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The cost estimate for the West Main Streetscape has increased to $49 million, according to materials presented to Charlottesville City Council before their work session tomorrow.
https://bit.ly/348Atfg
This story is intended as a community staff report, adding context.
https://bit.ly/348Atfg
This story is intended as a community staff report, adding context.
The packet for the meeting is now available, and has new information from city staff about the cost estimate for all four phases of the plan.
It's worth taking a look at that primary source.
It's worth taking a look at that primary source.
One of the next steps for this Council is to figure out next logistical step for removal of Lewis, Clark, Sacagewea statue. Removal was anticipated in the first phase, which ancitipates removal of traffic lane for a pocket park.
@Jalane_Schmidt
@Jalane_Schmidt
But why are we here? To understand, take a look at what's referred to as the Torti Gallas report. From December 2000.
http://bit.ly/3icTQJ6
http://bit.ly/3icTQJ6
Within a year of that Torti Gallas report, the city's Comprehensive Plan was updated. The urban design chapter copied material from the Torti Gallas report verbatim.
https://bit.ly/3ihcnnv
https://bit.ly/3ihcnnv
Anticipating the need for public infrastructure to go with the larger buildings on West Main, the city hired LPDA to come up with this conceptual drawing of what public infrastructure could be. This is from 2010.
http://bit.ly/3cLBFsW
http://bit.ly/3cLBFsW
Two years later, the city's PLACE Design Task Force had been sat. In October of 2012, then NDS director Jim Tolbert told the members that the LPDA design had not been meant for implementation. Here are those minutes.
https://bit.ly/3cIG6EE
https://bit.ly/3cIG6EE
And then the buildings came. One of the first was the Battle Building at UVA. This @cvillepedia article could use some attention.
https://bit.ly/3cG7m6V
Photo is from yesterday.
https://bit.ly/3cG7m6V
Photo is from yesterday.
Next up was the Flats at West Village, which had originally been known as Plaza at West Main. There was a real sense that development was coming, and plans needed to be in place to tell developers what to build in public right of way.
https://bit.ly/36jBXWC
Pic from 9/28/2020
https://bit.ly/36jBXWC
Pic from 9/28/2020
The PLACE Design Task Force thought a real urban design study was needed. So they convinced Council to hire a consultant. Rhodeside and Harwell got to work in October 2013. Read this story I wrote back then.
https://bit.ly/36k16k6
Note their original fee was $340K
https://bit.ly/36k16k6
Note their original fee was $340K
Flash forward 3.5 years later. Council picked an option in March 2017. By that point, Rhodeside and Harwell had been paid $1.37 million for the study.
By then, Uncommon was built, Marriott was built, Draftsman in the works, Quirk was in works. https://bit.ly/2GpXhP9
By then, Uncommon was built, Marriott was built, Draftsman in the works, Quirk was in works. https://bit.ly/2GpXhP9
Story ends with note that whole streetscape was to go before Planning and Coordination Council the next month.
Last fall, city and county officials took UVA off hook for public meetings by allowing PACC to fold. More another time. Back to West Main.
https://bit.ly/2S7rUvs
Last fall, city and county officials took UVA off hook for public meetings by allowing PACC to fold. More another time. Back to West Main.
https://bit.ly/2S7rUvs
One idea had been Charlottesville could save money by putting in water/sewer lines while streetscape was built.
In reality, utilities moved ahead with replacement of old pipes. Not coordinated with streetscape anymore.
Image is Roosevelt Brown with replaced water line.
In reality, utilities moved ahead with replacement of old pipes. Not coordinated with streetscape anymore.
Image is Roosevelt Brown with replaced water line.
Tomorrow's meeting is not about design, but is intended to get Council input on next steps.
In October 2017, Council had split project into four distinct phases to try to secure funding. Two phases have funding from VDOT. https://bit.ly/36imo1u
In October 2017, Council had split project into four distinct phases to try to secure funding. Two phases have funding from VDOT. https://bit.ly/36imo1u
Why did Council split the project? Entirely had to do with funding. A request for funding for $18.3 million to cover the whole cost failed. But the entire application is MUST reading for anyone who wants to understand this better.
https://bit.ly/3cH5QkR
https://bit.ly/3cH5QkR
I paused this thread because I had to move on with my day.
But I managed to get a form of a caption in the Substack interface for this article.
A good time to point these things out is during a national event I'm not paying attention to.
But I managed to get a form of a caption in the Substack interface for this article.
A good time to point these things out is during a national event I'm not paying attention to.
