Images Charlottesville, VA: 2007

Page 1

VISIT IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM FOR MORE COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND A VIDEO TOUR

IMAGES

TM

OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

PEAKS AND VALLEYS Mother Nature’s work graces area golf courses

GOING OUT FOR HOME COOKING

INTEREST IS

MOUNTING Horse farms, breeders and boarders attract equestrian enthusiasts

SPONSORED BY THE CHARLOT TES V ILLE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • 2007



Karen J. Kehoe

RE/MAX 100% Club, Hall of Fame, ABR, CRS, SRES, GRI, CRB, ePRO, CLHMS, Broker

“Your Local & Relocation Expert” E-mail/call for your FREE relocation info • 26 years of experience & over 2,500 happy buyers/sellers • I can share, show & sell you every property on the market • Excellence guaranteed & 24-hour/7-day access • Residential, land, farms, estates, investment • Serving Charlottesville & surrounding counties, Lake Monticello & Wintergreen • Relocation anywhere – even internationally • Near UVA, Downtown The City of Charlottesville has been nationally recognized: • “America’s 100 Best Places to Retire,” Elizabeth Armstrong • #1 City USA 2004 – USA Today, “Cities Ranked & Rated,” Frommers – Sperling & Sander • #6 Top 10 Places that Have it All (Arts & Entertainment TV, November 1999) • #1 Best Small City in the South (Money Magazine, July 1998) • #1 Best Golf Community Retirees (Golf Digest, Summer 1997) • #1 Tennis Community (Tennis Magazine, Summer 1997) • #2 Best Climate on East Coast (American Association of Climatologists, August 1997) • #2 Healthiest Place to Live (Kiplinger Personal Finance, September 1996) • #7 Best Place to Raise a Family (Reader’s Digest, April 1997)

Excellence

Karen J. Kehoe

RE/MAX 100% Club, Hall of Fame, ABR, CRS, SRES, GRI, CRB, ePRO, CLHMS, Broker

The Key To Your Real Estate Success! 24-hr/7-day VM/Pager: 434-980-2860 Toll-free: 800-818-RMAX (7629) Kehoe@MoveToCharlottesville.com • MoveToCharlottesville.com 1160 Pepsi Place #301 • Charlottesville, VA 22901 Adjacent to Senior Center • Near Fashion Square Mall

Why Settle for Anyone Else when You Can Have the Best? I can show you every listing on the Market – 24-Hour/7-Day Access Each office independently owned and operated



21

R E A D M O R E ON L I N E

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE . com

TABLE OF CONTENT S

EDUCAT ION AND SCHOOL L I S T ING S Check out school districts, colleges and universities in the Charlottesville area. >Read More

GARDENING How does your garden grow? Get the dirt on regional gardening. >Read More

Features

8

FOOD What’s cookin’? Get a taste of regional cuisine. >Read More

REALTOR.COM Search for a new home, get moving tips and more at the National Association of Realtors’ Web site. >Read More

THE MOVIE Take a virtual tour of Charlottesville as seen through the eyes of our photographers. See for yourself what sets this community apart. >IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

16

IN T ER E S T I S MOUN T ING Charlottesville is home to several horse farms, breeders and boarders, as well as exciting steeplechase races. PE AK S AND VALLE Y S Public, private, semiprivate or resort, the city meets the demands of discerning golfers on a year-round basis. GOING OU T FOR HOME COOK ING The good old American family restaurant is alive and well – and thriving – in Charlottesville. T HE Y ’RE IN PERF EC T HAR MON Y Having an orchestra made up of university as well as community musicians is unusual in most cities but not in Charlottesville.

12 37

Departments 4 | AL M ANAC 21 | P O R T F OL IO

A B O U T T HI S M AG A Z IN E I M A G E S

35 | S P O R T S/R ECR E AT ION

O F

Charlottesville

39 | ED UC AT ION

2007 EDITION, VOLUME 4

Images of Charlottesville is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Charlottesville tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.” – Alex Haley (1921-1992), co-founder

jnlcom.com

41 | HE ALT H/ W ELL NE S S

12

43 | COMMUNI T Y PROF IL E

CHARLOTTESVILLE BUSINESS A JEFF ER SONI AN APPROACH . . . 26 State Farm brings to Charlottesville the best of what a $60 billion-a-year company can offer. BIZ BRIEFS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

CHAMBER REPORT ECONOMIC PROFILE

On the Cover P H O T O B Y W E S A L D R I D G E Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson statue

. . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . 32

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

3


Almanac Sculpted Beauties “ B L I N D D AT E ” B Y D A N M A K E M S O N

Charlottesville is a city with plenty of heart and plenty of art. ArtInPlace is a program started by the city to establish a number of public art sites throughout Charlottesville. The large sculptures and two-dimensional pieces are primarily put on display in areas of high vehicular traffic, and every piece is exhibited for 11 months from October to the following September. ArtInPlace is also working on an initiative to eventually paint fire hydrants in an artistic way.

