A portion of Charlottesville’s Woolen Mills neighborhood has become the third area of the city to be designated as a historic conservation district. Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to create the district, which proponents claim will keep land prices lower in the predominantly single-family residential neighborhood. “In thinking about the shape of the city […]
Tag: Board of Architectural Review
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Design panel urges no parking at Water Street tower
The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review wants the developer of a proposed eight-story building on Water Street to eliminate parking in the structure in favor of commercial space. “I have a problem with the parking situation and think forcing this building to have parking is kind of crazy,” said BAR member Tim Mohr. Black […]
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City architecture group weighs in on Quirk, Blue Moon projects
As Charlottesville waits for a new streetscape design for West Main Street, the city Board of Architectural Review granted design approvals for two projects that will incorporate four existing buildings. The BAR approved the final design for a new six-story apartment building that will wrap around the Blue Moon Diner and another building at 600 […]
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Design panel denies backless benches for Downtown Mall
Charlottesville’s Board of Architectural Review has denied a request from the Parks & Recreation Department to replace existing wooden seats on the Downtown Mall with metal ones without backs. At issue is whether making the change would alter the intent of the 1970s-era design of famed landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. “I feel strongly modifications to […]
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Council overturns BAR denial of Venable home expansion
The Charlottesville City Council has overturned a March decision by the Board of Architectural Review to deny an addition that would triple the size of a home in the city’s Venable neighborhood. City Councilor Kathy Galvin said the BAR overstepped its bounds. “Housing policy is not its purview,” Galvin said. “That is the purview of […]
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Violet Crown appealing glass decision to City Council
The City Council is expected to decide Monday whether to allow the Violet Crown Charlottesville cinema to retain a tinted glass storefront that was installed without permission from the Board of Architectural Review. “Darkly tinted mirrored glass is not an appropriate material for windows in new buildings within the historic districts,” reads one of the […]
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Design panel not receptive to demolition of West Main houses
The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review indicated Tuesday it will protect two buildings from demolition on West Main Street, including one that houses the Blue Moon Diner. “Every house that we demolish on this street lessens our argument for keeping any of them,” said BAR member Carl Schwarz. Developer Jeff Levien sought permission to take […]
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Officials and citizens review possible changes to West Main zoning
City councilors and other Charlottesville officials have been briefed on possible changes to the zoning of West Main Street that would reduce the maximum building size on the rapidly developing corridor. If the changes are adopted by the council, future buildings would be approved if their blueprints conform to a set of physical and visual […]
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Committee considers next steps for West Main streetscape
A steering committee that is considering a $340,000 “action plan” for West Main Street met again recently amid continuing disagreements over how the city should respond to ongoing development along the corridor between the University of Virginia and the Downtown Mall. “The challenge with this project is that there are so many people with a […]
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West Main developers return to BAR with smaller building
The developers of a proposed residential and commercial building at 1000 West Main Street returned to the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review Tuesday with a smaller version of a plan approved by City Council in January. “With further analysis into the market we found that smaller units, a smaller scale, and a less intensive critical […]
