https://www.29news.com/2025/02/28/violet-crown-cinema-one-step-closer-being-demolished/
created by Terros_Nunha on 01/03/2025 at 21:03 UTC
59 upvotes, 14 top-level comments (showing 14)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Plans to demolish the Violet Crown Cinema and replace it with an apartment building are one step closer to becoming a reality.
On Wednesday, February 28, the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review unanimously approved the certificate of appropriateness for demolition, contingent on a few criteria.
Those include:
“It’s not particularly historic. I too have had many happy evenings at the theater but it’s obviously not economically working for them, and it could be used as a more useful space,” BAR member Ronald Bailey said.
This follows multiple meetings between the BAR and the developer, Jeff Levien of Heirloom Development.
The proposed building would be 184 feet tall.
Setbacks Levien had to resolve with the BAR included how the height and step backs of the proposed building would affect the natural sunlight and trees on the Mall, as well as the overall image of an historic area.
Comment by rory096 at 01/03/2025 at 21:41 UTC
38 upvotes, 0 direct replies
For reference, the BAR conditionally approved demolition of the Artful Lodger building in March 2019[1]. Conditional demolition approval is not a particularly important step in getting a non-by-right development approved to replace a not-really-historic building.
1: https://charlottesvilleva.portal.civicclerk.com/event/220/files/agenda/402
Comment by caesius6 at 01/03/2025 at 21:07 UTC
55 upvotes, 4 direct replies
Didn't the owner say recently that the report of them closing was incorrect?
Comment by Ok-Ticket5613 at 01/03/2025 at 21:55 UTC
124 upvotes, 5 direct replies
There is a ugly eye sore just a few blocks down that could be removed for new construction. Why take down an active building and not the half built monstrosity that hasn't been finished in 10y
Comment by Homer_JG at 01/03/2025 at 21:08 UTC
28 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Didn't they just renovate a bunch of the theaters in there?
Comment by stachepowman at 02/03/2025 at 00:00 UTC
33 upvotes, 2 direct replies
It would be a nice compromise if they did in fact build the apartments but left space for the violet crown on the first two floors. Almost like mixed use buildings make more sense than single use buildings
Comment by Most-Sheepherder-909 at 01/03/2025 at 21:37 UTC
17 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nooooooo, COME ON. 😖😖😖😖
Comment by BlueSteelWizard at 02/03/2025 at 03:55 UTC
22 upvotes, 2 direct replies
At some point there will be nothing left on the mall except office space, and apartments
Slowly losing its charm, i miss the ice rink 😭
Comment by blueridgeblah at 02/03/2025 at 05:23 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Hope it doesn’t happen but if it does. For the love of all things holy, it better not look like that stupid code building. The ‘purple’ brick trend is in every new built in every nova town.
Comment by greentealettuce at 02/03/2025 at 14:42 UTC
5 upvotes, 2 direct replies
The proposed building is 184 ft tall. That’s like 18 stories!? Taller than the code building next door. Tbh with how desperately we need housing, having a high rise apartment building on the downtown mall doesn’t seem like a bad thing. I just hope it’s not 100% luxury apartments
Comment by Own-Charity-5426 at 02/03/2025 at 06:19 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Is nothing sacred
Comment by MfrBVa at 01/03/2025 at 21:45 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Don’t hold your breath.
Comment by chila106 at 01/03/2025 at 21:34 UTC
5 upvotes, 2 direct replies
That BAR member quote is appalling.
Comment by bravelittletoaster74 at 02/03/2025 at 18:37 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
If they chase off Violet Crown I have more faith in the Regal picking up the indie film slack than I do our half-assed Alamo. But it's not much. Guess we're going to have to start driving to Richmond to see anything interesting.
Comment by bravelittletoaster74 at 02/03/2025 at 18:30 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
They were going to build luxury housing in the city lot on Water St, but no one wanted it. They were going to do it on the Vinegar Hill site, but it hasn't happened yet because no one wanted it. Now this genius thinks he's going to find people to give him$3500-5000 a month rent to step over the area's homeless every morning and night on their way in and out of their luxury apartments. Sure, guy. I actually live downtown a few blocks from the mall and don't see much point of doing so anymore if they remove that theater, the one reason I regularly go down there.