Approximately two years ago, Regency Centers Corporation—a national owner, operator and developer of shopping centers—faced a bit of a dilemma as they neared completion on the Target shopping center in northern Albemarle. The County’s Comprehensive Plan called for them to build an egress to the adjoining property. A lack of parameters meant Regency could build whatever they wanted and the result is a daunting climb, as the 29 steps are smaller than those usually required by International Business Code.
Set back in between Vinny’s Deli and Sakura, the resulting staircase slices into the side of a red clay rise owned by neighbor United Land Corporation. Though plans are to turn the patch of land into neighborhood development, for now it’s just an expanse of dirt.
“That definitely affected how that area was constructed,” says John Fitzpatrick, Regency’s construction manager.
 County staff estimate it might cost two developers $20,000 each to fix this poorly planned staircase in the Hollymead Town Center. |
“Because it’s not associated with any building as an entrance or emergency egress, it’s not covered by the code,” says Sean Dougherty, a senior planner for Albemarle. If one stands at the top and peers down, the walls peel back to reveal a funnel of a staircase. The top is almost twice as wide as the bottom of the stairs that empty out into the shopping center.
“Part of the problem is the people who were reviewing the project at the implementation stage were just completely disconnected,” Dougherty says. He was recently directed by the Planning Commission to look into whether the staircase is a safety violation but quickly found himself boxed in by law.
“The county approved those steps as installed and built,” says J.P. Williamson of HM Acquisitions, the developer of future Hollymead additions. One of his projects is a 150′-wide, one-acre greenway that will connect back through Hollymead’s residential and office park and terminate at the current stairs. “I can’t widen them because it’s not our property,” he says, “but I did commit to sit down and work it out so we can come up with a better transition.”
To that end, Dougherty is currently arranging a meeting between the two developers to address the staircase. Regency also seems amenable: “We’re more than willing to be a good neighbor,” Fitzpatrick says.
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