Taking stock 

At press time, we’re still waiting for the final details of how Charlottesville’s future zoning rules will enable construction of more dwelling units on every single lot across the city. A public hearing and vote on the development code is expected before the end of the year. In the meantime, larger projects on larger plots […]

The forest for the trees

Rod Walker has always loved the natural world. Throughout his career as an IT consultant, the avid hunter and fisherman owned forested land where he and his family could get away for a quieter life, if only for a weekend. But now retired to a western Albemarle County farm, his quiet life has inspired a […]

It all falls down (again)

Four pieces of the Berlin Wall that called UVA home for nine years were removed last week. The concrete slabs were loaned to the university by Robert and MeiLi Hefner to commemorate the 1989 fall of the wall. A spray-painted mural, titled “Kings of Freedom, by graffiti artist Dennis Kaun adorns the sides that once […]

Respect the neighbors

After a tense community meeting this July, Stony Point Development Group President Chris Henry has temporarily paused plans to meet with the Charlottesville Planning Commission about phase 3 of the Dairy Market expansion. The proposed project would encroach on the location of several local businesses, bring in new high-rise apartments, and triple the size of […]

In brief

Shaping up On August 5, the Southwood community celebrated the dedication of Village 1, the first section of  the resident-led redevelopment effort. Charlottesville residents showed up in droves on a sweltering Saturday for the dedication ceremony, which highlighted those moving into the mixed-income village. Speakers included community development and nonprofit leaders, and local celebrities. Speeches […]

Wordplay

The new browser-based game Initial Instinct hinges on a simple and elegant premise: Assign famous names to two random letters and rack up points under a time limit. Though the game is perfectly suited to an internet-connected smartphone, the idea for Initial Instinct actually dates back to designer David Levinson Wilk’s high school days. The […]

Another day, another Olympian

Olympic silver medalist Claire Curzan recently announced on Instagram that she was transferring to the University of Virginia, joining a women’s swim team that has won three consecutive national championships. In April, Curzan, who just finished her first year of collegiate swimming at Stanford University, said she’d be an “Olympic redshirt” during the 2023-24 season. […]

Deadline looming

The Charlottesville Planning Commission has until mid-November to hold a public hearing on new rules for development within the city’s 10 square miles. Council was expected to vote August 7 to officially refer the new zoning ordinance to the appointed body for a recommendation, even though no one but staff and consultants have seen the […]

The champ falls

By Shea Gibbs and Catie Ratliff When Champion Brewing Company announced on social media that June 30 would be its “last day of operations” just two weeks before the scheduled closure, the post’s comments—from both fans and company owner Hunter Smith— made it clear that “last day” referred to that of Champion’s Sixth Street brewpub. […]

Who you gonna call?

The City of Charlottesville is attempting to control invasive plant species, and it’s brought in a highly specialized team to help consume the unwanted greens. The Goat Busters, an Afton-based herd of 50 goats, are currently munching away in a wooded area near the pool at Washington Park. The controlled ram-page should take one week, […]