With the first major chain to enter the mall, I know Charlottesville residents have mixed feelings about Urban Outfitters. Local retailers generally seemed initially pleased with its presence, local media is scared to bash it for fear of losing advertising dollars and most of us are just confused.
Sure, having an Urban Outfitters brings increased foot traffic, but once the chains start a’ comin’ they don’t stop a’ comin’. Having Urban Outfitters on the mall essentially validates the downtown mall and we can rest assured that other major retailers will start popping up downtown. Some will say this is good for the local economy, others will say this destroys the local feel of the downtown mall. Eventually with more big name retailers, rents will rise and this will squeeze local retailers who can’t compete with major chains. That’s just a theory.
Personally, I don’t like it. I think it looks out of place and touristy, but oh well. Things have to change.
What do you think of the Urban Outfitters?
The Real Question: Did they hire professional hipster shoppers to stand around and look interested in the merchandise?
A friend is watching a fancy-schmancy 10-man film crew working on the downtown mall. My coworkers and I are providing commentary from our perch 3 stories above and wondering what the movie is about and why, oh why, would they be filming on the downtown mall in the middle of the noisy & messy construction? Any one have a clue?
The Virginia Arts of the Books Center and Charlottesville Office Machines are putting on a TYPE-A-THON. Its like a phone-a-thon, except you don’t need to call anyone and no charitable donations are involved. It sounds like you just show up, and type anything you want on a good old-fashioned typewriter (for those of you who have no idea what this antiquated machine is, click here). If the end result is as long as I imagine it can be (3 type writers going non-stop for 14 hours), I think the only place this can be displayed is at the “almost ready for summer 2009″ Landmark Hotel. It sure seems tall enough, and we all know we need something to cover that hideous eyesore, even if it is cheese-stained stream of consciousness poetic musings.
The idea is kind of cute; put together as much random drivel on one continuous sheet of paper and see if it makes sense. If that isn’t a good enough reason to go…the free mac n’cheese is. What isn’t addressed is if they are serving the amazing white-truffle infused cabot cheddar cheese mac n’cheese from the x-lounge. I don’t know if we will show up for that Kraft nonsense.
Just two questions: Are they using recycled paper? Does anyone know/remember how to use a typewriter?
The bricking work of the Downtown Mall Restoration that began in January has now passed the midway point with four out of the seven blocks complete. Café space is now opening at many restaurants where the blocks have been completed and the Block Parties to announce completion of specific blocks continues through April. Significant completion of the project is on schedule to be met by May 1st.
The next phase of the project will include work to add protective grates to the trees as well as lighting in the tree canopy to span the entire mall. In addition, the light system will be upgraded and the fountains will be refurbished. Significant work will need to be done at the two cross-over streets, 2nd Street West and 4th Street, that will require the City to close the two streets beginning the first week of April and lasting most of the month. CTS bus traffic at 2nd Street will be re-routed during that period and local traffic will have limited access to those side streets but will not be able to cross the Mall during that period. Here is an update on some other enhancements with the restoration project:
Public Safety Improvements – Many of the changes on the Downtown Mall have been designed to improve the access of the Fire Department and improve their ability to fight fires if necessary:
Slight relocation of some lights – This is designed to improve turning radii to give trucks greater access.
Wider Fire Lane – The fire lane has been widened from 14 feet to 16 feet for the length of the mall. To help keep cafes from encroaching into the fire lane each café corner will be marked with a black granite brick, making it clear where all the corners are.
Bollard Removal – The black bollards located in the center at each intersecting street have been removed. This too will improve the turning radii for trucks.
Fire Hydrants – One new fire hydrant has been added on the Mall.
Monthly Day for Sale - Mall Brick Sales at 12:00pm – 3pm
Individual Souvenir Brick will be available for sale at the City’s Monthly Fixed Price Warehouse Outlet sale (WHO) which is held the first working Friday of every month. The next WHO sale is Friday March 6th 2009, from noon to 3:00 p.m., at the City Yard Warehouse located at 325 4th St NW. Souvenir Bricks are priced at $5.00 per brick with a limit of 10 brick per person.
The City will be selling some unclean brick. This brick will be sold by the square foot. An Invitation for Bid (IFB) will be sent to all people who have expressed interest in purchasing unclean brick so that they may have the opportunity to place a bid. The IFB will also be posted on the City’s website at www.charlottesville.org/purchasing, and it may be accessed on the bids and proposals page when the IFB is issued . The City anticipates beginning sale of the unclean brick by mid March. To be added to the bidder’s list please e-mail your contact information including: name, address, phone, fax and e-mail to purchasing@charlottesville.org or you may contact Shannon Morris at the City Warehouse at (434) 970-3865 or morrish@charlottesville.org.
