Month: August 2023

Categories
Arts Culture

August Wilson: A Life

Patti Hartigan discuses her new book, August Wilson: A Life, with Leslie M. Scott-Jones. Publicity image.

In her new book, August Wilson: A Life, author Patti Hartigan traces the life of the late playwright, from his childhood in Pittsburgh to Broadway. Through interviews with friends, theater colleagues, family members, and Wilson himself, Hartigan tells the story of the writer who opened the door for future playwrights of color. Hartigan is joined in conversation by Leslie M. Scott-Jones, artistic director of the Charlottesville Player’s Guild, an all-Black theater company that is currently in the process of staging the 10 plays in August Wilson’s century cycle.

*EVENT POSTPONED* Saturday 8/26. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

Categories
News

Afton Mountain’s grand lady

The grand Swannanoa estate on Afton Mountain currently offers public and private tours, and hosts a program of events that Sandi Dulaney hopes will help the property stay self-sufficient. Photo by Jack Looney.

The recent passing of James F. “Phil” Dulaney, the third generation of a family important in the Charlottesville area’s post-World War II growth, has spurred speculation about the future of several properties. Some of the family’s holdings, like the Charlottesville Oil site on Ivy Road and the derelict Afton Inn and Howard Johnson’s at Rockfish Gap, have been considered “blighted” for years. But one of the largest—the Swannanoa estate atop Afton Mountain—has always been a place of romance and fascination.

No one knows this better than Sandi Dulaney, Phil’s widow, who has been running Swannanoa since 2015. Dulaney, one of the few people who can say they have lived at Swannanoa, refers to the house as “she”—perhaps from the spirit of Sallie Dooley, for whom it was built, and whose portrait is featured in the 10-foot-tall stained glass Tiffany window that presides over the foyer’s grand staircase.

In 1912, Richmond businessman, millionaire, and philanthropist James H. Dooley built Swannanoa as a summer home for himself and his wife Sarah “Sallie” May. (He also had Maymont, their Richmond mansion which is now a museum and public park, built for her.) Their “summer retreat” is Italian Renaissance Revival in style, clad in marble from Georgia and lavishly decorated inside with Italian marble, ornate plasterwork, pastel frescoes, and inlaid wood. At about 23,000 square feet, the house is twice the size of Monticello. 

For its time, Swannanoa featured all the modern conveniences—indoor plumbing, central heating, electricity (supplied by its own power plant, since it was the first house in Nelson County to have electricity). With an elevator, a dumbwaiter, parquet floors, extensive gardens, two corner towers with spectacular views over both sides of the Blue Ridge, the mansion exemplifies a grander age, a time when (paraphrasing F. Scott Fitzgerald) the very rich were different from you and me.

After the Dooleys died in the 1920s, the house passed to his sisters. A Richmond real estate consortium’s attempt to develop the estate unfortunately coincided with the 1929 stock market crash. When development plans fell apart, the mansion sat empty for 12 years until Skyline Swannanoa, a group of investors led by A. T. Dulaney, bought it in 1944. (The U.S. Navy considered buying and renovating Swannanoa as a secret wartime interrogation center, but decided Congress would hesitate to purchase a marble mansion for that purpose.) In 1948, the property was leased for 50 years to artist and mystic Walter Russell, whose University of Science and Philosophy, constructed around his personal cosmology, was headquartered there until 1998. 

Time has taken its toll. The trees around Swannanoa have grown up, blocking much of the famed views. After the Russells’ lease expired, Phil Dulaney spent $3 million to replace the terracotta tile roof, clean and repoint significant areas of the marble façade, do extensive work on the interior, and replace the antiquated gutter system. But such a lavish house requires a lavish maintenance budget, and years of vandalism, curious intruders, and paranormal fans breaking in to search for “spirits” have done as much damage as time.

Dreams, however, die hard. Sandi Dulaney says her husband always wanted to open a bed-and-breakfast, but while the house’s lovely main floor is in decent shape, the upstairs rooms need extensive work. Seeking grant money or donating the property to a preservation organization, Dulaney says, would mean “losing control. The family wants to keep this place. I’m a steward here.” 

