Month: October 2014

Categories
Arts

ARTS Pick: Tig Notaro

Known for humor that is hearbreakingly funny and honest, Tig Nataro got props for her Grammy-nominated LIVE album from her peer group of comedy superstars. Publicity photo.

Comedienne Tig Notaro has risen to the top thanks to an unabashed, honest commentary about life and love through laughter. Her 2012 set at Largo in Los Angeles, in which she spoke openly about her breast cancer diagnosis, mother’s death, and the end of a long-term relationship was nominated for a Grammy and touted by Louis CK as one of the “truly great, masterful standup sets.” Notaro is getting lots of screen time, but her favorite place is still on a stage with a microphone.

Monday 10/6. $25-28, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St. Downtown Mall. 245-4980. 

Categories
Arts

ARTS Pick: Anais Mitchell

The prolific folk wisdom of Anais Mitchell headlines at the Tea Bazaar on Sunday.  Publicity photo.

The “queen of modern folk” Anais Mitchell is an expert storyteller who makes a solid case for such lofty status through her songs. An avid traveler, the Vermont-born musician touches everything from folk music to opera and melds it with intelligent lyrics. Mitchell meticulously crafts her sometimes dramatic music in reflective testament to the complexity and joy that she sees in the world.

Sunday 10/5. $12, 9pm. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, 414 E. Main St. 293-9947.

Categories
Arts

Album reviews: GRMLN, The Hill and Wood, Sons of Bill

GRMLN

Soon Away/Carpark Records

Bay Area-based Yoodoo Park a.k.a. GRMLN, has undergone quite a metamorphosis in his several years as an artist. Originally something of an ambient singer-songwriter with a penchant for beautiful, mellow melodies, he’s gone full-on rock and roll on Soon Away replete with driving rhythms, engaging choruses and guitars, guitars, guitars. “Jaded” hits hard with its energy, and the solos and raucous drumming on “Crawling Into You” beg for an accompanying air guitar. Park’s sometimes scratchy and slightly off-kilter vocals (“Awake”) showcase in-the-moment garage rock that borders on perfection. You can practically feel sweat dripping out of the album, and even when Park dials it down to a darker, Nirvana-esque mood on “Avoider,” it still gets you moving.

The Hill and Wood

Opener/Self-released

When Sam Bush and Juliana Daugherty sing together it’s beautiful enough to make angels cry. This alone would be enough to recommend the duo’s latest project, but there’s more. Tracks like “The First Time” evolves into a rapturous piece of indie rock by the end, and on the driving folk pop track “Let a Good Thing Grow,” the duo shows off an insightful, poetic flair with lines like: “Everyone is giving birth to something.” By the time Bush and Daughtry reach the lumbering, otherworldly closer “Station Side”—a song which treads heavily in Americana territory and features multiple flourishes from Daugherty’s flute—there is no doubt about the impact that their chemistry has on this release.

Sons of Bill

Love and Logic/Thirty Tigers

Charlottesville’s own Sons of Bill has delivered a gem of an Americana rock record. Love and Logic is a stirring collective on the best and worst of humanity, citing the battle between emotion and intellect in guiding the choices we make. The country-tinged “Fishing Song,” deftly analyzes avoidant behavior, while the driving rocker “Bad Dancer” romanticizes the musical tastes of youth (even though you might cringe at it now). On the simultaneously gritty and hopeful “Road to Canaan” lead singer James Wilson croons “Woe to all you petty, well-paid sons of bitches” to great effect as he laments life’s difficult roads, and guest vocalist Leah Blevins’ contribution turns the outstanding track into a beautiful duet. Love and Logic is insightful, inspired, and speaks to the maturity of the band’s talent.

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Abode Magazines

Up river: In Scottsville, a pared-down weekend home

Photo: James Ewing/Otto

With a weekend house, showiness is not the point. Take, for example, the big island in the kitchen/dining room of Danny and Katie MacNelly’s Scottsville getaway. Deceptively simple, it provides workspace, eating space, and enough extra room for a puzzle in progress. It’s a focal point, but its materials are not luxurious.

