One characteristic of the Woolen Mills historic houses is front porches, I love sitting on a front porch, having a visit. Steve was scraping paint so after saying hello we split.
Category: architecture
dome room
Three Notched
Charlottesville City staff join personnel from Rhodeside and Harwell for a walk up and down a portion of the Three Notch’d Road. At the west end of the 4,000 foot segment are the grounds of University of Virginia, at the east end of the segment, is the Charlottesville pedestrian mall.
Of the area in-between the West Main subcommittee of the PLACE Task Force comments:
The subcommittee’s preliminary discussions about the corridor suggested that there were several impediments to its success that related to: the design of many of its discrete elements; the codes and design guidelines that govern both the public right-of-way and the adjacent properties; and the review process for new development. Several of the design problems include, for example, the conflict between street trees and overhead utilities, sidewalks that are too narrow, poor lighting, excessive off-street parking along the street edge, and unsafe intersections (particularly the intersection of west Main Street and Ridge/McIntire).
The different character of West Main along its length was not reflected in the planning guidelines and codes governing the corridor, and the expectations for redevelopment were not clear, creating a difficult review process for those wishing to build along the corridor. Property owners and developers also indicated that many of the issues they face need to be addressed collectively, and would support efforts from the city to coordinate the actions of individual property owners. These issues include parking, stormwater management, maintenance and security.
Pictured above, Elliot Rhodeside. Behind him is the awesome pedestrian no-man’s land formed by the intersection of South Street, Water Street, Ridge-McIntire, Ridge and West Main. How about the Poynton approach?
A great deal of activity on W. Main these days. How will the commons fare? Commons is the space shared by cyclists, trees, fire-engines, pedestrians, parked cars, gas, water, stormwater and sewer lines, overhead utilities, street lights, street furniture, signage, student BMW’s, public transit, local freight, skateboarders….
Sustain!
To learn more about the history of W.Main download the PLACE Annual Report.
PLACE Report 2013
Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Sean Tubbs reports
right write rite
Attention to detail distinguishes this suburban drug store building located in Albemarle County, Virginia.
Townhouse
What are the distinguishing features of a townhome?
bumpy transect
Abrupt typology shift.
Elemental
City Walk, stubbed out.
defenestration
From the south side of the CSX tracks the new parking garage at City Walk looks like a data center for the cloud, no windows. The absolute lack of fenestration will be appreciated by residents of building 4, beginning to rise out of the ground south of the garage. The 332,728 square foot building 4 is slated to contain 230 “units”.
Belmont Bridge
Could you repair the bridge?
closing in
I briefly worked at UVA hospital. I loved the view. After a 14 hour shift, what was left of me would emerge onto Lee Street. I could look down Lee Street, 120 degrees SE and see Monticello Mountain 3 miles away.
Psalm 121. Levavi oculos. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help? 2 My help cometh even from the LORD, who hath made heaven and earth.
Now, looking down Lee is the 36.5 million dollar chiller approved by UVA’s Board of Visitors three years ago, currently under construction.
This is a work in progress. Once it is all finished the landscape and architecture magicians on UVA’s staff will possibly render it beautiful.