Year: 2013

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What’s Being Done in Front of BP?

Century Link at Crozet and Railroad

I’ve been driving and cycling around the work for days and finally thought to stop and ask one of the guys working what they were doing.

He answered.

And then I contacted CenturyLink via Twitter.

And they responded.

And I emailed them. And they answered.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond to your inquiry into the work being done in Crozet.

The work taking place is in preparation for the Crozet (Streetscape) project, which requires relocation of CenturyLink’s fiber and copper facilities along Crozet Avenue, between “The Square” and Tabor Street. Overall, the facility relocation is a major undertaking and CenturyLink is working extra hours to complete this work as soon as possible.

So … I was tired of wondering.

Twitter _ CenturyLinkHelp_ @JimDuncan Jim this project ....jpg

Continue reading “What’s Being Done in Front of BP?”

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Be Aware – (More) Construction Coming to Downtown Crozet

via email: (bolding mine)

Knowing that you have a following in the Crozet Area, I am asking for your help to let the community know some happenings in the Crozet Shopping Centers and Olde Towne Shoppes (Great Valu and Over The Moon complexes).

I am the manager of these properties and would like to let people know that there will be some construction in the next few weeks, but the stores will remain open during their regular hours.

Continue reading “Be Aware – (More) Construction Coming to Downtown Crozet”

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RealCrozetVA Blog Note: NEW Calendar

Update 4 November – I changed the title from “No Calendar” to “NEW Calendar” to accurately describe the updates.

 

For the next few days I’m going to have the Crozet Calendar down. The plugin I was using has taken down RealCrozetVA at least twice and that’s not viable. If anyone has suggestions for a great calendar plugin for WordPress, please let me know. I know there are a couple that cost between $50 and $100 dollars and I’m willing to pay for something that will provide consistent, won’t-take-down-my-blog access for the Crozet community.

Thanks for the understanding.

Also, Blue Ridge Internetworks rocks. If you need web hosting, look at them.

Update 28 October: I’ve installed a new calendar plugin. But as the previous plugin broke the blog and it was deleted without saving any of the previous data … if you’d like an event listed on the Crozet Calendar, please email me again. Better yet, I went ahead and spent the $65 for the license as it’ll allow for more functionality for the community.

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Crozet Library Days at Fardowners – 28-30 October

Crozet Library needs more books.

Two of the things I love about Crozet – Fardowners and the Crozet Library.

Fardowners restaurant in the Crozet Square has designated October 28, 29 and 30 as Library Days in support of the new Crozet/Western Albemarle Library.
Patrons can help provide needed funds for new book purchases by simply dining at Fardowners. For every meal purchased during Library Days, Fardowners will donate a percentage of the meal—15 percent of lunch food orders and 10 percent of dinner food orders—to the Crozet Library. Patrons will have the opportunity to make direct donations to the library as well.

Click through to see the press release from Fardowners.

(and here I thought once the new Crozet Library opened, the “library” tag would be unused. 🙂 Continue reading “Crozet Library Days at Fardowners – 28-30 October”

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Help Get more Hours at Crozet Library

From the Crozet Community Association email:

The Build Crozet Library fundraising committee members and the Crozet librarians have been asked recently and repeatedly if the new library can be open more evenings. If you have an opinion on this, you’re encouraged to email the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (JMRL) director, John Halliday  and your county supervisor, Ann Mallek .  (editor’s note: I’d encourage emailing the entire BoS as well – [email protected])

The county budget process for the upcoming FY14-15 gets started later this fall, and JMRL is making their budget to submit to Albemarle county right now, so they need to hear from you.   

There is an effort underway to organize supports to speak at the next several Board of Supervisors first of the month meetings.  This was discussed at the Crozet Community Advisory Council (CCAC) last week.

Contact Phil Best if you’re interested in helping. The first meeting to speak is November 6. 

via email: This is the time because budgets are being made and next BOS is Nov 6. The more people willing to speak the better.

—– Continue reading “Help Get more Hours at Crozet Library”

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Does Crozet Have All the Pieces for Walkability?

As Crozet continues to grow, it’s important to keep the end result in mind. What do we want Crozet to be in 10 years? In 20 years?

This story at CNBC is a great in-depth read that has quite a few parallels to Crozet as well as and lessons we can learn from.

“Walkability plays a big part in an area’s economic vibrancy,” said Scott Bricker, executive director of America Walks, a national nonprofit that fosters walkable communities. “The most valuable real estate around the world is in walkable places, places where people are living and working in closer proximity.”
…

Researchers have found that areas with high Walk Scores fare better environmentally (less use of cars), socially (better chances of connecting with someone face to face) and economically. A recent study published in Real Estate Economics found that in neighborhoods with greater walkability, the resale value of both residential and commercial properties is higher. And according to a 2009 report commissioned by CEOs for Cities, “a one-point increase in Walk Score was associated with an increase in value ranging from $700 to $3,000 depending on the market.”

“There’s a strong preference for being in a neighborhood where people can walk to shops, restaurants, parks,” said Joe Molinaro, managing director of community and public affairs at the National Association of Realtors, which found that two-thirds of respondents in its 2011 Consumer Preference Survey said that walkability was an important factor when deciding where to live. “We asked people for tradeoffs—comparing different things they might have to give up to get that—and more and more are willing to make a sacrifice to be in a walkable neighborhood.”

For example:

– Homes for sale in Old Trail have relatively low Walk Scores (for now) – there’s Trailside Coffee, ACAC gym, Anna’s Pizza, Dentist, Augusta Medical, park, playgrounds and more (and much more to come as the Village Center gets built out.
– Homes around Downtown Crozet have higher Walk Scores – Mudhouse and Greenhouse coffee shops, hardware, Fardowners pub, Great Valu, Crozet Park, YMCA gym and lots more.
– Homes around the third business center – 250 West – don’t have the same connectivity, despite the proximity to Harris Teeter and all of the businesses in Clover Lawn – Eye Care, restaurants, UVA Credit Union …

With the lumberyard having been purchased recently, the future of downtown Crozet has the potential to shape up in the next couple years. What will it look like?

Let’s not forget (or forget to volunteer!) the value of the growing Crozet Trails system and network; I feel that these will be integral to the future of connectivity in Crozet, in addition to sidewalks and bike lanes everywhere possible. Continue reading “Does Crozet Have All the Pieces for Walkability?”