“We talked about granites and marbles, but it seemed too formal,” said Katie, who heads Richmond-based Architecture Firm. Rather, the island top is made of beams salvaged from the converted warehouse where Danny works as a director at the design firm 3north. Milled into 2″ planks, the heart pine brings a minimalism and warmth to the center of the house. Any water damage or irregularities in the wood are part of its appeal—and, said Danny, “It’s easy to sand it down and start over. Nothing’s that precious.”

The house may seem modest upon approach, but it allows a measure of drama within the center volume, where the kitchen and living spaces are found. Photo: James Ewing/Otto
The house may seem modest upon approach, but it allows a measure of drama within the center volume, where the kitchen and living spaces are found. Photo: James Ewing/Otto

That attitude sums up the house. In designing a place for themselves and their three sons, ages 4, 7, and 9, to spend weekends, the MacNellys wanted to create an environment the family could revel in—a building to match the ruggedly beautiful site they’d selected on the south bank of the James River. As Danny put it, “It needed to be durable and useful, not a monument to architecture.”

The two UVA grads, now based in Richmond, knew they loved Albemarle. And while they wanted their weekend spot to be near water, Danny said, “I don’t want to own a boat.” This bluff over the river fit the bill.

Elements

In pondering the house’s basic scheme, the MacNellys first imagined a long bar shape. The bluff, though, has a rounded form. Eventually they settled on a collection of separate volumes, arranged in a rough semicircle—“like rocks around the campfire,” said Danny.

What began as a single cabin is here broken into three parts. Two are connected by a glassed entryway, while the third, housing guest quarters, stands alone on the far side of the wedge-shaped deck. Some distance away, a fourth building—the garage—complements the house in finish and form.

The home’s exterior reflects the couple’s minimalist taste, which they were able to fully indulge here (in contrast to their Richmond home, an older house in the Fan district). Each of the house’s three parts has a single-slope roof, with the center volume growing taller toward the river and the other two sloping the opposite way. Nearly all the windows face the James, so that on the driveway side, the blank walls enclose an informal patio centered on an outdoor fireplace.

Made of Buckingham slate, the patio echoes the color of the exterior walls, made of shiplap cedar stained black. “It feels like something you just encounter,” said Katie, “with the blackness of the volumes and the blankness of the façade, minimizing the entry.”

Big windows face the river, and sliding doors to the deck can be opened to create a room that melds indoors and outdoors. Photo: James Ewing/Otto
Big windows face the river, and sliding doors to the deck can be opened to create a room that melds indoors and outdoors. Photo: James Ewing/Otto

Spaces to gather

If the house seems modest on approach, it allows a measure of drama within the center volume, where the kitchen and living spaces are found. Big windows face the river, and sliding doors to the deck can be opened to create a room that melds indoors and outdoors.

The woodsy view—including, in winter, sightlines along and across the James—stand in relief against the interior’s stripped-down, modern flavor. Whitewashed cedar covers the walls and ceiling, lending an unassuming texture. A simple Carrara marble fireplace surround and white fireplace bricks build out the palette of pale hues, contrasting with dark-stained oak flooring.

The kitchen is deliberately minimized in every detail. “We wanted it to be functional, easy to use, but not make it look like a kitchen,” said Danny. Cabinets, arranged in a single bank, are made of the same material as the walls, and there are no upper cabinets. The fridge is hidden in the pantry, and the stove hood is recessed in the ceiling. Baseboards are eliminated; heating vents are camouflaged in the floor and the island.

The kitchen is deliberately minimized, its cabinets, arranged in a single bank, made of the same material as the walls. An island is the room's focal point, with a top made from salvaged beams. The children's bedroom has four sets of bunk beds and two trundle beds that flank a single vertical window. Photo: James Ewing/Otto
The kitchen is deliberately minimized, its cabinets, arranged in a single bank, made of the same material as the walls. An island is the room’s focal point, with a top made from salvaged beams. Photo: James Ewing/Otto

Such careful detailing allows the views and a few select interior elements—a gold-framed landscape painting and a modern light fixture—to shine. The space draws guests, flowing easily onto the deck.

“People gather here,” said Katie. “Usually it’s kind of a loud place. We like the energy of that.”

The private areas are near, but quite separate. The master bedroom overlooks the river, and both bathrooms are lit by skylights, their tall walls covered in white subway tile (with dark grout for easier maintenance).

