CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – City Council is scheduled to hold the public hearing and vote on appropriating $6.2-million from the CIP Contingency fund for purchase of the 2000 Holiday Drive property for a low-barrier homeless facility at its meeting Monday night.

The council voted on Oct. 6 to allow the city to sign a contract to purchase the property pending a period of inspection by the city through October 30 of the parcel through for suitability.

City Manager Sam Sanders noted the property is 3.8 acres and has a 27,000 square-foot office building that has been vacant for about two years.

City Economic Development Director Chris Engel said the building has been kept in good shape during the vacancy period, so the inspection period is for anything that might not meet the eye.

He said there is an issue with that the original elevator from 1964 is still there.

He said there will be significant upgrades and renovations needed, but how many renovations and how much it will cost is not known at this time.

During Matters from the Public at the two weeks ago meeting, some objected to the fact the property is on the city’s fringe.

Sanders said this is just a single item in a within a whole strategy.

City Councilor Michael Payne said the marginalization is a fair point.

“Is it the most centrally located place in the city possible?” Payne said. “It’s true it’s not. But it is still near a bus line, it’s walkable to grocery stores, a shuttle could get people to anywhere in Charlottesville pretty quickly, it is within city limits.”

Payne said this gets Charlottesville closer to model other cities use to mitigate unhoused issues.

“Where they have a centralized location where there’s a large low-barrier shelter where there’s services also there in terms of service providers who can do things like connect people with getting an ID, signing up for Medicaid, Social Security, etc.”

Payne said it’s not just a choice of Cherry Avenue for a low-barrier shelter or this site.

“Because even if the Cherry Avenue had gone through, that would not come close to meeting the full need, and it wouldn’t have the space for a family shelter within it, or separate a man from women’s shelter,” Payne noted.

Councilor Natalie Oschrin also points out a suitable shelter would have a place for pets.

Sanders explained, also, the Cherry Avenue shelter would have about 50 beds and the need often throughout the seasons in Charlottesville is anywhere from 200-to-250.

This 2000 Holiday Drive appropriation is part of a $7.95-million CIP Contingency appropriation in total.

While $6.2-million would be appropriated for this property purchase, with the goal of closing November 20, there’s also a $1.5-million distribution to finance City Environmental and Mobility Policy studies, and $150,000 to pay for some City Hall renovations.