William Taylor Plaza

From Cvillepedia

William Taylor Plaza is a 100,000 square foot mixed-use project proposed by Southern Development which would create up to fifty apartments or condominiums along Ridge Street and commercial space along Cherry Avenue. The development is named after colonial settler William Taylor.

Contents 1 Design 2 City approvals 2.1 2008-2009 Rezoning 2.2 2011 3 Surrounding neighborhoods 4 References

Design

The conceptual plan by local architect Kirk Train shows two-story residential buildings along Ridge Street and commercial buildings up to five stories in height along Cherry Avenue. At least twenty percent of the land will be undisturbed and include a public arboretum.^[1]

The project proposes to incorporate numerous sustainable design techniques including green roofs, LEED sustainable design, passive solar heating, and rainwater harvesting. ^[2]

The architect for the 2009 concept plan is Kirk Train, Train & Partners Architects, who has won numerous awards for innovative design and historic preservation. Train & Partners has designed sustainable projects for clients including the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Center - the first LEED Platinum certified project in Virginia, and Keswick Hall. ^[3]

City approvals

2008-2009 Rezoning

This section documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

Southern Development acquired two parcels of land from the City of Charlottesville in October 2008 and added them to five lots they had previously purchased for a total of 2.9 acres.^[4]

The Charlottesville Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning by a 5-2 vote on September 9, 2009. Following the Planning Commission recommendation, City Council rezoned the property to Planned Unit Development (PUD) at their Novermber 2, 2009 meeting. On November 18, 2009, the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review approved the project's architectural design.

Residents have raised concerns that the proposed development may be on the site of the Allen Woodson Hawkins’ family graveyard,^[5] but surveyors and deed researchers have found no evidence to support this concern.^[6]

2011

This section documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

Since the rezoning, Southern Development company entered into a partnership with Park Properties Management Company to finance the project. The concept changed to a rental-only project, and both firms petitioned the Planning Commission for an amendment to the PUD zoning to allow for an increase in dwelling units from 50 to 80. The commission voted 4-2 to recommend denial of this request at its meeting on February 8, 2011 out of concerns that the new plan was not supported by the neighborhood. ^[7] City Council voted 3-2 to deny the amendment to the PUD on February 22, 2011. ^[8]

Coordinates: 38°01′34″N 78°29′20″W / 38.02612°N 78.488973°W / 38.02612; -78.488973

Surrounding neighborhoods

	Fifeville	↑	Ridge Street
		←   William Taylor Plaza    →
		↓
	Tonsler Park

References

1. ↑ Proffers dated 29 Aug 2009 submitted to the City of Charlottesville and reviewed at the 9 Sep 2009 Planning Commission meeting.
2. ↑ Narrative dated 25 Aug 2009 on record with the City of Charlottesville.
3. ↑ http://trainarchitects.com/sustainable.html
4. ↑ Nairn, Daniel. "City Council approves sale of Ridge Street land to Southern Development." Audio blog post. Charlottesville Tomorrow News Center. Charlottesville Tomorrow, 7 Oct. 2008. Web. 10 Sept. 2009. <http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/2008/10/city-land-sale.html>.
5. ↑ "Ridge-Cherry's non-mystery history." Message from Antoinette Roades to Charlottesville Planning Commission and Charlottesville City Council. 31 Aug. 2009. E-mail. Available online: Guest Editorial: Ridge-Cherry’s non-mystery history, Antoinette W. Roades, The Schilling Show Blog, 3 Sep 2009 retrieved 13 Sep 2009.
6. ↑ Documents submitted to Ebony Walden, Planner, and forwarded to the Charlottesville Planning Commission and Charlottesville City Council. 2 Sep. 2009 E-mail
7. ↑ Web. Commission denies request to add more homes to William Taylor Plaza, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow
8. ↑ Web. Council denies William Taylor Plaza plans, Graham Moomaw, Daily Progress, Media General, February 22, 2011, retrieved February 23, 2011.