The boys’ room packs in the sleeping space for 10—four sets of bunk beds and two trundle beds —to welcome tons of friends. “We figured we’d sleep them like in a submarine,” said Danny. The bed frames, built of humble 2x4s and 2x12s painted white, are stylish and sturdy, and they flank a single vertical window that turns the woodsy view outside into a kind of living artwork.

Builder Peter Johnson finished the house in May 2013, and the MacNellys have settled into a comfortable weekend routine of tubing on the James, shooting hoops in the driveway, and letting their boys explore. “They’re so much more adventurous now,” Katie said.

And they already envision another possible structure near the existing ones. “It’s fun to think about the next 20 or 30 years,” said Katie. “There’s plenty of room to keep doing things.”

The children's bedroom has four sets of bunk beds and two trundle beds that flank a single vertical window. Photo: James Ewing/Otto
The children’s bedroom has four sets of bunk beds and two trundle beds that flank a single vertical window. Photo: James Ewing/Otto

The breakdown

Architect: Architecture Firm

Landscape architect: Serena Nelson and Architecture Firm

Builder: Peter Johnson Builders

Square footage: 2,200

Structural system: CMU foundations, engineered lumber floors and roof, wood stick frame wall construction

Exterior materials: Stained cedar

Interior finishes: Stained cedar walls, stained oak floors, custom butcher block counters and dining table, custom stained cedar millwork

Roof materials: EPDM membrane roof

Window system: Western Window Systems multi-slide doors

Mechanical systems: Air source heat pump, underfloor supply and return

Other notable, custom, or innovative features: Custom furniture pieces by 510_fabricators in Richmond, Virginia

Categories
Arts

ARTS Pick: Fiesta del Sol

Bring your own dancing shoes to the Latin Ballet of Virginia’s invigorating “Fiesta del Sol” on Saturday at PVCC. Publicity photo.

Despite being a ballet company, there are no tutus or relevés in this celebration of movement by the Latin Ballet of Virginia. You will find dazzling costumes and acrobatics mixed with the electric flair of Latino dance in a high-energy performance that celebrates Central American traditions. “Fiesta del Sol” fuses technical perfection and rich narratives in a show made more exciting by the guest appearance of accomplished flamenco artist Mesa from Valencia, Spain.

Saturday 10/4. $10-15, 7:30pm. PVCC, V. Earl Dickinson Bldg., 501 College Dr. 961-5381.

Categories
News

Charm offensive: Virginia’s Republicans pretend to play nice

State Capitol Building, Richmond Virginia
Virginia's Capitol Building in Richmond. File photo.

Watching Republican Congressional candidate (and current Fairfax/Loudoun county delegate) Barbara Comstock debate her Democratic opponent John Foust last week, we couldn’t help but think of her as a walking metaphor for today’s GOP. She was poised, mostly well-spoken, and projected the sort of comforting, inclusive image the party is desperate to showcase following a number of election cycles dominated by white male Republicans saying offensive things about women. (See Richard “Rape Pregnancies are a Gift from God” Mourdock for just one egregious example.)

At the same time, her actual answers consisted largely of boilerplate right-wing bromides, and her image as a softer, more welcoming kind of Republican was consistently belied by her actual voting record. This is, after all, a woman who supported the notorious 2012 bill mandating that abortion patients receive a forced vaginal ultrasound.

And in the end, despite Comstock’s best efforts, the only thing anyone will remember from this debate was when she compared immigrants to FedEx packages. (Using a convoluted metaphor for securing the U.S./Mexico border, she said “Fed-Ex can track packages coming in here all the time. We can track people who are coming into the country and we can do that right.”)

And this, basically, is the GOP’s problem in a nutshell. No matter how hard it tries to project a kindler, gentler image, Republican candidates’ hardline policies and frequent boneheaded statements consistently remind voters just how little respect they have for women, immigrants, and the poor.

Another perfect example was the recent General Assembly special session, ostensibly called to allow a “full and fair debate” on Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposal to expand Medicaid to cover the 400,000-odd people who don’t qualify for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Now, the odds that this was simply going to be more political Kabuki theater—with Republicans fulminating against the evils of “Obamacare,” and powerless Democrats grandstanding loudly in return—were always extremely high. Still, there was a slim hope that a compromise plan championed by Delegate Tom Rust, a Republican, might actually gain some traction.

