Wendell Wood

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Wendell Wood speaking to the Albemarle County Planning Commission on October 27, 2009

Wendell Wood is President and Chairman of United Land Corporation. He has been a land developer in Albemarle County since the early 1960s and has sold tracts of land for the development of Barracks Road Shopping Center, Fashion Square Mall, Hollymead Town Center, Wal-Mart and the U.S. Army's National Ground Intelligence Center, among other projects. [1]

Biography

Wood attended Mars Hill College in North Carolina. [2]

Wood purchased his first land in the early 1960's. [3]

In 2000, Wood ranked 65th in Virginia Business Magazine's "The Virginia 100", which ranks the one hundred wealthiest individuals in the Commonwealth. At that time he was estimated to have a net worth of approximately $160 million. [4]

Positions

At a City Council public hearing in October 1983, Wood spoke against $9.5 million in bonds for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to pay a private developer for what would become the Omni Hotel. Wood was opposed to the use of public dollars, but added if they were used, a local developer should be doing the work. [5]

Developments

Development near NGIC

In the mid 2000's, Wood built a 122,000 square foot office building adjacent to the National Ground Intelligence Center that he sought to lease to the federal government. Wood had begun buying up properties in the area and had intended to build the headquarters for the firm Value America, which collapsed. Wood's relationship with the NGIC began when he sold 30 acres to the U.S. Army for $1 million to enable NGIC's move from downtown Charlottesville. The Army would later seek more land but didn't have enough to pay what Wood wanted. [1]

Somerset Farms

Wood has proposed a 1,902-home development called Somerset Farms along Route 20 south of Charlottesville. However, the development would be just outside the designated growth area.[6] The Albemarle Board of Supervisors last discussed the development in November 2012, when it split as to whether it should consider the proposal.[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Web. King of the Road: The unstoppable Wendell Wood, Dave McNair, The Hook, Better Publications LLC, February 5, 2009, retrieved November 3, 2023. Print. February 5, 2009 , 805, .
  2. Print: Of Personal Interest, Staff reports, Daily Progress, Lindsay family January 5, 1960, Page A7.
  3. Web. An afternoon with Wendell Wood, C-VILLE Weekly, Portico Publications, retrieved November 3, 2023. Print. July 3, 2007 .
  4. Web. The Virginia 100, Virginia Business (via archive.org), June 2000, retrieved November 3, 2023.
  5. Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, October 24, 1983.
  6. Web. Albemarle planners look favorably on expansion of growth area along Route 20, Brian Wheeler, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, June 8, 2011, retrieved November 3, 2023.
  7. Web. Board stalemates on Somerset Farm expansion despite road promise, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, 18 Nov 2013, retrieved 31 July 2013.