Common sense
Things looked dire for Common House last year, when the roof of the previous social club that occupied 206 W. Market St., the 1913 Mentor Lodge, collapsed. But like the “movers and doers” Common House hopes will call the club their home away from home, founders Ben Pfinsgraff, Derek Sieg and Josh Rogers dusted off the crumbled bricks, cleaned them up and put them back into the walls. So far, 220 members have signed on before the club officially opens in May. If you want to be one of them, here’s some of what you have to look forward to.
Defined benefits
- Skeleton key lets members in a side door, where they’re greeted by the concierge
- Imported San Fran chef for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between
- Coffee curated by Mudhouse in a black-and-white Tea Room, with the exception of one lemon tree, fruits of which will be used in hand-crafted cocktails
- Hand-chipped ice will cool those cocktails, we hear
- Electronics are discouraged, but real-life social networking: yes!
- Secret “but not too secret” panel located in Bridge Room to pass bartender a drink order
- Acoustic miniconcerts in Bridge Room
- An old-fashioned library with floor-to-ceiling book shelves
- Common Knowledge interactive series teaches members the tricks of some trades (hog butchering, anyone?)
- Rooftop terrace offers a bar with 360-degree views
- Exclusive access to the Blue Ridge Swim Club on Saturdays
- Initiation is $600 for singles/$1,000 per couple; monthly dues $150 per person/$225 per couple
- Initiation waived for teachers and Big Brother Big Sister mentors, 20 percent discount on monthly dues
Our video of the exclusive hard hat tour was our top tweet last week. See more photos and video on Twitter @cvillenews_desk
In brief
Traffic tragedy
Two 5- and 6-year-old cousins, Tori Green and Jaiden Bartee, were killed in Buckingham County March 30 as they ran in front of a tractor-trailer coming down a hill, while their school bus was approaching on the opposite side of the road. The truck driver slammed on his brakes, but couldn’t stop. Their funerals will be held at 1pm on April 8 at Buckingham County High School.
Money talks
For nearly a decade, UVA’s fundraising team has internally flagged applications from the kids of wealthy alumni and donors and, in some cases, assisted them through the admissions process, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. A school spokesperson said this practice is not unique to UVA.
Sage Smith’s case reclassified
Charlottesville police now say the disappearance of the transgender teen, who was last seen in 2012, is a homicide.
Natural area biking
Despite objections from Albemarle County, where the Ragged Mountain Natural Area is located, City Council approved 3-2 new bike trails April 3, but current walking trails will remain pedestrian only.
“When I am governor, folks, over my dead body will any of these miscreant lefties remove a statue of Robert E. Lee.”
—Gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart outside the Tom Garrett town hall
Uninvited
GOP guv candidate Corey Stewart, who has made Charlottesville’s Lee statue issue a cornerstone of his campaign [see above], did not hold an anti-illegal immigration rally April 1 at Dave’s Taverna in Harrisonburg after it was bombarded by calls from “George Soros-funded liberal activists known as Indivisible,” according to his campaign. New venue Wood Grill Buffet canceled a few hours later, and the rally was held at Court Square.
Beer drinker’s delight
The Nelson County Board of Supervisors approved on March 29 a $10.5 million expansion at Devils Backbone Brewing Company that will include the construction of a 250-person event hall, a 25-unit lodge, 10 cabins and a campground with 50 RV sites and 26 tent sites, according to the Nelson County Times. Brewery owners agreed to limit their operation’s major events to four per year, with none on Memorial Day or Labor Day weekends.