Those hopes, however, were quickly dashed, as his bill was overwhelmingly defeated after a brief discussion. In fact, the entire farcical session lasted only an hour, and accomplished nothing except to reinforce just how little Virginia’s Republican caucus cares for the Commonwealth’s underprivileged.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the newly empowered Republican majority in Virginia’s Senate was making vast and sweeping changes to the all-important committees that will decide what legislation will make it to a vote during the next regular session. As befits the victors, Republicans purged Democrats from a number of important posts, including seats on the Finance Committee, the Commerce and Labor Committee, and the Education and Health Committee, which oversees legislation related to both Medicaid and abortion.

All indications are that Virginia’s elephants will continue to play hardball for the foreseeable future, blocking as many of Governor McAuliffe’s progressive proposals as possible while simultaneously engaging in transparently phony “outreach” to women and minorities, and cynically promoting “non-traditional” Republican candidates like Comstock who, when you look even one millimeter below the surface, are just as conservative as they come.

Will it work? If the 2010 midterms are any guide, it’s a definite possibility. But as President George W. Bush once said: “Fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me, um…can’t get fooled again!”

Odd Dominion is an unabashedly liberal, bi-monthly op-ed column covering Virginia politics.

Categories
Living

Defining “fine”: Another restaurant closure shakes up the local upscale dining scene

Local chefs and restaurant owners weigh in on what exactly “fine dining” means in Charlottesville. Photo: Elli Williams

When former Glass Haus chef Ian Boden left the Charlottesville fine dining circuit, it was in a hail of bullets. The market was too small. People didn’t get it. People didn’t have enough money for it.

The latest departure from C’ville’s haute cuisine scene, by l’etoile last week, has been lower key. Chef and owner Mark Gresge is a longtime local fixture, having started his French white tablecloth restaurant in 1993, and he said the closure was due not to flagging business or an unsupportive populace but to his and his wife Vickie’s desire to focus their efforts on catering.

The effect of l’etoile’s shutdown feels no less profound than Glass Haus’, though, and Charlottesvillians have to begin to wonder just what level of restaurant they can expect their fellow foodies to support. What, at the end of the meal, does “fine dining” even mean in a market like this? And what will it mean in the future?

Gresge himself admits to feeling a shift away from the traditional notion of fine dining to a more casual affair. While “the guests kept coming” to his restaurant, the current crop of foodies seems to be looking for something a bit different than they were in the past.

“The hipsters or millennials or whatever, they want more of a communal dining experience,” Gresge said. “They want small plates. If they are out with three or four other people, they want to be able to say, ‘Hey, what does that taste like?’”

A newcomer to C’ville’s restaurant scene, Justin Ross of Parallel 38, agrees with Gresge. While Ross’ background is loaded with fine dining experience, including working with renowned chef Jose Andres in Washington, D.C., the restaurant he opened last year is decidedly more casual.

“We don’t consider ourselves a fine dining establishment, but we hold our staff and food to the same level,” Ross said. “We want to draw the fine dining crowd in, but we don’t want it to be once or twice a year on a special occasion. We want them to come several times a month.”

Ross doesn’t feel Charlottesville is particularly unique in the way fine dining is trending, suggesting “even in D.C. it is sort of dying.” But others agree with Boden that the size of the local market makes it difficult to operate a place that most people can only afford on the rarest occasion.

Michael Keaveny of local Italian standard tavola noted fine dining restaurants have a much better chance of survival in bigger cities because there are more people willing to splurge on any given night. He said his model at tavola is similar to Ross’ in that he wants people to come in even when they’re not celebrating.

“I would be very nervous opening a fine dining restaurant in Charlottesville,” Keaveny said. “If you can have a kind of casual restaurant that serves amazing food that has great service without it being snooty and happening to adhere to the old French service rules, in this day and age, it gives you a better opportunity to exceed expectations.”

Still, Charlottesville maintains its old guard. Just outside town, Keswick’s Fossett’s, Ivy Inn, and Clifton Inn provide the type of experience and doting service, along with innovative and well-executed food, that most everyone would associate with fine dining. Inside city limits, Fleurie’s Brian Helleberg is protecting the mantle.

