MJH properties up for Sale
The remaining Martha Jefferson Hospital properties have been put on the market. Bids on individual properties will be accepted. In 2008 Martha Jefferson Hospital publicly committed to preserving 5 historic houses on Locust Avenue that they own in order to ensure that the historic character and charm of the streetscape would be preserved. The MJNA Board is hopeful that MJH will keep its promise to the community. More Information.
Martha Jefferson Hospital Redevelopment
The Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association is very pleased to help spread the news that the main hospital site has been sold to Octagon Partners. We believe Octagon is a great match for the MJH site. Octagon has done some terrific adaptive re-use projects and we hope that they will take advantage of the federal and state preservation tax credits that are available to rehab and renovate contributing structures within the Martha Jefferson Historic District. We are excited about the possibilities for mixed use and professional space and feel confident that Octagon will create a sensitive development that is appropriate for the character and scale of the neighborhood. Octagon and the hospital were very good about keeping us in the loop to the extent possible and we look forward to "continuing the conversation" now that they've closed on the property.
Mr. J.P. Williamson of Octagon Partners came to the MJNA Fall picnic and spoke about his firm's plans for the Martha Jefferson Hospital property. He said he was born at the Martha Jefferson Hospital and was excited about the project. His firm is principally local, but has active projects in Georgia, North Carolina, and elsewhere in Virginia and pending projects in Montana and Idaho. The firm specializes in adaptive reuse.They purchased the 8.5 acres which were the main hospital buildings and the parking areas, but not any of the houses or one story office buildings.
The firm does not exclude buying other portions of the MJH property, in particular the houses. It is not interested in the one story office buildings. The only buildings Octagon Partners plans to demolish are some utility structures on the Lexington St. side of the Hospital. Windows will probably be added to the lower floors of the South Tower. The firm is in discussion with potential tenants and their needs will dictate the direction development takes. Office space is the principal anticipated use. An assisted living facility is a potential tenant in the Cardwell Center. Areas where the ceilings are too low to accommodate drop ceilings will probably be converted to residential use. All the surface parking will be needed. An addition above the parking deck or a new access to the parking deck from Lexington St have been discussed but is not in the current plan. We should not expect MJH will retain an Emergency Room on the site nor should we expect a Trader Joe's.Octagon Partners is happy to see neighborhood involvement. Mr. Williamson invited us to stay in touch with him and to send him our questions.
Historic Conservation District
The Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Historic Conservation District was approved by City Council at its October 18, 2010 meeting. We have the first Historic Conservation District in the city.
Leading up to this, in March 2009, the Charlottesville City Council voted to add the Historic Conservation Overlay District designation to the zoning ordinance. This allows interested neighborhoods in Charlottesville to apply for Historic Conservation District designation. The MJNA organized a balloting process to gauge interest in this possibility, and the outcome showed two-thirds support. Based on this response, on April 26 MJNA submitted an application to the city for creation of a historic district. This was then passed by the Board of Architectural Review, the Planning Commission, and City Council. More Information on the Historic Conservation District.
The remaining Martha Jefferson Hospital properties have been put on the market. Bids on individual properties will be accepted. In 2008 Martha Jefferson Hospital publicly committed to preserving 5 historic houses on Locust Avenue that they own in order to ensure that the historic character and charm of the streetscape would be preserved. The MJNA Board is hopeful that MJH will keep its promise to the community. More Information.
Martha Jefferson Hospital Redevelopment
The Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association is very pleased to help spread the news that the main hospital site has been sold to Octagon Partners. We believe Octagon is a great match for the MJH site. Octagon has done some terrific adaptive re-use projects and we hope that they will take advantage of the federal and state preservation tax credits that are available to rehab and renovate contributing structures within the Martha Jefferson Historic District. We are excited about the possibilities for mixed use and professional space and feel confident that Octagon will create a sensitive development that is appropriate for the character and scale of the neighborhood. Octagon and the hospital were very good about keeping us in the loop to the extent possible and we look forward to "continuing the conversation" now that they've closed on the property.
Mr. J.P. Williamson of Octagon Partners came to the MJNA Fall picnic and spoke about his firm's plans for the Martha Jefferson Hospital property. He said he was born at the Martha Jefferson Hospital and was excited about the project. His firm is principally local, but has active projects in Georgia, North Carolina, and elsewhere in Virginia and pending projects in Montana and Idaho. The firm specializes in adaptive reuse.They purchased the 8.5 acres which were the main hospital buildings and the parking areas, but not any of the houses or one story office buildings.
The firm does not exclude buying other portions of the MJH property, in particular the houses. It is not interested in the one story office buildings. The only buildings Octagon Partners plans to demolish are some utility structures on the Lexington St. side of the Hospital. Windows will probably be added to the lower floors of the South Tower. The firm is in discussion with potential tenants and their needs will dictate the direction development takes. Office space is the principal anticipated use. An assisted living facility is a potential tenant in the Cardwell Center. Areas where the ceilings are too low to accommodate drop ceilings will probably be converted to residential use. All the surface parking will be needed. An addition above the parking deck or a new access to the parking deck from Lexington St have been discussed but is not in the current plan. We should not expect MJH will retain an Emergency Room on the site nor should we expect a Trader Joe's.Octagon Partners is happy to see neighborhood involvement. Mr. Williamson invited us to stay in touch with him and to send him our questions.
Historic Conservation District
The Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Historic Conservation District was approved by City Council at its October 18, 2010 meeting. We have the first Historic Conservation District in the city.
Leading up to this, in March 2009, the Charlottesville City Council voted to add the Historic Conservation Overlay District designation to the zoning ordinance. This allows interested neighborhoods in Charlottesville to apply for Historic Conservation District designation. The MJNA organized a balloting process to gauge interest in this possibility, and the outcome showed two-thirds support. Based on this response, on April 26 MJNA submitted an application to the city for creation of a historic district. This was then passed by the Board of Architectural Review, the Planning Commission, and City Council. More Information on the Historic Conservation District.
