Woodard Properties has filed plans for a seven-story apartment building in the Rose Hill neighborhood. Photo: Eze Amos
Charlottesville’s Rose Hill neighborhood is the second-least-populous neighborhood in the city, according to a fact sheet produced by Neighborhood Development Services, but that might change if a proposed apartment building at 601 Albemarle St. makes it through the city’s review process.
Woodard Properties filed a development plan with the city to build a seven-story apartment building on land zoned Corridor Mixed Use 3. But the structure is also within the city’s Core Neighborhood Overlay District, which requires additional steps, including permission from City Council.
“Charlottesville’s Core Neighborhoods have special significance to the City as historic neighborhoods that provide workforce housing serving important job centers of Charlottesville’s Downtown and the University of Virginia,” read section 2.9.6 of the Development Code. “These racially diverse and affordable neighborhoods historically met their day-to-day needs on adjacent corridors.”
The overlay district requires a “special exception permit” if a building exceeds three stories. This means the developer must provide at least two benefits specified on a list. This can include setting aside 2,500 square feet of space for commercial or educational use.
“We are reviewing the options to choose from and have some ideas of what might make sense,” said Chris Virgilio of Woodard Properties. “We will meet with the neighborhood before solidifying which two or more we choose.”
The Planning Commission makes a recommendation on the permit and City Council makes the final decision. That’s the way the zoning used to work before the new Development Code was adopted in December 2023. The overlay district was added that summer in response to concerns about a proposed expansion of Dairy Market on Preston Avenue. Parts of Cherry Avenue are also subject to the overlay.
The Public Housing Association of Residents and others have called for Council to expand the overlay district to parts of Fifeville and West Main Street. Council so far has declined to do so, and on May 4 granted a certificate of appropriateness to allow a seven-story student apartment building called The Mark.
Woodard Properties bought the 0.63-acre property in October 2020 for $1.3 million. It is also seeking two other exceptions that do not require Council’s permission and will be decided by Neighborhood Development Services.
The new zoning requires that developers contribute to the streetscape by installing places to walk as well as green zones for landscaping. The company is asking for a special exception from these rules on Dale Avenue because of little foot traffic.
“Requiring the full streetscape there would offer minimal benefit. Instead, the applicant proposes a 3.5-foot sidewalk along Dale Avenue that matches the existing sidewalk width,” reads a letter from Shimp Engineering requesting the exception.
The company also wants to have the second floor of the building facing Preston Avenue used for parking rather than the “active depth” required in the code.