Helleberg said his restaurant’s goal is to provide service that anticipates diners’ needs rather than reacting to them. At the same time, he believes Fleurie achieves that goal without being stuffy.

“I don’t think the definition of fine dining has changed,” Helleberg said. “Formal and fine dining aren’t the same thing. ‘Fine’ means there is structure. You want the guest to dictate their evening.”

Despite the movement toward shared experiences among the current generation, Helleberg said there will always be a place for the traditional dining experience that focuses more on the individual. Indeed, as increasing numbers of restaurants look to follow the trend toward a more casual atmosphere, the traditional establishments that remain should only strengthen.

“It’s not something that’s never going to be heard from again,” Helleberg said. “We’re not going to go away. We are going to keep doing our thing, and business is booming. We’re having one of our best years, and people are happy. When people aren’t calling or coming in, I may think differently.”

Meanwhile, in Staunton, Boden has opened The Shack, a small, unassuming restaurant that’s received the kind of attention traditionally reserved for only fine dining rooms. He and his former business partner Jean-Francois Legault seem no less salty about the local restaurant scene, though—neither of them could find the time to comment for this article.

 

Categories
News

What’s Happening at the Jefferson School?

Grits
The first Story Slam featured "Grits" as the subject matter at the African American Heritage Center. Tonight's theme is "Gravy."

Story Slam Tonight at African American Heritage Center

The second Story Slam kicks off at 6:30pm tonight, October 3, at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. October’s theme is “Gravy” and eight story-tellers will compete for best story of the night. The winner earns a place in the Story Slam-off, where the winners of the year’s slams will compete for the “Slamma Jamma” trophy. The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center is at the Jefferson School City Center.

Storytellers should register upon arrival and names are drawn out of a hat to determine order of presentation. Stories should fit into the theme, be true as the storyteller remembers it, and should be under five minutes in length. No notes, props, or music allowed. Judges are selected from the audience.

The cost is $5 for JSAAHC members and includes one free drink ticket. The cost for non-members is $8, which also includes one free drink ticket.

Mary Williams Community Center Seeks Bingo Prizes, Announces Game Group

JABA’s Mary Williams Community Center requests assistance restocking its bingo prize cabinet. “We appreciate prizes of non-perishable foods, household supplies such as laundry soap, dish soap and paper towels and of course money can be donated so we may purchase prizes,” explained Kelly Carpenter, Mary Williams Center Manager. “Our members also enjoy stuffed animals and small décor for their homes.” Individuals or groups can sponsor prizes. Typically the center goes go through 25 prizes a week, so donations are very appreciated.

The Mary Williams Center has also partnered with the City of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation to begin a weekly group for individuals who enjoy dominoes, checkers, and scrabble. “We meet in the Mary Williams Community Center from 2:15 to 3:15 every Wednesday,” said Carpenter. Everyone is welcome to join in this hour of playing games and meeting new people.

YMCA Prepares for “Ghouls Night Out” October 24

In order to celebrate Halloween, the YMCA at the Jefferson School City Center will host a “Ghouls Night Out” featuring a flashlight maze, games, treats, and a dance party, 6:00-8:00pm October 24. YMCA instructor Devyn Wildy will DJ the “Monster Mash” dance party. The event is open to the public and costs $5 per family and family-friendly costumes are encouraged.

The YMCA encourages families to also take part in Carver Recreation Center’s pumpkin carving contest, also happening October 24 from 6:00-8:00pm. The carving contest costs $5 per pumpkin and pre-registration is required. To register or learn more, call or visit Carver Rec: (434) 970-3053.

JSCC logoJefferson School City Center is a voice of the nine nonprofits located at Charlottesville’s intergenerational community center, the restored Jefferson School. We are a legacy preserved . . . a soul reborn . . . in the heart of Cville!

Categories
Arts

Review: The Lyrical Line at The Fralin Museum of Art

Stanley William Hayter British, 1901–1988 Courtesy of Fralin Museum of Art at UVA ©2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York/ADAGP, Paris

“The Lyrical Line,” which is on display for four months at The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, features work from two of the most innovative printmakers of the early 20th century: Stanley William Hayter and Jacques Villon.