Her plans are to allow access to Swannanoa in ways that enable the public to enjoy its beauty while still protecting the property. Currently, public guided tours are offered the second Sunday and fourth Saturday of every month (reservations required). Private tours can also be arranged, and the site is popular for photo shoots and micro weddings.

The house and gardens can also be rented for private events. A recent fundraiser for the Shelter for Help in Emergency, sponsored by Autumn Trails Veterinary Center, recalled the house’s early days by having “The Howling ‘20s” as its theme; Dulaney’s toy poodle mix Lady Grace served as greeter. Dulaney and Adrianne Boyer, Swannanoa’s marketing and events director, have also developed a regular program of events, from Zen@Swannanoa Mindfulness Workshops to the Halloween Spooktacular, Christmas with Santa for children (and dogs), and an Easter Eggs-travaganza. “We’re trying to introduce this place to a new generation,” says Boyer.

Interest in Swannanoa has grown in the last few years as the house has become more accessible, Boyer says. “Our staff is growing, we have more volunteers helping out—it’s really a labor of love.” The current plan is to have tours and events generate income to cover maintenance, taxes, and salaries while possibilities for implementing the much-needed complete overhaul (several years and $50-60 million, according to Boyer) are considered.

“I tell people that she’s 111 years old, and isn’t going to get any younger,” says Boyer. 

Categories
News

In brief

File photo.

Future federal funding

On August 18, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced more than $111 million in funding earmarked for Virginia community projects passed as part of Senate Fiscal Year 2024 draft funding bills. A portion of the appropriations would go to Charlottesville projects organized by the Piedmont Housing Alliance, the University of Virginia, and more.

While it’s a good sign that the bills passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with bipartisan approval, the Virginia senators indicated they will work to ensure funding for local projects is included in the final version of the legislation. The current version includes more than $1 million for Charlottesville programs, including $650,000 for PHA to construct a permanent location for the Charlottesville Financial Opportunity Center + Housing Hub and $367,000 for UVA to purchase and equip a mobile health van for underserved communities.

“We are working to ensure the government funding bill looks out for the needs of Charlottesville residents,” said Kaine and Warner in a joint statement to C-VILLE. “After hearing from the Piedmont Housing Alliance about the need for a permanent location for the Charlottesville Financial Opportunity Center + Housing Hub, we went to bat for the project and successfully secured federal dollars for it in the latest draft of the government funding bill. This support would help Charlottesville residents get financial coaching, find housing, and prevent evictions. We’ll keep working to get this crucial funding across the finish line to help the Charlottesville community.”

Back Together Bash

In preparation for the new school year, local organizations teamed up to host the Back Together Back to School Bash at the Cherry Avenue Boys & Girls Club on August 19. The event offered central Virginia students free haircuts, hairstyling, backpacks, and shoes.

Organized by Amanda Burns from the #100Cuts Initiative, the event brought together numerous local partners and sponsors to help kids look and feel their best at school. In addition to getting back-to-school essentials, students celebrated the upcoming school year with a DJ, food, and branded swag.

Haircuts and styling were provided as part of the #100Cuts Initiative, led by Fernando Garay, owner of House of Cuts Barber Studio, and Daniel Fairley, president of 100 Black Men of Central Virginia. The group brought in dozens of barbers, braiders, and stylists for the event, and hopes to continue providing free haircuts throughout the year with the support of local partners and donations.

Supplied photo.

In brief

Climate concern concert

Voicing their support for electrifying city buses, the Green Grannies of Charlottesville sang “It’s All ’Bout the Bus” at the Charlottesville City Council meeting on August 21. For 10 years, group members have advocated for climate justice by performing in their signature green costumes and large hats at local events, including rallies, elections, legislative hearings, and more. The proposal for switching to more climate-friendly electric buses is part of a long-term regional transportation plan discussed by Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization, Moving Toward 2050.

Hard-hitting news

On August 18, UVA Health announced it will open a youth concussion clinic as part of its orthopedic center on Ivy Road. Rather than basic diagnostics and treatment, the clinic will focus on helping young people and teen athletes experiencing persistent concussion symptoms, including dizziness, headaches, brain fog, and balance issues. Patients will have to be referred to the clinic by either a health care provider or an athletic trainer.