Thomas Jefferson 101

Things You Should Know V Nearly 20 wineries are located along the Monticello Wine Trail in the Charlottesville region.

If you want information on Thomas Jefferson, there is no better place to learn about the third U.S. president than at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jeffersonian Studies. The center was founded in 1994 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation in cooperation with the University of Virginia and is located on the university’s land at Kenwood Estate. It is used as a site for researching information on Jefferson and serves as a venue for lectures, seminars and conferences. The facility includes workspaces for visiting students, two residential apartments for visiting academic fellows and a 15,000-square-foot Jefferson Library.

The Charlottesville area is home to three former presidents – Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. In

2005, Forbes magazine and the Milken Institute ranked Charlottesville as the 12th “Best Small Place for Business or a Career” in the United States.

Charlottesville

was listed No. 1 among more than 400 U.S. and Canadian metropolitan areas in Cities Ranked and Rated, a book published in 2004.

Charlottesville is a hotbed of soccer, both at the collegiate level and in recreational leagues.

4

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


Booked Up in Charlottesville Jim and Dolley’s Digs Montpelier is looking these days like it did in the 1820s – when it was the home of James and Dolley Madison. The famous couple lived in the 22-room mansion that was ultimately expanded to 55 rooms by subsequent owners, but the home is now 22 rooms once again. This happened following a large renovation project in recent years that was supervised by the Montpelier Foundation. Today, the 2,750-acre estate is open to the public, with sites such as a terraced, two-acre formal garden and a mansion dining room that features raspberry red Venetian carpeting. James Madison was our country’s fourth president and is considered the architect of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E M O N T P E L I E R F O U N D AT I O N

Looking for something to read? One of the top book festivals in the country is held in Charlottesville. The Thirteenth Annual Virginia Festival of the Book was held in March 2007 and featured dozens of authors covering the gamut from mystery writing to youthmarketed books and poetry. Past participants have included Garrison Keillor, Nikki Giovanni and John Grisham. The 2007 event included 200 free events over five days of festivities.

CHARLOTTESVILLE At A Glance P O P UL AT ION (20 05 E S T IM AT E ) Charlottesville: 40,437

L O C AT IO N Charlottesville is in central Virginia, 70 miles northwest of Richmond and 110 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.

BEG INNING S Charlottesville was established as a town and county seat in 1762, named for Great Britain’s Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III. It was incorporated as a city in 1888. Albemarle County was established in 1744.

F O R MO R E INF O R M AT IO N Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce 209 5th St. NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 295-3141 • Fax: (434) 295-3144 cvillechamber.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Charlottesville

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

5



Almanac A Bunch of Wahoos The University of Virginia is proud of its Wahoo tradition. In fact, it embraces the nickname “Hoo-ville” that many people call the campus and Charlottesville. The U.Va. sports teams are officially known as the Cavaliers, but the nicknames of Wahoos and Hoos have also been a part of the athletic tradition since the 1890s. Legend has it that Washington & Lee baseball fans dubbed the Virginia players as “a bunch of Wahoos” during a bitterly contested ballgame in 1890. The two in-state schools were huge sports rivals. According to the university, Wahoos has “officially” been used since 1940 to denote U.Va. students. The term “Hoo” sprang up later in student newspapers and has grown in popularity in recent years.

Stonewall Didn’t Horse Around Want to see a fine horse statue in the middle of Virginia horse country? Then head over to Jackson Park, where the figure of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson sits atop “Little Sorrel.” The monument, sculpted by Charles Keck from 1919 to 1921, cost $35,000 at the time and has been called one of the top equestrian statues in the world. One interesting aside: Actually, Stonewall Jackson is reported to have “intensely disliked” horseback riding and used only small horses when he had to ride.

