Browsing Category Growth

Albemarle and Charlottesville are Growing

in Albemarle Charlottesville Growth on

Charlottesville Tomorrow reports that Albemarle and Charlottesville are growing.

The center estimated Charlottesville had a populationat 47,783 as of July 1, 2014, up from 43,475 in 2010.

Albemarle is estimated to have increased by 4.8 percent with a population of 103,707 as of July 1, 2014.

“Estimates are produced using demographic indicators, such as births, deaths, home construction or fiscally responsible school data, to estimate the current population,” Lombard said.

Anecdotally, anyone paying attention knew this, but it’s useful (and interesting) to see the data.

Let’s hope politicians and the People are paying attention.

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Keeping Up With West Main – Another Hotel Coming

in Charlottesville General Real Estate Growth on

Just a few years ago, West Main Street was the way you got from UVA to Downtown Charlottesville. Now, it’s Mid-Town. And it’s booming.

Sean Tubbs reports that yet another project – this time a high-end hotel – is being proposed for West Main Street.  The prospective developers, Carr Hospitality, have in their portfolio Embassy Suites, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn & Suites and the Willard Intercontinental in DC.

Keeping up with West Main is nearly a full-time job (thanks, Charlottesville Tomorrow!)

So what? West Main is becoming more of an economic force in Charlottesville, adding stuff – new restaurants, new hotels, new apartments … new traffic. I suspect that this density and coming congestion will have at least two effects on the Charlottesville real estate market – 1) more will want to live close to this stuff, and I’d wager many of these will be renters of apartments rather than homeowners and 2) more will want to live away from this density and congestion.

Turns out, I’ve done a couple videos of West Main, and I thought it would be interesting to look back at a few of them:

(Click here to read the entire post)

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More Houses Coming Near Mill Creek

in Albemarle Charlottesville Growth Transportation on

I’d call this, generally, good density – in the urban ring, less than 10 minutes (east/south east) to the Downtown Mall, good access to schools and 64, close to stuff (including the coming Wegmans), and (hopefully) meeting the needs of the marketplace. If the end result looks close to the rendering … (and if there are sidewalks and crosswalks).

More infill neighborhoods, so long as the accompanying infrastructure improvements, are examples of relatively good growth.

Charlottesville Tomorrow reports:

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors has approved construction of as many as 100 new homes between Avon Street Extended and Route 20 in the county’s southern urban area.

 

…

“We live in a county that increases population by about 2,000 people per year,” Cetta said at the board’s meeting earlier this week. “There has been very little change here as opposed to most places in the country that would be filled with subdivisions by now. We want density in these spots, and the county is looking terrific as a result of that.”

 

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Jobs and Albemarle County’s Comp Plan

in Albemarle Growth on

Charlottesville (meaning: Charlottesville + Albemarle) is a great place to live, and a great place to retire as well.

Neil Williamson poses a great question, highlighted by one of the better opening sentences I’ve read in some time:

Rather than asking if they aspire to be Austin or Aspen, the real question for Albemarle County is a choice between fostering job growth or becoming a land of newlyweds and nearly deads?

(great conversation on his FB post, too)

Great question that speaks to the dearth of “ladder jobs” and the need for the County to actively seek out employers who will provide said ladder jobs. For an example of how Albemarle is competitively outmatched, look no further than how they were completely outmaneuvered (so I’m told) in the recent battle to woo Stone Brewery to Crozet.

Part of the conversation should also be – how can the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle cooperate to bring businesses that will benefit all parties (residents, local coffers, tourists).

 

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Engaging with Albemarle County

in Albemarle Growth Politics on

An easy way to learn about and engage with Albemarle County – Engage Albemarle.

Here’s an interesting topic:

The Comprehensive Plan is Albemarle County’s most important document regarding growth, development and change. It establishes government policy to help guide public and private activities as they relate to land use and resource utilization. What general thoughts would you like to share about the Comprehensive Plan as it is being reviewed by the Board of Supervisors this summer and fall?

Better to express your opinion now in the hopes the Comp Plan can be altered than complain about the decisions that have already been made.

What would be helpful would be if the County would identify which specific parts of the Comp Plan are, or are likely to be, up for debate/discussion – in the Housing section, for example (pdf).

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