“Imagine thousands of lines engraved in metal make up a print, and they all make up a reality,” said Steve Margulies, the volunteer curator in charge of the exhibition, as he studied a Villon. “To me, this is like modern science, quantum theory. And [Villon and Hayter] were into that. Both of them.”

The prints were painstakingly selected from the University’s collection by Margulies—erudite, kind, he moves through the exhibition like an affectionate parent, examining the carefully hung prints as if they were his children.

Moving towards an engraving by Hayter from 1930 titled “Street (Building with Horse),” he said, “This one is heartbreaking and beautiful. Beautiful and heartbreaking.”

On display in the Stairhall Gallery, adjunct to the Pine Gallery, the exhibition has a meditative and peaceful feel, which suits the contents perfectly. “When you go to an art show, why is one thing hung next to another thing?” he asked. “There is a big, big reason for that. You can’t avoid it—each work of art has a conversation with the work of art next to it, and also with the work of art across the gallery.”

“This is a masterpiece of Surrealism,” said Margulies, pointing out a Hayter entitled “Combat.” “And this one is a masterpiece of Cubism,” he said, motioning to Villon’s “The Set Table.” “And they are talking to each other.”

It’s a small show, about a dozen pieces in total, but the strength lies in its intimacy and, as Margulies said, the “conversation” the pieces have with each other.

“I was very excited to bring these two together, because I think they look beautiful together, but also because I think they represent the two huge aspects of Modernism… Surrealism and Cubism. Surrealism being subconscious and poetic, Cubism being rational, mathematical. These two opposites worked great coming together.”

Surrealism and Modernism? Prints having conversations? Sound like “art speak”? Overwhelming? Maybe, but think of the old adage: if it isn’t hard it isn’t worth doing.

The work is challenging, but it’s also gratifying. And that’s the point.

The prints, and Hayter’s work in particular, are beautiful. They are full of energetic, graceful motion and dramatic interplay of charged light and darkness, and there’s something stimulating and psychologically suggestive in these images—like a Hitchcock movie—that is seductive and gratifying.

It’s almost as if you sense that, beneath the visible, beneath the image, there is a swirling of ideas and inspiration—a play between the seen and unseen.

“Both Hayter and Villon connected their art with poetry, music, and science. They worked with poets. There was a certain interchange between these principals,” Margulies said. The first half of the twentieth century was rife with groundbreaking scientific advancement—molecular theory, quantum mechanics, relativity—and these printmakers were responding to these ideas.

This exhibition takes you away from the traffic of 29, parking downtown, getting to work, getting to class, the rushing from one place to the next. The museum creates a temporary cocoon in which to rest and recharge the mind.

“In some ways connecting art, poetry and science reflects the larger mission of the museum, how it relates to the University,” said Jennifer Farrell, curator of exhibitions and contemporary art. “Not just serving the University, but the community as well.”

“The Lyrical Line” is only one facet in the Fralin Museum’s lineup this fall. Last week, an exhibition of work from renowned Life photographer Gordon Parks, entitled “The Making of the Argument,” opened, featuring a compelling collection of black and white images from the 1940s documenting a Harlem gang. This exhibition is accompanied by talks, screenings, and tours, and in November the museum will host a screening of films by Parks in partnership with the Virginia Film Festival.

The Fralin also runs several educational programs, including the popular Writer’s Eye, now in its 28th year. The program is “a literary competition—challenging writers of all ages to create original works of poetry and prose inspired by art in the museum.” It’s a chance for students and the greater community to interact with the museum and its contents on a different level. Charlottesville, this is your resource. This is your art museum.

“The Lyrical Line” will be on display through December 21.

Stanley William Hayter’s 1944 “Flight (Principle of Flight),” is one of the engravings on display in “The Lyrical Line.”

courtesy of the Fralin Museum of Art at UVA (C) 2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

“Both Hayter and Villon connected their art with poetry, music and science. They worked with poets. There was a certain interchange between these principals,” said the Fralin’s volunteer curator Steve Margulies.

