Charlottesville Tomorrow reports: (I’m glad to see Charlottesville Tomorrow expanding their focus on Crozet.)
“Most people in my industry think I’ve lost my mind.”
Frank Stoner of Milestone Partners shared that assessment at a recent visioning session for the Downtown Crozet Initiative. The meeting was the second community gathering to discuss design ideas for the former Barnes Lumber and CSX sites indowntown Crozet. The sites are owned by Crozet New Town Partners and are represented by Stoner’s development firm.
Stoner is taking the path less traveled in the design process. While most real estate developments create designs behind closed doors, Stoner said he believes that local support and involvement are essential to making the site a financial and community success.
“We opened this up to the public and said this needs to be a public-private partnership,” he said. “Without that, I don’t think we can be successful, but with it, I think we can.”