Category: Crozet

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Crozet Streetscape Money Called into Question

The recession is finding its way further into Crozet.

From Charlottesville Tomorrow:

Boyd expressed concern at the amount of money that the County has invested in the project. He said he was not sure if this was appropriate spending given the County’s ongoing budget issues.

“We have two master plans, and we seem to forget about the other one at Pantops that has absolutely no funding for it,” said Boyd. “At the same time, we’re throwing millions of dollars into Crozet.” Meanwhile, he pointed out that improvements called for in the Pantops Master Plan have not yet been funded.

Benish said many of the Pantops improvements are anticipated to be paid for with proffers from developers such as intersection improvements and at least $1 million in sidewalk improvements. Supervisor David Slutzky (Rio) pointed out that the Crozet Master Plan was adopted five years ago, whereas the Pantops Master Plan was only adopted in March 2008.

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No More Patterson’s Flower Shop in Crozet

A vistor to RealCrozetVA asked the other day:

“what happened to Patterson’s Flower Shop? I noticed a new sign with a new name in front of their shop yesterday”

Luckily, we have the Crozet Gazette … 🙂

But there’s still a flower shop … more at the Crozet Gazette.

Danny and Linda Patterson, whose flower service was hailed and admired far beyond western Albemarle, quietly transferred their shop to Ken Ward and Henry Burrell Nov. 1 and are now retired.

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Crozet Master Plan Meeting – 19 November 2009

From Albemarle County:

Mark Your Calendar…

The Crozet community is invited to attend public forums on the five year revision of the Crozet Master Plan.

The next forum will be held:

Thursday, November 19, 2009
7:00-9:00 p.m.

Old Crozet School/Field School (across from Crozet Elementary School)

The public forum is being held by County staff and the Crozet Community Advisory Council.

This month’s topic is Downtown Crozet, focusing on:

– Promotion of the vitality of small businesses in the central Crozet business district (Downtown)

– Addressing public infrastructure needs (such as sidewalks that connect neighborhoods to downtown and parking)

– Boundaries of Downtown, potential historic district

– Participants will have an opportunity to hear a presentation and provide comments and suggestions.

Other forums will be held in coming months, also at the Old Crozet School.

Visit the Crozet website or email Rebecca Ragsdale with questions or for more details.

Search for homes in Crozet.

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Amtrak in Charlottesville – One Person’s Experience

Thank you to Stephen Goadhouse for this guest post:


Charlottesville now has an affordable option for traveling by train to Washington, DC.  It is a new route on the Amtrak Northeast Regional service.  After my first experience with the Northeast Regional, I highly recommend it as a great way to visit the big city.  Read on for the nitty-gritty and a little soap boxing.


Let’s Have An Adventure!

For several years, I heard about this interesting attempt to bring usable and affordable rail service to Charlottesville.  It was fun to fanatasize about taking the kids to the National Zoo on a Saturday, all by rail travel.  Well, the train is real and, for now, the fantasy is gone.  The train’s weekend schedule only gives you an hour or two to spend in DC before having to come back, but if you spend the night in DC (I hear good things about using Priceline.com) you’d have about 26 hrs to enjoy there.  The weekday schedule is much more useful; you have from about 12n to 4p. So, with a desire for adventure, I decided to put my money where my mouth is and book a day trip.

 

The train station in Charlottesville is accessible by car, bus and even bike (there’s a nice bike rack next to the station).  It costs $5 per day to park your car there, which is not really that bad – its downtown afterall.  Being the cheapskate I am, I decided to park in my UVa spot instead and I took the #7 CTS bus.  Had there not been a chance of rain, I would have opted for the bike.

 

A few quick words about Charlottesville’s CTS bus service.  I’m impressed.  It’s free with a University ID but would have only been $0.75 otherwise.  How did I know which bus to take and how much it would cost?  Google maps, my dear.  Charlottesville somehow makes their bus schedule available to Google.  You simply go to Google maps and get directions.  Make sure to pick the By Public Transit option. 
Continue reading “Amtrak in Charlottesville – One Person’s Experience”

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Downtown Crozet Redevelopment Moving Forward

Brandon Shulleeta reports in today’s Daily Progress:

A plan that would refurbish business buildings in the heart of Crozet — connected to or within walking distance of new apartments — might begin within several months, despite major financial stumbles.

And Bill Atwood verbalizes succinctly something I’ve been saying more verbosely for years (bolding mine):

Atwood said that in the retail world, “the longer you can get people to stay, the better the pay. In other words, if you have somebody who’s actually going to stay and eat at dinner and actually walk around, you’ll be viable faster. … Having people live there is the ultimate.”

Atwood said that young residents are “more apt to want to be in town and places where you can socialize, buy a dog and buy a cup of coffee. … I think that the idea of joining a village is going to be as important the next 10 years as joining a country club in the last 10 years.”

This is good news for all of Crozet.

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Update on the Blue Ridge Tunnel

Thanks to Emily Harper for the comment:

This is an update from Nelson County, the owners of the Blue Ridge Tunnel. The Tunnel is closed to the public at this time and any unauthorized persons entering at this time are trespassing. The Tunnel walls are not stable at this time. It is disappointing that some trespassers have been leaving trash and defacing the walls with graffiti.

It is the County’s objective to restore the Tunnel and convert it to a pedestrian trail. Woolpert Inc, our architectural & engineering firm is in the process of determining the most feasible, cost effective methods for rehabilitation and design of the Tunnel and related trails. Once that is complete construction will begin as funds are made available.

We appreciate your interest in the Tunnel, are working to make it safe for your enjoyment, and ask that you stay away until it’s completed.

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Batesville Store – 24 October 2009

I can’t help but publicize the Batesville Store’s writing. It makes me want to go this weekend. This is their weekly newsletter:

Dear Friends of The Batesville Store,

Relax. Kick back in your chair and plop your feet on the desk. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Imagine:

The cool of a cold beverage pressed against your cheek. The riot of fragrances wafting from the garden. The clattering of Little Leaguers’ cleats on concrete and the cicada-like chatter of the infielders. The sounds of music from outdoor parties floating in the air late into the night.

And then, repeat after me:

Summer . . . never . . . ends . . . never ends . . . never. . . ends . . . never . . .

And it doesn’t—not at The Batesville Store. Don’t believe me? Then check out our “Fourth of July” Cookout this Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m.

Getting us all in the mood will be the great high school rock band, Wille DE and the Wave. Featuring Batesville’s own Willie Denton-Edmundson on lead guitar and vocals, the quartet performs regularly at Floyd Fest, the most acclaimed rock festival in the Southeast, and won first place in the 2009 “Virginia Got Talent” competition. These kids are good. Very. Good.

While The Wave rocks inside, Kyle will be outside with the Char-Broil, grilling up a whole mess of burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and veggie kabobs.

Meanwhile, Liza and Roberta will be lining up the farm table with cole slaw, potato salad, mac & cheese, baked beans, and roasted potatoes.

Plunk down 10 bucks (8 dollars for kids under 10) and you can eat and eat and eat . . . till summer (never) ends.

And if you are looking for something cool to beat the heat, we will have Sierra Nevada and Yuengling on tap as well as our usual selection of wines.

So climb into your shorts, put on your favorite tee, slip on your sandals, and head on down to the store. It’ll be a hot time in the old town Saturday night—don’t be left out in the cold.

Fondly,

Cid