~ David Hawkins

Categories
Magazines Real Estate

Blue Ridge Home Builders 51st Annual Parade of Homes

Every year Charlottesville’s Blue Ridge Home Builders Association (BRHBA) sponsors the Parade of Homes giving local builders an opportunity to show off the very best in new construction. The 51st Parade is no exception. Consumers who attend will have a chance to view a wide range of home styles, prices and locations.  All the best in everything from innovative technologies and energy savings (including a net zero home), to examples of what is new in the way of floor plans,  color schemes and amenities will be on display.

This year’s Parade features 42 homes from 19 builders, a significant increase over last year.  It also welcomes back some previous participants along with some who are exhibiting for the very first time.  This is all good news and reflects builder optimism about the market for new home sales.

The Parade is free, and everyone is welcome to admire the builders’ fine craftsmanship.  Every year it draws buyers looking for new homes, owners looking for creative ways to renovate existing homes and consumers who are just curious about what’s new in their neighborhood or who want a fun way to spend an afternoon. Be sure to bring all of your questions about design, energy savings, and new home trends.  The site agents and builders will be available to greet you and provide whatever answers you need.

This year’s dates are Saturday and Sunday October 4th and 5th and 11th and 12th from noon to 5:00  p.m.  Pick up extra copies of this and next week’s Real Estate Weekly, or visit the BRHBA website and Parade of Homes Facebook page for maps, times and information.

New Construction in Demand

Last year there were just 31 homes in the parade, compared to 42 this year. There are also more participants, 19 builders compared to last year’s 14.  All of this reflects confidence in the market.  “The builders are cautiously optimistic,” said Michael Guthrie, Principal Broker of Roy Wheeler Realty, Co., who added that the Parade is a great opportunity to see a large number of homes in different neighborhoods and at varying price points.

Others also expressed positive sentiments about the market. “We’ve continued to see the local real estate market improve; this has been the case for both residential resales and for new construction,” said Justin Kent with Real Estate III, who represents Craig Builders.  He added that “Craig Builders has had one of their best years on recent record since the company was formed in 1957.”

“It’s been fantastic,” said Quinn Beversluis, Sales and Marketing Director for I & J Home Builders, LLC, when asked about the market for new homes.  His company has gone from 25 to 30 homes built per year to 60.  They are now also building at higher price points compared to a few years ago, moving from the $250,000 market to homes in the $400,000 to $600,000 bracket.  This year’s Parade home is in Stoney Creek in Nelson County.

Jodi Mills with Roy Wheeler Realty, Co. described the new home market as “very strong.”  A contributing factor is a low inventory of resale homes.  As a result, buyers are not finding what they want and are looking to new construction.  Mills represents Riverside Village, a new development near Darden Towe Park, one of two neighborhoods featured in this year’s Parade.  The other one is Vegas Court near Rio Road and Pen Park Lane, being developed by Dickerson Homes and Development

A Celebration of Builders

The annual Parade of Homes is a cooperative effort between builders and suppliers who support the activities of the BRHBA.  Once again this year’s Presenting Sponsor is Roy Wheeler Realty, Co., and the presenting Sponsor for the gala kick off event at the King Family Vineyards is Tiger Fuel.

“The Parade is an opportunity to showcase homes and to be part of a regional celebration of what our area’s builders are producing,” said Charlie Armstrong, Vice President, Land Development with Southern Development Homes.

“Each builder is unique,” said Kristin Sorokti, Executive Vice President of the BRHBA.  “The Parade gives the public an opportunity to meet the builders and learn about new technologies and new design trends,” she continued, adding that “We couldn’t do this without our sponsors.”

About his company’s annual sponsorship, Guthrie explained that the Parade is a partnership between the BRHBA and CAAR (Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors).  Over the last several years this partnership has become closer and Guthrie and his company feel strongly about the importance of supporting the Parade.  “It’s what’s happening,” he said.  “It’s lots of builders putting their best foot forward.  When you only give one party a year,” he continued, “you want everything to be in the best possible shape. We like having our name associated with a first class event like this.”

The Best of Everything on Display

When consumers walk through a Parade home what they see is the carefully crafted outcome of a “collective local effort to build a superior product.” Kent said.  “They can get a sense of what new and quality building practices, styles and materials are being incorporated into new homes

Parade visitors also can learn what is new in home building as far as technologies, color schemes, and floor plans as well as products such as tile, counter tops, cabinets and innovations in HVAC systems.  Charif Soubra, Community Sales Manager for Southern Development Homes, explained that Parade goers can get acquainted both with local builders and with trends in design.  One example is color schemes which are always changing.  This year, for example, there is a “resurgence in grays and whites,” Soubra said.

