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28'6 <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING: <br />VINEGAR HILL <br />HOTEL CONFERENCE <br />CENTER PROJECT <br /> <br />was out of town on a previously planned trip, but the public hearing <br />would be taped and made available to her before the next meeting. <br />Mr. Don Firer of Lester Drive, questioned whether the hofel and <br />conference center could be a success given its proposed room charge., <br />the need for approximately 70% occupancy, and the possibility of there <br />being three .conference centers in the area. <br /> <br /> Mr. Martin Brandwein of King Street, who works with a local <br /> architectural firm, questioned the design of the hotel~ Mr. Brandwein <br /> stated that architecture represents human values, but he failed to see <br /> that in the design. He stressed that the landscaping and .building <br /> should be something that Charlottesville could be proud of for years <br /> to come. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that the design had been previously presented to <br /> the Vinegar Hill Design Committee and to the public, but the landscaping <br /> had not been finalized. <br /> <br /> Mr. Laurence Brunton of Park Street, and former Mayor of <br /> Charlottesville, stated that having worked with the problems associated <br /> with Vinegar Hill, he was pleased with the proposed project and with <br /> the fact that it would stay on the tax rolls.. He added that he felt it <br /> would be a positive catalyst for the downtown area. <br /> <br /> Mr. Paul Wood of Tanglewood Road and a downtown business owner, <br /> commended Council for the proposed project, stating that he felt it <br /> would be of great value to the inner-city, the community and the <br /> University of'Virginia. <br /> <br /> Mr. Alvin Clements of Meadowhrook Court, said he felt that of all <br /> the alternatives suggested for the Vinegar Hill site, the hotel/ <br /> conference center was the best idea. He said he felt there~.would be <br /> no problem in filling the hotel. <br /> <br /> Mr. Marshall Pryor of Wakefield Road, President of Downtown <br /> 'Charlottesville, Inc., and a downtown businessman,.said he had sooken <br /> to thirty or forty members of DCI and the enthusiasm for the project <br /> was tremendous. He stated that the addition of the G. E. training <br /> center added a very positive dimension. <br /> <br /> Dr. Virgil Marshall, a dentist and property owner in the downtown <br /> area, said that he attended six to ei'ght'~conventions a year and there <br /> was always interest among participants in attending a conference in <br /> Charlottesville. He stated that he felt the projected room rates for <br /> the hotel were extremely competitive, and that he generally paid far <br /> more. He added that the proposed funding was a fair way of financing <br /> a very fine project. <br /> <br /> Mr. ~Drewary Brown of Rosser Avenue and a former resident of <br /> Vinegar Hill, endorsed the hotel and convention center, stressing that <br /> he felt the time was right for such an undertaking. <br /> <br /> Mr. John Walk of Hirschler, Fleischer, Weinberg, Cox and Allen, <br /> <br /> a Richmond law firm representing Creative Inns (Ramada Inn), urged <br /> Council and the Authority to reconsider their decision to loan the <br /> money as he felt it was against the free enterprise system and was <br /> circumventing the credit clause of Article X, Section 10 of the <br /> Virginia Constitution. <br /> <br /> <br />