501 Cherry Avenue and other recent applications for demolition permits in Charlottesville

Perhaps the primary reason for this newsletter is to continue to track implementation of the Development Code. That’s the name given to the new zoning code adopted by Charlottesville City Council in December 2023 following the adoption of an Affordable Housing Plan in March 2021 and a Comprehensive Plan in November 2021.

All three were products of the Cville Plans Together initiative, the result of a stalled Comprehensive Plan update before the turn of the decade. In February 2019, City Council agreed to hire a consultant to finish the job after members of the Planning Commission disagreed over how much additional residential density should be depicted in the Future Land Use Map.

Two and a half years later, there are likely many in Charlottesville who have no idea what is possible under the new rules. In March of this year, many of the rules changed again after the Council adopted a first round of changes and agreed to update a manual that provides more details. Take a look at that manual here.

One way the public can keep track is through a portal where applications can be reviewed. There are many different kinds ranging from Commercial Building Permits to Zoning Permits. Many new categories were added.

If you want to take down a building in Charlottesville, you need a permit. This provides a good opportunity to get a snapshot of what is happening.

For instance, a demolition permit has been filed for a single-family house built in 1925 at 418 10th Street NW on a 0.255 acre property zoned Residential Neighborhood A. KOW Development of 224 14th Street NW purchased the property for $225,000 on April 8, 2026. The transaction is 31.21 percent below the 2026 assessment of $327,100. The permit was filed on June 24, 2026 but no action appears to have taken place as of July 14. (DR-26-0011)

So far there are no indications of what will replace the structure but RN-A properties have the fewest development rights of any zoning district.

In another example, a demolition permit was filed on May 20 to remove 619 Belmont Avenue. That is a two bedroom house built in 1920 which is on land zoned Residential-A. There is also a residential building permit pending which also includes a special exception request to avoid building a required sidewalk.

“Based on the location of the subject property, the limited length of this block of Belmont Avenue, and the surrounding street network, the addition of a sidewalk on the northern side of this block would not provide a discernible public benefit to Belmont residents,” reads a May 1 letter from a planner with Roudabush, Gale, and Associates.

Staff in the Department of Neighborhood Development Services has agreed to grant the exception.

“The proposed development is for a single family residence with an eye toward future development of two more additional single family structures,” reads a June 23 letter from Matt Alfele.

However, staff denied the first submission of the building permit on June 25. That is a normal part of the review process. The demolition permit is still pending as of July 14.

Here are some other demolition permits at various levels of progress.

Residential:

• In October, Wright Brothers Holdings LLC purchased a single family building at 1316 East Market Street. On June 1 the company applied for a demolition permit but there’s not much other information in the portal except the cost estimate is at $17,000. The entity owns six other parcels in the city. It does not appear there has been any review as of July 14, 2026. (DR-26-0009)
• Woodard Properties has submitted a demolition permit for 808 Cherry Avenue. There is currently a two bedroom house built in 1900 on the property. The 0.25 acres are zoned Corridor Mixed Use 3. The company bought the land for $265,000 in July 2025. There does not appear there have been any reviews as of July 14, 2026. (DR-26-0010)
• The Ronald McDonald House has filed a permit to demolish 314 9th Street SW in Fifeville which had been divided into two units. The charity has owned the property since July 2012. The organization purchased a former automotive repair shop next door Fifeville for $900,000 in March 2024 as I reported for C-Ville Weekly. A resubmission was requested by NDS on April 29, 2026 and has so far not been resubmitted. (DR-2026-0003)
• NDS issued a demolition permit to take down 1946 Lewis Mountain Road on May 27, 2026. That is a four bedroom house built in 1920 that last sold in June 2024 for $1.45 million. A building permit is pending for a new five bedroom single-family home with about three times the floorspace. (DR-25-0019)
• Another demolition permit is pending for 1918 Lewis Mountain Road to allow for removal of a detached garage. This was submitted on May 28 and is still pending as of July 14, 2026. (DR-26-0006)
• NDS issued a demolition permit for 218 Douglas Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood on March 2. The old structure is a duplex. The new structure will be a single-family home. (DR-25-0020)
• NDS approved residential demolition permits for two mobile homes in the Carlton Mobile Home Park owned by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville and the Piedmont Housing Alliance. According to an October 15, 2025 note from historic preservation, the one at 55 Franklin Street is “the mobile home that burned up last year. (DR-25-0015) (DR-25-0017)

Commercial:

• The city continues to review a demolition permit for 218 West Market Street to make way for a new hotel. The application was made in March of this year and the estimated cost to remove the shopping center is $180,000. Gas and sewer had been disconnected as of May 7. Water service is expected to continue for construction of the new structure. (DC-26-0002)
• Shimp Engineering has submitted a request to demolish the former supermarket at 501 Cherry Avenue to make way for a mixed-use affordable housing project to be operated by the Piedmont Housing Alliance. According to the portal, the cost of demolition is anticipated at $70,000 and asbestos abatement is priced at $40,000. This is still pending and it does not appear there has been any review. (DC-26-0004)
• An entity called Eagle Tavern LLC submitted a request on March 16, 2026, for interior demolition at 300 Court Square for a future boutique hotel. This is estimated at a cost of $135,000. There does not appear to be any activity in the portal. (DC-26-0001)

Before you go: The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things. Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the June 26, 2026 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.  You can either subscribe through Substack or make a charitable contribution.