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Friday, July 28, 2023
Dozens of Charlottesville 10th & Page residents attended an informational meeting Tuesday to express concerns about Stony Point Development Group’s plan to create multi-use buildings southeast of Dairy Market.
Stony Point built Dairy Market, a commercial building that houses multiple restaurants, shops and businesses, at the corner of 10th Street NW and Grady Avenue. The developer also constructed a multi-story mixed-use apartment building directly behind it, along West Street.
Those developments have changed the fabric of the neighborhood, residents at the meeting told the developer. And those residents are concerned that the new proposal will change it further, driving out longtime residents from the historically Black 10th & Page neighborhood.
“Nobody in my neighborhood can afford to buy a sandwich at Dairy Market,” said Ralph Brown, a chef who lives a few blocks away on 12th St. NW. “You’re the giant. We’re tapping on your ankles. It’s business as usual, just like Charlottesville.”
After hearing these concerns, Chris Henry, the president of Stony Point Development Group, told Charlottesville Tomorrow that he has decided to pause his plans in order to do more community engagement.
“We received a lot of interest and feedback on Tuesday,” Henry said. “And so we think it’s appropriate to take a little more time to work through that feedback and have more conversations and do more community outreach to incorporate into our planning.”
Henry said his main goal now is to learn what residents of the 10th & Page neighborhood want him to build.
“I’m hearing concerns about what we’re proposing,” he said. “But what are you looking for?”
After hearing that comment, the Charlottesville Tomorrow news team decided we would ask you! We’ve created a short survey, asking residents what they want to see built in those lots. If you have an opinion, take a moment to answer the survey. And, if you know others who also care about this development, please share it! The more people who answer, the better understanding we will all have about what Charlottesville residents want out of this space.
Click to share your perspective on the Dairy Market development
Henry canceled an informational meeting he had requested with the Planning Commission next month to give himself more time to conduct his own outreach.
That all means that the timeline for this project is unclear. But, if the developer moves forward, there will be lots of opportunities for public comment.
Dairy Market developer said he is pausing plans for Phase 3 after hearing community outrage
In other news, Albemarle County Public Schools is reviewing six more school names. A staff review recommended keeping the names of Baker-Butler and Stone-Robinson Elementary schools and Jackson P. Burley and Joseph T. Henley Middle schools. They recommend conducting more research on the namesakes of Agnor-Hurt Elementary School and Leslie H. Walton Middle School. The School Board will vote on that recommendation in August.
Four Albemarle schools might keep their names, yet the fate of two other schools remains uncertain
I hope you all have a great weekend and find a way to stay cool!
Jessie Higgins, managing editor
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