Albemarle EDA briefed on Broadway Blueprint

The appointed body responsible in Albemarle for business promotion and retention has been briefed on the results of a study of a land-locked portion of the county that is a key site for economic development. (read the study)

“The Broadway corridor is sort of this county island surrounded by the city and on the south is Moores Creek with the study area, and then east and north is the Rivanna River,” said David Benish, development process manager for Albemarle County. “East Market Street for a portion of mostly the railroad, and then on the west is Franklin Street. Franklin street provides the primary access to the area and on all of Franklin Street.

Benish spoke at the January 21, 2025 meeting of the Albemarle Economic Development Authority.

The county’s interest in the area dates back to the last decade when developer Brian Roy sought land use permission to redevelop the former Woolen Mills industrial site as an event and office space. An early tenant was the firm WillowTree which was enticed to move out of downtown Charlottesville.

“The county became interested in studying the Broadway street corridor following the announcement by Willow Tree, which was a big tech company growing out of the city, considering other states,” said J.T. Newberry of the Albemarle County Office of Economic Development. “And the city worked with the county to redevelop the Woolen Mill site, which is at the end of Broadway street, to retain this company and grow it.”

A first phase of something called the Broadway Blueprint was conducted in 2019. The idea was intended to determine what impacts additional traffic might have on the roadway and the businesses along it.

“The county wanted to understand how they were going to, how economic vitality, connectivity and place making could really be maximized as a result of this big investment and big project happening on the corridor,” Newberry said.

Albemarle hired two consulting firms to conduct the work for the second phase. They are Line and Grade and 3TP Ventures and community engagement took place in 2023.

“What we heard from the stakeholders is that continued affordability of land and space is vitally important to them,” Benish said. “And Broadway Corridor has historically provided relatively affordable space for startups and local artists, many manufacturing services.”

Benish said the cost to rent spaces in the corridor has increased over time in part due to a lack of available space for industrial uses in the region. The economic vitality goal seeks to retain the existing spirit.

“Maintain Broadway as an affordable place for local startups, artisans, and existing businesses while continuing to encourage new creative industries within Broadway,” reads the goal.

The land use goal states a desire to retain industrial uses but support complementary purposes such as restaurants and breweries. Benish said Supervisors wanted to discourage residential construction in the area and one of the suggested strategies is to remove that as a possibility in the zoning.

Benish said the second phase also took a look at connectivity.

“What we heard from the stakeholders and from the consultants analysis was that there Is poor and unsafe pedestrian and bike access and there’s a need to maintain at the same time there’s a need to maintain large vehicle truck access for industries and that traffic and parking needs to be better better managed.

Benish said Charlottesville would need to be involved to satisfy some of the recommendations such as better infrastructure on Franklin Street. There’s also a hope to reopen a roadway on Marchant Street for pedestrian access across the Buckingham Branch Railroad.

The area will be designated as an employment district in the next Comprehensive Plan. Benish said the current rewrite of the rezoning will also make some changes for the area.

Benish said a water line will be updated on Broadway Street this March and new striping will be placed on the road when the roadway is replaced.

There was no specific action before EDA but Chair Donald Long had a suggestion.

“I think what I would say to you and to the staff that as opportunities arise that we can use some of our special powers to help with projects there,” Long said, “I think it would be a great opportunity to do that.”

The EDA has the ability to float bonds and enter into public-private partnerships.

Another factor not mentioned at the meeting or in the second phase of the Broadway Blueprint is that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville and the Piedmont Housing Alliance have purchased the Carlton Mobile Home Park and plan to redevelop after a plan is crafted with resident input.

Before you go: This article was originally sent out as part of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter in the January 29, 2025 edition. Both are functions of Town Crier Productions. You can support the work by purchasing a paid subscription or contributing monthly through Patreon. You can also send in a check or send an email, but drop me a line first.