However it’s not just the homes that are important.  The Parade also “highlights communities which are as important as floor plans and design,” Soubra added.

Consumers may be surprised at some of the technology and products that are now standard in many new homes. Products which in the past were associated with upper end homes only are now accessible at lower price points, Soubra said. As examples he mentioned bamboo flooring and cabinets built without formaldehyde.

Similarly, Craig Builders homes all come with ceramic tile floors in kitchens and baths along with low water usage toilets and scald guard faucets, Kent said.

The Parade is “a good opportunity to see what buyers want in new homes and how the builders are responding,” said Greg Slater, with Nest Realty who represents Stanley Martin Homes.

Even if you have no plans to buy a home anytime soon, visiting the Parade can be a fun and educational way to spend Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  For many it’s an annual event.  Mills said this year is her fourth time to participate and every year she sees a lot of new faces but also many that she remembers from past Parade weekends.  Often it is groups of women with a plan of action, she explained, adding that often they attend Martha’s Market first, and then follow that with a visit to the Parade.

People who plan to stay put, and want to renovate their existing home, can also benefit from attending the Parade.  “The Parade is a great opportunity to engage the builders and site agents and learn more about trends in new construction that also apply to remodeling,” Slater said.  Many people are engaged in remodeling projects that are not just cosmetic, he continued. “Energy retrofits are very popular and the Parade builders are a good resource for information about this topic,” he continued.

New Home Trends

Floor plans with a first floor master bedroom continue to be very popular, Slater said.

Mark Brement with Bramante Homes agrees adding that the master suite is very important especially for Boomers who, he continued, have different needs from younger families, and no longer want to climb stairs.  Also, empty nesters are often happy with just three bedrooms although in some situations they may opt for a fourth bedroom with access to a full bath.  This can double as an extra guest room or often is used as an office, Brement added.

Brement is in business with his son, who he said, relates well with the younger families.  Often these buyers prefer having all of their bedrooms on the second floor so parents can be near their children.

Some features, such as open floor plans without formal living areas and outdoor living spaces appeal across the board to all age groups.

Energy efficiency continues to be a big concern for new home buyers and those renovating existing homes.  “Most of our builders are taking an overall approach to energy efficiency and establishing a HERS rating for their homes,” Slater said.  He explained they accomplish this by incorporating such features as more insulation, energy efficient windows, highly efficient HVAC systems, and energy saving light bulbs and appliances.

Jeff Roberston with Echelon Homes sees a trend towards using more foam insulation.  They not only use it in exterior walls but also on roof rafters.  The idea is to seal the envelope, but also allow for circulation of fresh air.  He suggests asking builders a lot of questions.  “Technology can vary tremendously and everyone has their own spin,” he said.

Come prepared with your questions for Parade builders and site agents. “We have a strong push today to educate consumers about energy savings.  The use of energy efficiency technology impacts the whole market,” Slater said.

How to Get the Most from Your Parade Experience

To get the most from the Parade “visit a wide price range of homes in different communities,” Kent said.  Viewing homes in a variety of different communities and at different price points gives a good overview of trends in the local real estate market.

The Parade is a great opportunity to engage the agents and builders in each home, Slater said.  This will allow you to learn as much as you can about current trends in the marketplace and about each builder’s approach to the building process.

“Don’t be afraid of the site agents,” suggests Bob Hauser, President and CEO of Stonehaus, LLC, developer of Belvedere.  “The Parade is not an intense selling situation.  The builders’ representatives are knowledgeable professionals who are there to answer your questions and are all about meeting people.  So plan to stay, talk and get to know the neighborhood.”

Jay Kelleher, also with Stonehaus suggests looking through the list of homes and “really highlight and visit the ones with new design and new technology.”  He also advises taking your time with each one.

Look for Parade information in the Real Estate Weekly, and at the BRHBA website.  In addition you will find information about Parade builders and their homes at the BRHBA Facebook page, Sorokti said.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, blogger and author who lives near Charlottesville.