Significant changes, including the addition of a new residential college, may be coming soon to the intersection of Emmet Street and Ivy Road, which the University hopes to better integrate into the University community.
The intersection has strong development potential due to its proximity to Central Grounds and its high traffic volume, according to a Nov. 2013 Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee report. The idea for a new college at the Emmet Street-Ivy Road intersection is not new — the idea dates back to the 1990s, according to the report.
One aim of developing a new residential college in the area would be to attract upperclassmen, who face limited on-Grounds housing options. Though 99 percent of first-year students live on Grounds, only 42 percent of second-year undergraduates live in University housing, with even lower numbers for third and fourth years.
Construction at the Emmet-Ivy intersection would require major infrastructure adjustments, said Jack Kelsey, transportation engineer for the Albemarle Office of Facilities Development. Kelsey said his office is already exploring some such changes, considering ways to expand sidewalks and bike lanes on Ivy Road near the 250 Bypass.
“U.Va. is concerned about the safety of students in this corridor,” Kelsey said. “We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with U.Va.”
Kelsey also said the Office of Facilities Development has received requests for bike lanes and other pedestrian accommodations in the area along Ivy Road.
“We also have an interest in putting in some trees and pedestrian lighting,” Kelsey said. “U.Va. has an interest in that as well, so that’s a potential partnering opportunity.”
These developments are all still in the planning stages, but should they be approved, Kelsey said half of the funding will come from the Virginia Department of Transportation with the rest coming from Albemarle County.
Plans would still need to address existing intersection buildings, namely The Cavalier Inn. UVA Foundation CEO Tim Rose said while there are no plans for the hotel at this time, the University has a measure of flexibility because it owns the property.
“We purchased the hotel on behalf of U.Va. so that the land underneath would be available for U.Va.’s future use,” Rose said in an email. “The thinking has always been that this property would be used by U.Va. at some time in the future, [but] anything that would improve the pedestrian experience in that area would be good for everyone.”
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