Jones waives hearing  

During an August 21 appearance in Albemarle General District Court, Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr., who allegedly killed three UVA students and injured two others, waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Jones faces three counts of second-degree murder and multiple gun charges in connection with the November 13, 2022, shooting on a bus that had returned to Grounds following a university field trip. The case is scheduled to go to a grand jury on October 2, when jurors will determine if there is enough evidence against Jones to proceed.

Categories
News Real Estate

Growth in northern Albemarle

As of July 1, only 57 of the 893 approved residential units had been built in North Pointe, part of the Hollymead neighborhood, where 4,316 new units have been approved. Photo by Sean Tubbs.

When the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for the North Pointe development in August 2006, there was to be no more than 893 dwelling units. 

This year, the Great Eastern Management Company will be asked to revisit the rezoning to add 550 new homes on land currently approved for commercial development. 

“Commercial is dead and dying except for grocery stores and maybe restaurants and hotels,” says David Mitchell, construction manager for the company. “We had originally 900,000 square feet of commercial. That’s not marketable anymore.”

North Pointe is within the Hollymead neighborhood, as classified by Albemarle’s Community Development. As of July 1, only 57 of the 893 residential units had been built. According to county records, those units are among the 4,316 homes approved in Hollymead but not yet built. 

“It’s one thing to get approved, but it’s another to get it designed and built,” Mitchell says. “It takes years.” 

In 2006, Albemarle officials tended to discourage major economic development moves. Things have changed in 17 years, and Albemarle is planning to buy 462 acres surrounding the Rivanna Station military base as an investment in the county’s economic development future. County officials continue to investigate whether the land can support creation of a new Intelligence Community Innovation Acceleration Campus. 

The county’s major land purchase did not affect Great Eastern’s plans. 

“This was in the works way before,” Mitchell says, adding that he’s known for years that his company would eventually be asking for a rezoning. It’s taken a long time to build the infrastructure to support the overall development. 

Now Great Eastern wants to build up to 1,548 units at North Pointe, but is not asking to increase the number of single-family homes. That means more townhomes and multifamily apartments. 

“We are in the middle of construction of lots out of the first 269 of single-family and that’s going to be the extent of our single-family,” Mitchell says. “The property doesn’t lay out well for single-family beyond what we got.”

Albemarle is currently reviewing its Comprehensive Plan, and one question is whether the county should begin planning for expanding the amount of land where dense development can occur. Staff have noted that many rezonings have ultimately yielded fewer units than the maximums envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan.

Mitchell isn’t holding his breath. 

“Even though the county should be thinking about expanding the growth area, it’s not going to happen until it’s full,” Mitchell says. 

Just under a third of the 1,550 homes at Brookhill have been built, and there are 1,479 available units to be constructed at Hollymead Town Center. 

Final site plan review is underway for 100 units at River’s Edge North. Supervisors approved up to 332 units on the site of a former mobile community, but only 306 units are going to be built. 

Mitchell says he did not anticipate that the units would be built quickly, adding that construction costs and mortgage rates are still high. 

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Vivid new venues

Gallison Hall—with its pool pavilion, rose garden, and perfect-for-dancing outdoor patio—makes it even easier to say, "I do." Photo: Dear Lovers Photography

With its scenic Blue Ridge Mountains backdrop, abundance of greenery, and plethora of stunning locales, the Charlottesville area has long been a popular wedding destination. For couples looking for the perfect place to tie the knot, these four new venues will likely fit the bill.

Situated just south of Charlottesville in Nelson County, Rockfish Ranch is a leafy, mountainous retreat overlooking its namesake Rockfish River. After two years of transforming the former vacation property into a rustic venue, the ranch hosted its first wedding in the summer of 2022. Rockfish boasts a range of on-site amenities, including large indoor and outdoor spaces, lodging, a sauna, fire terraces, and several ceremony and celebration spots for up to 250 guests during wedding season, or 20 guests throughout the rest of the year.

