Update 29 November 2016: The Crozet Bike Shop is open!

As a bicycle rider, hooorayyyyy!!!!!

As a Crozetian seeking any kind of improvement/activity/movement in the Barnes Lumberyard, this is great news!

I’ll leave the actual reporting to others, and answer a few questions I would have.

• Who?
  • Cor Carelsen. He and his family moved to Crozet recently from South Africa, where they had and sold a safari operation.
  • They chose Crozet for the quality of life – close to nature, and far enough from Charlottesville –  and the schools.
  • He also happens to ride with the Crozet Cycling Club.
  • He’s also a nice guy.
• When will the bike shop open?
  • He’s aiming for October/November 2016. The plan is to be in the building for 2 years, establish himself in the community, and go/grow from there.
  • A goal is to be part of the community, get involved with the people, the riders, races …
• Where?
  • In the lumberyard. That yellowish building just beyond The Square? Right there.

• What?
  • He is going to sell bikes – a full lineup, including bikes for adults, junior bikes, bikes made for kids, light and simple, as well as bicycling gear and apparel, but the focus of the shop is going to be servicing bikes. I ran into someone this morning who had heard about the shop and who echoed what I’ve heard from many – she’s hoping for classes on basic bike maintenance – changing tires, chains, adding lube … “
• Why?
  • Cor is following his passion – he has always ridden and worked on his bicycles. Crozet needs a bike shop. He loves working on bicycles – simply, they are machines that, given the right time and attention, can be made to work. He is a perfectionist. Bicycles are equally simple, complex – and solvable.

Starting – and running/operating –  a bike shop in this environment and economy is a huge risk, and must be done in part by passion and love of bicycles and community. I’m looking forward to seeing the shop grow.

Continue reading “A Bike Shop is Coming to Crozet”

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.”

Read the whole thing.

via email:

The second community meeting for The Downtown Crozet Initiative: A Vision for Barnes Lumber. 

Residents and business owners of Crozet are invited to the second community meeting to review possible designs for the Barnes Lumber civic space and transportation infrastructure, and discuss next steps for the downtown initiative. The designs that will be presented were based on ideas and feedback received at the May 27 community meeting, which was held at the Field School.

Walk-ins will be welcome. Childcare will be provided, but families needing this service must RSVP at http://goo.gl/forms/2744WRgI4c.

WHEN: Thursday, June 11, 2015

5:30 p.m. – Registration and Refreshments

6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Community Meeting

WHERE: Crozet Elementary School

(Note: This is a new location. There will be air conditioning!)

1407 Crozet Ave.

Crozet, VA 22932

WHY: These public meetings were created to gather feedback and generate ideas relating to transforming the Barnes Lumber site into an accessible, successful and vibrant center for downtown Crozet. Attendees are invited to share thoughts and ideas to help grow the heart of Crozet.

We all have some homework to do.

*** Update: this has been moved to Crozet Elementary ***

I could attempt to summarize the 25 page recap of last week’s Crozet Town Hall, but really, if you’re interested, please take the time to read (or at least, skim) this excellent summary. It’s a PDF. Download it. Read it. Print it if you have to.

This will give you a taste of what’s included.

After presentations and discussion, meeting participants broke out into five small groups to share their ideas and feedback for the site. Discussion was guided by a facilitator and a designer sketched ideas into a drawing of the site. After each of the small groups met, the group reconvened in a large group. Each group presented to the large group their top three ideas for the site. The designers will use these ideas to create design options that will be presented at the June 11th public meeting.

Below are summaries from each of the small group designs and discussions. A summary of the individual concerns, feedback and questions from individual participants in a Appendix A, a list of meeting participants in Appendix B, and the Planning Committee overview document that was referred to at the meeting in Appendix C. The next Public Meeting will be on Thursday, June 11th from 6-9 pm to review and provide feedback on draft plans based on community input designs. Meeting participants are welcome to contact Reed and Christine of Dialogue + Design Associates with any questions or feedback at [email protected] or [email protected].

If you’re going to be vocal, might as well do the homework to be informed.