28, 2009 in In Brief. 1 Comment

C-Ville Weekly ticks down the ten largest landowners in Charlottesville and Albemarle. UVa is #1, followed by Hurt, Craig, and Wood.  #

Brookwood’s “Slopes of Evil”

Published by Waldo Jaquith on March 28, 2009 in Development. 17 Comments

For C-Ville Weekly, Erika Howsare calls out a new housing development for generally sucking, something that ought to be done more often. Brookwood, off Fifth Street Extended, is being built by Southern Development, and appears to be particularly badly sited. Built on the side of a steep hill, they caused some significant erosion that left Rivanna Trail joggers having to wade through muck. Howsare writes that “the site has to be literally hacked out of a cliffside, which is then shored up with massive ugly retaining walls, which in turn face directly into people’s tiny bedroom windows.” Infill development is a good and necessary thing, but there are some places where it just doesn’t make sense to build. (Via Lonnie Murray)