Tucked into the forests and rolling hills of Louisa, family-run Avonlea Farms has hosted weddings and special occasions since 2020. Surrounded by stunning foliage and delicate landscaping, the farm has several ceremony and reception sites, including a vintage glass greenhouse on a private lake and a 250-year-old oak tree, and can host up to 200 guests, depending on the location. With unlimited site visits, a complimentary mimosa bar on the big day, a range of complimentary decor choices, and more, Avonlea Farms provides its guests with numerous amenities.

Located on UVA’s Darden School of Business grounds, The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville is a venue of choice for more than just University of Virginia alumni. The luxury hotel boasts over 40,000 square feet for its events, with several ceremony and reception sites available both inside and out. For catering, the venue offers a range of creative food and drink menus, and will customize options if desired. Able to host up to 700 guests and offering a wedding room block deal, The Forum is a good choice for those with a longer guest list.

Just outside the city in the Farmington neighborhood, historic Gallison Hall is a large but cozy estate with a range of unique features. Designed by original owners Julio and Evelyn Galban, Gallison Hall is a 12,728 square-foot Georgian manor on more than 40 acres of private land, and is able to host up to 200 guests. With views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and ornate and intentional indoor and outdoor architecture, Gallison Hall offers a gorgeous backdrop for any wedding.

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

In the air

Photo: Meredith Coe Photography

This year has brought some of our favorite wedding trends—bright
colors are back, biodegradable confetti is in, and aerial shots are taking photography to new heights. Using a drone, photographers and videographers can capture never-before seen angles of your ceremony or reception set against Charlottesville’s scenic vistas, vineyards, and venues. Whether you’re looking to add cinematic elegance to a video, or an editorial spread to an album, here are a few of our favorite drone photographers you can find up in the air.

Aaron Watson Photography. This family-owned photography team are aerial pros. Their vibrant, timeless style is perfect for capturing the area’s natural grandeur, and their shots are seriously breathtaking. aaronwatsonphoto.com

Meredith Coe Photography. A local photographer with 11 years of experience, Meredith Coe can cover all angles of your big day. “A drone shot elevates, in all senses of the word, your wedding visually,” says Coe. “Artistic large prints in your home or a full two-page spread in your album is always jaw-dropping.” meredithcoephotography.com

Silver Streak Weddings. If you’re looking to include aerials in your wedding reel, Silver Streak Weddings have shot at local venues like The Wool Factory, Castle Hill Cider, Mount Ida Farm, and King Family Vineyards. silverstreakweddings.com

Film and Flourish. Andrew Gilford of Film and Flourish turns love stories into movies. His videos are something special, with documentary-like storytelling and tons of aerials. filmandflourish.com

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Relics to relish

It's a great day for Hey Day. Photo: Tristan Williams

Ever been torn between the purchase of an official, vintage mug from
The Lion King and a seven-piece Victorian cruet set? Or maybe it’s that Cypress driftwood sculpture, which would fit your decor perfectly. Heyday Antiques & Vintage is a charming, well-curated indoor marketplace with plenty to offer. The store is a collective of 18 vendors who stock and style their own unique shops within an Allied Street warehouse space.

“We want to be different,” says co-op member Laurel Lorigan, who has been selling in two stalls—one vintage and one formal antique—for five years.

That difference manifests naturally throughout each vendor’s thoughtfully organized lot. A stroll through Heyday offers equal parts time travel, discovery, and nostalgia, as shoppers peruse extensive book collections, paintings, furniture, and even a set of high-heel shoe forms, all sourced from travels, yard sales, and family attics.

Lorigan says she started selling as a way to support her own shopping habit, and Heyday’s unique, tasteful selections from the past are sure to support ours. See what’s new and old at heydaycville.com, and follow along at @heydaycville.

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Community business

Photo: Eze Amos

As the owner of Beehive Events, a flower and décor business
she launched in 2006, Shawn Cosette is no stranger to beautiful things. But it was during a trip to Germany with her husband that she settled on her next career move, and launched a new business venture in 2019.

“We were in Munich and I just ran into this store,” Cosette says. “I think I visited three or four times, and I looked at my husband and said, ‘This is it. This is what I want to do.’” 

