Bank of America to close downtown branch

Bank of America is closing its location on the Downtown Mall February 17, branch customers learned by letter April 20. “What, we’re closing?” a teller there asked this morning when she heard a colleague inform a customer on the phone. Built in 1916, the structure was originally Peoples National Bank and has housed Virginia National Bank, Sovran […]

Density issue: Big apartments near Little High chafe residents

While official Charlottesville has embraced greater density and infill, some residents aren’t loving it, particularly when the density is happening in their neighborhood. That’s the case for plans for 124 units in the East Jefferson Apartments between 10th and 11th streets on a site that currently houses doctors offices. Developers are seeking a special permit […]

Future focus: What’s in store for Charlottesville?

What does the future hold? We examine what has happened in Charlottesville’s past and present to make some zany predictions about what could occur years down the road. But you know what they say: Fact is stranger than fiction. Developing our future Growth is always an issue in both Charlottesville and Albemarle County, and there’s no reason […]

How to spend $162 million: The city’s budget increases 3.5 percent

Charlottesville City Manager Maurice Jones presented his proposed budget for fiscal year 2017 to City Council on March 7. The $161,871,784 budget is a 3.5 percent increase over 2016’s fiscal year budget, which was approved at $156,391,435. The latest budget is Jones’ sixth version. “The biggest chunk is going to the schools,” he says, and […]

Nightmare on Water Street

Utilities relocation for Market Plaza had already closed the eastbound lane on Water Street and detoured traffic to South Street and Second Street SE, and when Second Street was also closed last week, many who park in the Water Street Garage were trapped in an extraordinarily long exit line March 3. “Staff met with [contractors] […]

Old and new: West Main complex keeps Blue Moon Diner

A new apartment complex is in the works for West Main, but the Board of Architectural Review has already ruled out tearing down some of the street’s oldest buildings to accommodate the building. Developer Jeff Levien says he would prefer to demolish Blue Moon Diner and the next-door convenience store and rebuild them, adding that Blue […]

Partial demolition underway on West Market

An owner of the two-story brick building on West Market Street says a partial demolition is currently underway after a January 25 roof collapse. “It would’ve happened one way or another,” owner Josh Rogers says. He and his partners had plans to renovate the 206 W Market St. building for their proposed private club, called […]

Mayor doesn’t rule out condemning Landmark

The skeletal Landmark Hotel officially went from eyesore to public safety hazard last week when a beam went through the roof of next-door CVS. “Debris blew off the building and could have killed someone,” said Mayor Mike Signer on “Wake-Up Call” January 17. The city closed the area around the hotel January 14, and the […]

Welcome to the club: Common House takes over former Mentor Lodge space

The space for a 7,000-square-foot private club on West Market Street was purchased in 2013, and what plans call a “brick and mortar establishment” may be one step closer to becoming a reality. A joint public hearing between Charlottesville City Council and the City Planning Commission was held Tuesday night after C-VILLE went to press, […]

New leases signed at 5th Street Station

A real estate firm out of Virginia Beach has signed five leases at 5th Street Station, a soon-to-be 465,000-square-foot shopping center on Fifth Street. The 72-acre space has already promised a Wegmans, but thanks to the 66,900 square feet Divaris Real Estate has signed off on, locals can now expect a Havertys Furniture, A.C. Moore, […]