Owner of 1301 Wertland files demolition appeal to Council

Under Charlottesville’s Development Code, the Board of Architectural must grant a Certificate of Appropriateness if a property owner wants to demolish a structure within one of the city’s architectural design control districts.

The BAR declined to give that permission for 1301 Wertland Street in May at a hearing where no one appeared to represent the company.

Now the property owners 1301 Wertland LLC and JSB Development LLC have appealed the denial to the City Council.

Attorney Steven Blaine with the firm Woods Rogers argued in a June 2 letter to Council that demolition would allow for a greater purpose. (read the letter)

“City Council must overturn the BAR’s action because the BAR failed to consider that the demolition of this structure could have any public purpose or necessity and therefore it failed to make one of the necessary findings under the BAR Review Criteria for Demolition,” Blaine wrote.

Blaine wrote that the property is now zoned Corridor Mixed Use 5, which could allow up to 300 bedrooms and that outweighs any historic value.

“A re-development would translate to 300 more UVa. students walking to classes, reducing vehicular traffic and relieving student housing pressures on other neighboring communities, such as 10th and Page,” Blaine said.

Blaine also wrote that the BAR failed to take this into account during their deliberation. The letter does not mention that the applicant did not appear at the BAR’s hearing on May 20.

Blaine said that Council designated the property as High Intensity Residential during the Comprehensive Plan process.

“If it had been Council’s intent to forever preserve all existing structures within the Wertland ADC District, Council would not have designated the areas within the District for such a higher intensity residential use,” Blaine said.

The item will go before the City Council at a later date. Earlier this year, Council overturned the BAR’s denial of a demolition request for a single-family house on Chancellor Street.

Programming note: This story was originally posted as part of the June 6, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. It was posted here two days later. One day perhaps they will all go out at the same time, but would that be as much fun?