Be Just, which recently relocated from Belmont to Ivy Road, has two main objectives: selling beautiful, durable pieces, and being part of a community. In addition to offering lasting pieces—you’ll find copper kitchen appliances, storage containers, handwoven baskets, and more on the store’s shelves—Be Just hosts classes ranging from flower arranging to mixology. Cossette also hosts the Sunday Supper Series, a monthly dinner event at her farm.

A business owner since the age of 24, Cossette doesn’t shy away from taking chances, and she speaks to the amount of work it takes to be an entrepreneur. “If you’re not physically working, you’re thinking about it all the time,” she says. “I definitely think I have that entrepreneurial spirit, and can’t imagine any other scenario.”

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Keep growing

Photo: Eze Amos

When Charlottesville native Daisa Granger Pascall started We Grow with two others in 2021, she couldn’t have imagined that, by the middle of the following year, she’d be at the helm of the Scottsville shop solo. But the store continues to thrive. The full-time art teacher pours herself into creating beauty in many forms, through her work at Leslie H. Walton Middle School—and through We Grow. The downtown shop hosts regular classes—terrariums! bonsais! bouquets!—and partners with other local organizations on floral-centric events.

Categories
2023 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Suit up

Find on-trend men's and women's clothing at Ian Dillard's Quattro Tizi. Photo: Eze Amos

Charlottesville’s men sure know how to dress to impress, and local stores are here to help them put their best foot forward. What follows is a list of a few of our favorite clothiers, outfitters, and haberdasheries that carry menswear of every size, style, and budget.

The Men’s & Boy’s Shop 

410 E. Main St., Downtown Mall

Whatever the occasion—a summer wedding in Sare, prom, or a mandatory court date—The Men’s & Boy’s Shop can help you find the perfect fit. The locally owned establishment, which has been in business since 1920, stocks modern and traditional clothing, ties, hats, gloves, and more from brands like Ralph Lauren, Barbour, Florsheim, Hart Schaffner Marx, and Armin Oehler, with free alterations for life. 

Dashing 115 S. First St. 

You can always score a sweet secondhand find at Dashing, the masculine counterpart of Darling Boutique. Browse casual styles from contemporary brands, statement fashion pieces from high-end designer labels, seasonal staples like swim trunks, and more, including athletic wear, bags, and shoes.

Eljo’s Traditional Clothes 1067 Millmont St. 

Diehard UVA sports fans can take their gameday fits to the next level at Eljo’s. The longstanding shop specializes in custom made-to-measure suits and sport coats, and its officially licensed UVA line includes polos, belts, suspenders, ties, blazer buttons, cuff links, and more.

Kulture Vibez 3918 Lenox Ave. 

This urban streetwear boutique opened in the middle of COVID, and has been steadily catching steam ever since. Shop here for modern styles and fashionable loungewear that you can dress up or down. Cool graphic tees, shorts, and sweatshirts are always in stock from brands including Kilogram, Original Penguin, and Effectus Clothing. Before you leave, slip into a pair of Air Jordans and pose in front of the photo op wall. 

Quattro Tizi 946 Grady Ave. 

For all the latest fashions and trends, head to Quattro Tizi, a contemporary men’s and women’s clothing and lifestyle shop. You’ll impress in trendy tees, chic chinos, and swanky sunglasses from labels like Rag & Bone, Faherty, Veja, and Shinola.

Low 105 Fifth St. SE 

Style is cyclical, and Low’s got the vintage goodness you need for a closet rewind. The massive underground space is a denim-lover’s dream, with plenty of perfectly worn blue jeans, jackets, and vests, alongside charming sweaters, sick tees, cool hats, broken-in shoes, and jewelry.

Rethreads 1716–1718 Allied St. 

This multi-room boutique is full of eclectic apparel for modern- and vintage-lovers. With size and gender inclusive options, and everything from preloved, vintage, and new with tags, there’s something for every size, style, and budget. Go in for the short sleeve cotton button downs, and leave with a rare vintage find. 

High Tor Gear Exchange 1717 Allied St. 

If you’re an athletic-wear-all-day kinda guy, check out High Tor Gear Exchange’s selection of lightly used menswear. Snag a cozy fleece in the winter, and colorful swim trunks in the summer, from name brands like Columbia, Eddie Bauer, Patagonia, Lululemon, and Nike.