Soon. Status quo is not sufficient. Improvement is needed.
North Downtown Crozet Needs Attention
Crozet's community blog
You are talking about private property and business choices. If it is not your property or business what do you want to do? This is notna role for county govt. The grand plan does not look so grand anymore….
I’m not saying, implying or inferring that the government needs to step in. All I’m saying is that businesses are choosing to locate elsewhere. And that’s not good for the long-term (or short) health of Crozet.
This is up to David Wyant I guess. He wants tenants but at increasingly higher lease rates it is harder to find them. Another problem is access and parking. Not easy when there is a lot of traffic. Another issue: the row looks trashy, maybe a significant make-over would make it more attractive?
I feel that this is a simple case of cause and effect. It is a false thought when you think that govt. can improve something that occured naturally. Like I have beennsaying all along, once you change something you rarely ever can get it back the way that it was. A significant make-over? Maybe you should buy it and make itnso… A simple law that is always in effect: People move to where they can afford to live. Business exists where it can prosper. Violate those rules and see what you end up with. The people who think they run Crozet should give it up and try something else.
Edward – I’m not sure to whom you’re responding. Who is suggesting that government should improve anything?
Government, with taxpayer money is attempting to fix Crozet now. These attemptsnI feel, are one of the causes of the current problems. Read the blog. Streetscapes,nand plans like it are government attempts to take credit for something thats already there. Time to get into consulting. That is where the real fool’s money is…n
Agreed. The market is speaking by moving.
The economy is struggling, so perhaps this piece is unnecessarily alarmist, especially if rents are not willing to be adjusted. nnThere are three solutions:nn1. Expect the property owner to charge a market-based rent for his property. nn2. Expect the property owner to improve his property so that he can charge the higher rents he desires. nn3. Have local taxpayers foot the bill for downtown property enhancements. The improvements would create higher rents on local shopkeepers, increase property values for downtown investors, and become a source of community pride for many local citizens/taxpayers. nn4. Pass a densely-configured downtown rezoning (possible five stories/32 units per acre) that makes redevelopment of these properties a future certainty. n This plan would phase out of the small retailer who relies on inexpensive, smalltown rents. It could be sold as a source of community pride and a new urban/environmental effort to protect Western Albemarle’s rural future. nn I prefer 1 and 2. But many might argue that local residents already clamored for, and secured, both 3 and 4. nn Whatever the case, this investor’s odd decision was not waiting for the recent downtown rezoning to pass before creating his plans. Barnes (and other downtown property owners) did not make that mistake of political inattention. nnnn nn