Charlottesville’s new Development Code turns a year old 

Almost a year has passed since Charlottesville’s new zoning code went into effect and staff in the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services continue to process applications despite a pending lawsuit.  At least 107 different types of plans have been filed since February 19, 2024, when the new system was put in place. This includes […]

BAR denies sorority’s tear-down request

Charlottesville’s new development code offers a lot of building possibilities for property owners, but the city’s Board of Architectural Review still has plenty of control in areas designated as historic.  The Delta Zeta Housing Corporation paid $195,000 in 1979 for a triangular property on Chancellor Street that included a former hotel and a one-story building. […]

Roses closure prompts discussion about what’s next

The pending closure of Roses in the Pantops Shopping Center is the latest in the end of an era, as 20th-century commercial patterns continue to wane. A looming vacancy might be seen as a catalyst for new construction to fit the needs of the 21st century, but a representative of the firm that owns the […]

Albemarle County launches system to access plans under review

In any given year, Albemarle’s community development department processes thousands of documents that are used to determine what gets built throughout the county.  As 2025 begins, the county has launched a new way for residents and businesses to access those documents via the internet. Monday morning saw the debut of Civic Access. “This portal provides […]

Navigating the affordable housing landscape in 2025

One of the toughest issues facing the greater Charlottesville region is the ever-increasing cost of housing, a barrier to financial stability for many. The problem has been getting worse over the past few years due to rising property assessments, increasing income disparity, and a shortage of housing.  According to the U.S. Department of Housing and […]

BAR wants updated design for affordable-housing project

The developers of a proposed six-story building at the corner of Wertland and 10th streets returned to the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review in December to get additional feedback.  “A development team consisting of Preservation of Affordable Housing, National Housing Trust, and Wickliffe Development Consulting was chosen by the UVA Foundation to be the developer […]

A look back at our most-read news stories of 2024

With this issue, C-VILLE wraps up its 2024 news coverage. What follows is a glimpse at our top news stories of the year, according to Google Analytics. Big changes in the works at Dairy Market  September 4 A popular topic for C-VILLE readers (it made our top 10 list in 2023, too), changes at Dairy […]