1979-05-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mrs. Virginia~ =D-°herty~ ~ stated she was the owner of a piece of property beside Vinegar Hill and also the business which operates on it, the Paper Craft Printing Company. She stated she and her partners think the proposed project has much merit. She stated as it is being considered they would like to make two recommendations, because this is the heart of the city any project must be well designed for landscaping and for impact on the immediate area. Her first recommendation is for the city to require a large green space area and the second recommendation is for the city to set up a watch dog planning committee to insure that the secondary impact of the project fits the City's desires. The committee should include people impacted by the project, Starr Hill Neighborhood Association members, business people nearby, etc. Care in these matters will assure us that our town really does have a heart in ten, twenty or thirty years. Mr. Tom Boyd, representing Downtown Charlottesville, Inc. presented the following statement: "in the belief that the hotel/ conference center proposed for the Vinegar Hill area would result in increased tax revenue to the City of Charlottesville and would create a favorable business environment from which the entire community would benefit in terms of employment, commercial and investment opportunities, the Executive Committee of Downtown Charlottesville, Inc. urges City Council to support the project and approve public funds for its development." Mrs. Marion Noland, President of the ChartQtt~sVilte-Albemarle Foundation for the Encouragement of the Arts requested that a performance hall for the arts be included in the Vinegar Hill development project. 'She requested permission to consult with the Park Tower people to explore the disadvantages of such a facility as part of the plan proposed for Vinegar Hill. Mrs. Susie Sherwood representing the League of Women Voters stated that this is a very-eXciting prospect, but the league has a few questions. She asked in the process of the decision making will the Council consider the plan in terms other than purely economical ones? Will there be some concerns for the kind of traffic problems that will arise as a result of this center? The League would hope that an adequate plan would be developed which would not cause undue hard~.hip on any one neighborhood s~ch as the Ridge Street area. Will there be some consideration by Council of the impact of such high flow of traffic and differing kinds of businesses on surrounding neighborhoods? The League would also like to understand, what is the rational behind the ratio of public and private money? How was this arrived at? What will happen if another convention center is built elsewhere in the community? Mr. Francis Fife addressed the Council and spoke highly in favor of the proposed project and requested the Council to support the project.