One West Main Street commercial establishment closes while another goes private

When Charlottesville City Council granted permission for three student apartment buildings to be constructed on West Main Street in the 2010s, the zoning rules at the time required that the ground floor have space for commercial establishments. Since then, several of the required spaces have remained vacant while other businesses have struggled to stay afloat. […]

UVA Health unveils concept plan for Oak Lawn

Since the University of Virginia purchased the Fifeville estate known as Oak Lawn in October 2023, officials have pledged to include the neighborhood in the discussion of how the 5.2-acre property will be used. A concept plan for the future of Oak Lawn was shared with members of the Fifeville neighborhood during a June 18 […]

CRHA gives City Council an update on recently purchased homes

The Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been on a roll in recent years with renovations at Crescent Halls and new units at S. First Street.  In August 2022, the government agency began a new era of buying what Executive Director John Sales called “naturally occurring affordable housing.”  “This portfolio started after a couple properties […]

Jack Jouett District candidates square off at Free Enterprise Forum

The two candidates hoping to succeed Diantha McKeel as Jack Jouett District supervisor offered differing views on economic development and growth in Albemarle County at a recent campaign event sponsored by the Free Enterprise Forum.  School teacher Sally Duncan and economist David Shreve are on the ballot in the June 17 Democratic primary.  Since 1980, […]

DOE takes former FEI site away from CCS, awards it to UVA

The U.S. Department of Education rescinded its recommendation that Charlottesville City Schools acquire the site of the former Federal Executive Institute. In a May 9 email to CCS, the DOE said it will instead recommend the U.S. General Services Administration move forward with the University of Virginia’s bid for the property. “Upon further review of […]

Divided Albemarle Planning Commission recommends key approval for floodplain development in Woolen Mills 

One of the areas Albemarle Board of Supervisors has identified for industrial development is along Broadway Street in a land-locked section of the county only accessible via roads through Charlottesville.  The future happens one application at a time and the Board will soon consider whether it wants to allow the owners of a project called […]

A couple pays $3.5 million for Dairy Road estate

Over the last few years, analysis from the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors has captured a trend of fewer homes being sold in the region, while the average purchase price continues to climb.  There were 1,287 homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 879 sold in the last three months of 2024. […]

Another preliminary ruling from Judge Worrell allows lawsuit against Charlottesville’s zoning code to proceed

A major feature of Charlottesville’s relatively new zoning code is that developers can build more places to live without seeking additional permission from local elected officials. There has been an active lawsuit since January 2024 that claims the city did not follow Virginia’s regulations to study the impact more people would have on area roadways. […]