Developer purchases University Tire property on West Main
A New York-based developer who is currently constructing new apartments at 600 West Main Street has added another property to his portfolio.
Jeffrey Levien has purchased 602 West Main Street for $2.9 million. Plans have not yet been filed with the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services.
The property currently is home to a University Tire franchise and was assessed in 2019 at $1.43 million. The limited liability company that bought the property has the name Heirloom West Main Street Second Phase.
The first phase of Levien’s development project, known as Six Hundred West Main, is currently under construction. A six stories with 57 apartment is being behind two structures that are historically protected. One of these structures is the home of the Blue Moon Diner, which is expected to re-open later this year.
Levien is also seeking to purchase 218 West Market Street, a small shopping center that he is seeking to demolish. That request will go before the Board of Architectural Review at their meeting on March 19.
“Looking at the current and future expansion of Charlottesville, the BAR must identify opportunities for accomodating growth in ways that are sensitive to our historic urban fabric by protecting important structures in our cultural and urban development while recognizing that some old buildings must be allowed to be taken down to make way for the future,” reads the narrative for the demolition request. As with Six Hundred West Main, Levien is represented by the firm Bushman-Dreyfus.
The narrative for 218 West Market makes the case that the BAR has granted several demolition permits in the vicinity, most notably at the former Main Street Arena which is still in the process of being deconstructed. The seven-story CODE building will be built on the footprint by the entrepreneur Jaffray Woodriff.
The BAR did not allow Levien to take down the two structures that are now part of the Six Hundred West Main project. They were both contributing structures in the West Main Architectural Design Control District, as were two structures that are being incorporated into the Quirk Hotel across the street.
(this story will be updated as needed)
