City growth has exploded in past three years

Concerning city development, “a lot of stuff is happening.” That’s what Jim Tolbert, director of neighborhood development services for Charlottesville, told City Council on September 5. And based on the numbers Tolbert presented, “a lot” is right: In the past three years, when new zoning ordinances were adopted, 36 projects have been completed, adding 625 residential units to the city.
“It seems like 36 projects completed is not a lot,” said Tolbert, “but when you compare our numbers to past years—in the 1990s and the first couple of years of this decade, we were doing around 60 to 70 dwelling units a year in new construction.”
After showing slides of those completed projects, Tolbert went through slides for 90 other projects that are underway, in review, or in discussion. Combined, that would bring at least 2,619 more housing units to Charlottesville if all were completed.
Development is underway in virtually every neighborhood in the city, but it’s particularly hot and heavy on the half of town south of Main Street and in the University area around the Corner. One of the biggest UVA-area projects is the GrandMarc Apartments, currently under construction, which will create 213 units to a wedge between 15th Street and Virginia Avenue.
Concerning the Downtown Mall, Tolbert pointed out several buildings and blocks that, either because of size or ownership, could potentially be redeveloped for nine storey structures. “It’s shocking when you look at the number of lots,” said Tolbert.
Newly elected councilor Dave Norris questioned the amount of upper- and middle-income housing being built, contrasting it to the relative lack of lower-income housing. When he asked how the City plans to cope with the traffic, Tolbert explained that part of the development strategy is to encourage people to live in sections easily accessible to the mass transit system.
Mayor David Brown said he’d like to see a scorecard on trees lost and gained by the development changes, an idea that drew nods and assenting murmurs from most other councilors.