CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – Charlottesville City Council has approved two high-rise apartment complexes after getting some concessions from developers with VERVE and 2117 Ivy Road. Council had to approve zoning the actual property, then deal with ordinances that had been made by prior councils prohibiting development that was part of the Woodrow Street right-of-way closure in 1996, and protections instilled in 2011 during sale of property at 104 Stadium Street. This is a parcel that contains McLeod House — otherwise known as Stone House — which some admire the architecture. Council also had to repeal a similar provision regarding sale of property at 409 Stadium Road which was associated with the 104 Stadium property.

Councilor Leah Puryear and Mayor Lloyd Snook had language changed in VERVE’s proffer guaranteeing $6.8-million contributed to the city’s affordable housing fund, language that originally said “up to”.  Also at Council’s request, to make a building look less “Stalinist” as he said one person called it, developers agreed to widen the streetscape and add more trees to it.

Though, VERVE was unanimously passed, except for one protest vote by Councilor Michael Payne in the Stadium Street historic preservation, 2117 Ivy Road almost got a “no” vote from Mayor Snook. Developers agreed to do the same thing with the affordable housing proffer… guarantee the cap $3.25-million cash to the affordable housing fund instead of an “up-to” number dependent on square footage. They also struck a proposal that would have made contribution dependent on units rented to UVa families who income was 60% AMI as administratively difficult.

The development team made changes moving the building back a bit more from Ivy Road by reducing a courtyard in back, to the extent the right-of-way of the railroad tracks allows. Snook asked if the pool was really needed in the U-shape of the development when that space could be filled with more units that might reduce the building’s height. But the developer said the pool is part of the amenity package offered to potential residents. The farther setback leads to a large green space component along Ivy while leaving room for the bike lane, pedestrian walkway, and outdoor cafe seating.