Preservation Event at 2:00pm, This Place Matters, at the County Office Building
First Fridays Arts Show is Tonight Downtown
Join Us for Our Block Party for 500 East with London as the theme and a “Pub Crawl” starting at 6pm
Off the downtown mall, buried deep inside the Cafe Cubano promenade we find an unassuming Japanese “sushi, seafood and steak” restaurant, Miyako. While it doesn’t make you feel like a rock star the same way Ten does, Miyako makes you feel at home, cozied up in front of the sushi chef that has a wonderful personality.
I asked the sushi chef if they had o-toro (fatty tuna belly). It wasn’t listed on the menu and I didn’t see it in front of me, so I hoped there was a secret stash somewhere in the back. There wasn’t. The sushi chef goes on to talk about the fish purchasing process and how this isn’t the best time to find good quality o-toro, and if they don’t have the best they don’t buy it. Instead he suggested I try the white tuna. According to Wikipedia, and a self-proclaimed Sushi Fanatic, I either ate albacore tuna, or had escolar (which isn’t actually tuna). Now I really want to find out…
Served nigiri style with a dab of miso sauce and paper thin scallion on top, our mouth, stomach and heart were on cloud 9. So skip the Ten and head down to Miyako, and if you please, ask for some detail on what the white tuna really is.
The downtown mall renovations are no stranger to any of us. We all knew we would go through some annoying times with construction and all, but for the most part, the downtown mall is a PITA to walk through at the moment. Streets are blocked off, construction detours on the actual walking part of the mall make a 5 min walk 10 minutes. When will the madness end?
I spoke with a couple business owners and for the most part things are slower. Speaking about this with some friends we wonder if the city compensates its tax paying businesses in any way, shape or form for the downturn in business caused by this construction. I know, the economy also is in the pooper right now, but I am sure the construction doesn’t make it any better. What about class action lawsuits against the city for being the cause of a loss of business?
In an effort to recoup some public money in the Downtown Mall Restoration project and reduce the final cost of the project, the City of Charlottesville will sell to the public original mall bricks from the 33 year old Downtown Mall while supplies last. City officials realizes a larger demand once the project began in January and have sought to find ways to offer bricks to buyers that would not be cost-prohibitive or challenge the administrative constraints of the City. The original plan was to sell only 8,000 cleaned bricks but the unexpected demand will result in more bricks being reused rather than recycled. The City estimates that there are around 360,000 bricks on the nationally-acclaimed Downtown urban park and the goal is to have no removed bricks go unused and enter a landfill. The City plans to offer several opportunities to soon to be builders and souvenir recipients:
* Special souvenir bricks will be sold at the City’s monthly surplus property sale beginning next month on March 6th at the City Warehouse on 4th Street (WHO) for $5.00/brick (limit of 5 per customer). The WHO is open the 1st Friday of each month from Noon - 3:00 p.m. In addition pallets of 200 cleaned bricks will be sold at a reduced price at this auction.
* An online auction of un-cleaned bricks to the highest bidder through GovDeals.com and available at the Transit Center on Avon Street at future dates to be determined, and
* Sealed bid to the highest bidder (see Purchasing Department for specifics).
Bricks not sold will be ground to be used at trails throughout the city with the largest commitment of bed material for the future Route 250 trail near McIntire Park. For more information on the program, buyers can call Shannon Morris at 434-970-3865. For more information on City purchasing: www.charlottesville.org/purchasing. For an update on the restoration effort, visit www.mydowntownmall.com.
Ever wonder what the Charlottesville downtown mall looked like back in the day or how it was created? Did you know it used to have a drivable street running through it? I’ve discovered a sweet video for your viewing pleasure:
UNCUS reports that only 2 of the 7 contracts for the Downtown Mall Renovation had been given to local firms. I prefer shopping at local businesses and supporting local food, but the “local is better than anything else” mentality in the article strikes me as sensationalist and naive.
To be fair, there is probably some difference (let’s say local people do it for 10% more ) where it makes sense to favor local work. Take this passage from the article by Dave McNair:
As Jennifer Luchard, the city’s Procurement & Risk Management Services Manager, explains, “A preference for local products and firms in the case of a tie bid is allowed. Otherwise, there isn’t enabling legislation which allows a local preference.”
The city must also answer to tax payers. »Read More
