The Planning and Coordination Council held its quarterly meeting yesterday in Alumni Hall to discuss upcoming projects in the area.
PACC consists of officials connected to the University, the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
Its purpose is to create a venue for the city, county and University to discuss planning and development items and to forge links between the three in working on projects, City Council member Meredith Richards said.
Officials discussed topics including the building of new student housing complexes in the Jefferson Park Avenue/Fontaine Avenue area and the development of a University-owned lot that eventually will house a Monticello research center.
University planning representatives led the discussion of student housing in the JPA area, noting that five proposals have been put forward for student housing in the area. The council also considered a sidewalk extension on Fontaine Avenue, additions to infrastructure on Alderman Road and JPA and shuttle systems for students living in such areas to commute to the University.
PACC members also discussed improved quality of housing in the new projects. The first of these, Sterling University Housing, to be located on 5th Street and Lynchburg Avenue, already is under development.
The housing will be "like Club Med for students," University planner Wayne Cilimberg said.
PACC also considered the construction of a Route 29 bypass and North Grounds connector to relieve some of the traffic in the University Hall area, as well as additions to the University Hospital and the extension of Ivy Road into four lanes leading into the city.
PACC members expressed concerns over the status of the North Grounds connector, which would extend from the area near the Darden School to Route 29. The project had been a coordinated effort between the city, county and University, as part of a larger project, the Route 29 bypass.
However, because of funding and management issues within the Virginia Department of Transportation, PACC members expressed doubts that the bypass would be built.
Because the University already has committed to building the basketball arena project, though, it probably would build the North Grounds connector, said Leonard W. Sandridge, University executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"If that means we have to assume the cost, it's in our budget," Sandridge said.
PACC members looked at plans for the Monticello research center as well. The group plans to use an area on Route 20 that was a former tuberculosis sanatorium, but building the new center is not expected to begin for another eight to 10 years.
Sandridge also began discussion of the $60 million, which entails extending the University Hospital. The University intended to use the extension to the hospital to house additional laboratory and research space, he added.
Albemarle County PACC members expressed concern over the expansion of the hospital into the county.
"It scares me that we're going to have a major medical center in the area," said Sally Thomas, a member of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.
PACC members also discussed work on the Ivy Road entrance corridor. The plan would increase a stretch of Ivy Road from the University Police station to the Cavailer Inn to four lanes, Sandridge said. Like the North Grounds connector, the project might encounter delays because of lack of funds in VDOT, he added.
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