pazzo83

I just got an email invitation for an open house at The Vue Charlotte sales center on Thursday, May 31. Maybe this is a sign they are getting things in gear. BTW, the email says groundbreaking is scheduled for July 12, 2007. Edit: just saw Urban Charlotte just mentioned the groundbreaking date, sorry for the repeat...

So it looks like one more then?

There are still large piles of rubble, but I've seen dump trucks and such out there clearing it out. It's still bad though walking by there, you can hardly breathe the air sometimes walking up N Church. Hopefully they'll have it cleared out within a month or so.

Nice!!

Completely agree. NIMBYs are incapable of removing themselves from their own little bubbles.

Here's the headline project in Staunton: The Villages at Staunton The Villages at Staunton Location: Old Western State Hospital (bounded by US 250, US 11, and US 11 Truck Rte) Status: Under Construction Est. Completion: 2015-2020 Developer: Miller & Associates Cost: $120+ million Site Plan:

Sorry it took a while to respond, I've been getting ready to move to Charlotte, NC during the past few weeks. Anyways, job market is decent in Charlottesville & Staunton. Not surprisingly, UVA brings in a LOT of jobs for C'ville, there are several business parks in and around the city that focus on tech and research jobs. Staunton is much more of a blue-collar town, but they are slowly starting to attract higher-paying tech and research jobs.

Thanks! Yea the area is starting to see an influx of residents from DC & Richmond (and on a smaller scale actually from C'ville to the valley). Here's one of the more controversial projects that was just approved: North Pointe North Pointe Location: US 29 (roughly 10 miles north of Charlottesville), Albemarle County Status: Development/Construction (site plan approved in Aug 2006) Est. Completion: Unknown Size: 265 Acres Residential Units: 893 Commercial/Office Space: 841,000 Developers: Great Eastern Management Company Renderings:

First and Main Location: Main St (Downtown Mall), First St., and Market St (City of Charlotteville) Status: Design Est. Completion: Unknown Residential Units: 70-80 Commercial/Office Space: first three stories of the building Bldg Height: 9 stories Developers: Keith Woodard and Greg Brezinski Renderings:

Waterhouse Waterhouse Location: Water St & South St, Downtown Charlottesville (Charlottesville City) Status: Groundbreaking slated for May 2007 Est. Completion: First Phase - Dec 2008 Size: 0.78 acres Residential Units: 50+ Condos/Apts (1,500 sq ft/ea) and "several" townhouses (3,500 sq ft/ea) Max Bldg Height: 9 stories Desc: Urban downtown village - two buildings, one of condos/apartments at 9 stories, and the other with more of a rowhouse-type feel at 3 stories. All residential. Developers: Atwood Architects, Inc; Real Estate III Site plan: Renderings:

Preliminary site plan was approved in August of 2006, and the area is being cleared now. I drove by it a few weeks ago and it looks like its close to the point where building construction begins. Regarding downtown Staunton & Hburg, they had a wave of "urban renewal" during the 60s and 70s that DID destroy parts of both downtowns, but during the past 15 years both cities have made concerted efforts to redevelop them. Staunton has had particular success with this endeavor, with over $100 million invested in the downtown recently. I'll highlight some projects in a bit, but Staunton is actually rebuilding their central core, not destroying it. Waynesboro, on the other hand, has thoroughly sold out to the big box retailers.

Haha, does CMSS have a bad rep that I'm not aware of?

I know there aren't a lot of people on here from this area (hell I don't even live there anymore), but just lettin' y'all know that there is development going on in this area of the state as well. Let's start with Charlottesville, with the single largest development in the area: Albemarle Place Albemarle Place Location: Corner of US 29 and Hydraulic Rd, Albemarle County (barely) Status: Under Construction Est. Completion: 2010+ Size: 65 Acres Residential Units: 800 (1.3 million sq feet) Commercial/Office Space: 900,000 sq feet Max Bldg Height: 150' (10 stories) Site Plan Renderings: Once this thing is completed, you'll have to PAY me to drive on 29. 8 lanes of insanity it will become.

Interesting they're putting a UKrops in the 'noke. I wonder if they'll put on in C'ville.

I'm 23, and I'm originally from Toledo, OH. I moved to Charlotte, NC when I was 5, and to Staunton, VA when I was 8, so Staunton is where I pretty much grew up. I went to RE Lee HS and graduated in 02, then went to UVA and graduated in 06. I now live in Georgetown, but I'm probably moving to Charlotte soon for a year. I've always had a major interest in cities and development, and I still follow development in Staunton (huge housing boom going on there). I'd like to pursue a masters in urban planning (and possibly also in foreign affairs, maybe I'll do planning abroad or something), and I'll be applying to schools in the fall. If any of y'all can suggest some good schools, I'd appreciate it.