Cville Tomorrow News

Save McIntire? YMCA suit dismissed, but fight continues

04/28/11 * The Hook [full story]

As the song goes, it's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A. But apparently it's no picnic building one.

After six years of planning, the Piedmont Family YMCA's plan for a new $15 million, 72,000-square-foot facility in McIntire Park took an important step toward clearing a final hurdle: the dismissal of a pair of lawsuits by a consortium of privately owned fitness clubs against the City and County.

During an April 20 press conference in front of the Downtown Mall's free speech wall, supporters of the joint City/County YMCA project had harsh words for the private club owners.

"Stop the greed," said Lisa Cannell, a parent and YMCA supporter. "We're appealing to the private fitness centers to do what's right for the community and allow this project to move forward." 

Git 'er blocked: City picks fencing, not fixing, Belmont Bridge

04/28/11 * The Hook [full story]

Fire engines, school buses, and even 18-wheel trucks routinely rumble over the east side of the Belmont Bridge. But not pedestrians.

Since November, east side walkers have been temporarily banned, forced by a chain-link fence to traverse four- to five-lane Avon Street if they wish to cross the bridge, the main southern gateway to downtown. And with an April 4 vote, a City Council majority has decided that to spend nearly $15,000 building a permanent barrier to block pedestrians. A Hook investigation, however, finds that Council wasn't given information that might have altered the discussion.

Several times, beginning last fall, City planning director Jim Tolbert has appeared before the City Council to say that fixing the closed sidewalk would cost over $300,000. But what about fixing what's already there?

Ground broken on low-income housing Crossings

04/28/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

Work officially got underway Thursday on The Crossings at Fourth and Preston, a high-profile, $7-million project to provide sixty studio apartments for Charlottesville’s homeless and low-income populations.

Thirty 360-square-foot units will be made available to the homeless and thirty will be offered to people earning 50 percent or less of the area median income.

The idea for the single-room occupancy (SRO) project was first hatched in late 2005, and the building is expected to open in March 2012.

City receives recognition

04/28/11 * Cavalier Daily [full story]

The City of Charlottesville Tuesday received one of 11 national “Walk Friendly Communities” awards designed to commend communities for their commitment to pedestrian safety.

Awards were given based on demonstrated “commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans, and policies,” according to a statement released by the City Tuesday.

The UNC Highway Safety Research Center’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, which is responsible for announcing the winning communities, evaluated the safety, mobility, access and comfort factors contributing to a walk-friendly environment.

All signs point to no Albemarle County Fair this year

04/26/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

The scent of strawberry cotton candy married with hay and mud-covered pigs will likely be absent from Albemarle County this summer.

With organizers of the Albemarle County Fair still struggling to find suitable land, the lead organizer says it’s “highly unlikely” there will be a county fair this year.

“Bottom line is: We have not found a location for this year,” said Rob Harrison, the fair’s president. “So we’re not going to be able to have a fair.”

Workout for the best?

04/26/11 * C-Ville Weekly [full story]

Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Higgins dismissed a lawsuit filed against City Council by the Charlottesville Area Fitness Club Operators Association (CAFCOA) last week. While the ruling could clear the way for a long-awaited (and much contested) YMCA in McIntire Park, a pair of appeals could inhibit financing for the $15 million fitness facility.

In November, Higgins threw out a similar suit brought by CAFCOA against Albemarle County. Both suits allege that local governments violated the Virginia Public Procurement Act and failed to seek competing bids for a fitness facility in the city’s largest public park. Albemarle County supervisors previously committed $2.03 million in funds to the YMCA, while Charlottesville councilors committed $1.25 million.

City Market consultant coming Saturday

04/24/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

Vendors at Charlottesville’s City Market were plenty busy on the fourth weekend of the season, but a mixture of frustration and uncertainty over the market’s looming relocation hung over the Water Street parking lot on a cloudy Saturday morning.

A City Market task force is still trying to find a new location for the market due to limited space and the prospect of development on the current site, but at least some members have decided that outside help is needed.

“It sucks. We don’t have a spot,” said Brian Walden of Steadfast Farm, a 500-acre operation in southern Albemarle that mainly produces whole grains and oils. “It’s really kind of ridiculous.”

Untreated sewage seeping into local waterways

04/24/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

With untreated sewage flowing into streams and the Rivanna River during heavy rainfalls, local water authorities now face pressure from the state to finish plans designed to prevent the problem.

The state Department of Environmental Quality filed consent orders against the city of Charlottesville, the Albemarle County Service Authority and the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority late last month, requiring the entities to complete local projects planned for alleviating the seepage problems.

Region shows signs of slow recovery

04/22/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

It’s springtime and making a living is easier, even if the economy doesn’t jump like it used to and unemployment remains high.

Local economic indicators either improved or remained stable in the first quarter of 2011. Combine that with the expansion of two local high-tech, medical firms and the recruitment of a Northern Virginia company to Albemarle County and officials are smiling.

Foundation gets 200 Jefferson-related artifacts

04/21/11 * Daily Progress [full story]

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has received a donation of more than 200 Jefferson-related artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Donations include two 1774 issues of the London Chronicle, with news coverage of Thomas Jefferson’s 23-page political pamphlet, “A Summary View of the Rights of British America.” Also among the donations is a rare print image of sculptor Pierre-Jean David’s statue of Jefferson holding a quill pen and the Declaration of Independence.

The donations were made this week by Douglas Kelley of Ann Arbor, Mich., a political scientist and collector.