A Taste of History Thomas Jefferson ate here, and so did James Madison. Michie Tavern opened its doors in 1784 and is still doing excellent business in 2007. But instead of getting there on horseback or by stagecoach, today’s diners arrive by car to enjoy their hearty meals of homecooked Southern fare. Menu items include colonial fried chicken, hickory smoked pork barbecue, black-eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, cornbread and fruit cobbler for dessert. Besides dining, the tavern also has a museum along with a large upstairs assembly room that has served in the past as a ballroom, makeshift schoolroom and church. For more information, visit michietavern.com. Fun Things To Do Let

your kids explore several hands-on exhibits at the Virginia Discovery Museum.

Take

a couple of classes – just for the fun of it – at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

Do

your ears a favor and catch an entertaining concert at the Charlottesville Pavilion.

Spend

a leisurely afternoon rafting or canoeing along the James River.

Sample

some of the culinary treats offered by area eateries at the Taste of C-Ville, held on a Saturday in October.

CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

7


INTEREST IS MOUNTING

8

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


PHOTOS BY WES ALDRIDGE

The arena at Barracks Farms hosts riding lessons and other events.

From r aces to f ar ms, Char lot tes v ille boa s t s plent y of hor se power

S TORY BY

W

hile automobiles are the favored mode of transportation in Charlottesville, should someone want to travel by horseback, there’d be no problem finding a mount. The area is home to several horse farms, breeders and boarders, as well as exciting steeplechase races that draw horse lovers from around the country and the world. Weekend riders coexist with career racers and breeders, with every level of interest represented. “The equestrian industry is very big here,” says Nick Hahn, a local businessperson and sportswriter. “There are a couple of dressage facilities that have opened in the area recently, we still

Joe Morris have some breeders around, there are the steeplechase races at Foxfield and Montpelier … a lot of people who are well known in the industry are here.” For 30 years, those people have congregated at the Foxfield Races. Held every spring and fall, the event draws as many as 25,000 people and has offered purses as large as $20,000, says E. Anne Browne, marketing director. “People from all over the country use it as a reunion,” Browne says. “People come in on Friday and leave on Sunday. You can’t get a hotel room in Charlottesville, and it’s pretty hard to get into restaurants, too. It’s just that busy.” In addition to Foxfield having become

With 64 stalls, the Barracks serves as the boarding facility for the U.Va. riding club. CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

9


The Barracks Farms boasts 160 acres and an indoor arena. P H O T O B Y W E S A L D R I D G E

10

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


CHARLOTTESVILLE

WE S ALDRIDGE

a destination in and of itself, Browne says that the area’s strong horse culture plays a role. “In Virginia, it’s a billion-dollar industry,” she says. “And Charlottesville’s a good part of the country for horse people. It’s just huge here.” In addition to Foxfield, other wellknown races include those held at Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. The stately home currently is being fully restored, but the location itself is unique, says Hahn. “It’s really pretty neat to see horses racing on the front yard of Madison’s home,” he says. Over at The Barracks, owner Tom Bishop and his staff keep busy doing pretty much everything from boarding to giving riding lessons. Bishop agrees that the area is a good place to be for horse owners and those who just enjoy watching the magnificent creatures. “Charlottesville’s really right in the thick of things,” Bishop says. “And we’re growing all the time. As people move here from other places, we see more people wanting to get into the sport, whether it’s racing or riding.” The Barracks has 64 stalls and 160 overall acres, and serves as the boarding facility for the University of Virginia’s riding club. “That certainly makes us a player on the scene, but we give a lot of riding lessons as well, and then we have horses for sale, young horses, retired horses – we just have a lot of horses.” Both Bishop and legendary local breeder Peggy Augustus say that the land in and around Charlottesville is very good for horses, so there’s no one particular type to be found. “Most of the horse population is concentrated in one area, like the thoroughbreds are in Kentucky,” Augustus says. “But around here, there are a lot of people who have all kinds of horses. Some are serious with show horses, others just have one or two in their backyard to enjoy.” “We meet lots of people who keep them at home, but then want them trained and perhaps shown,” adds Bishop. “Not that many people have stables, but a lot of people have an interest in horses and want to get involved in owning one.”

The fertile land around Charlottesville makes it perfect for horse breeding. Top: The Foxfield Races attract some 25,000 equestrian fans each spring. IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

11


&

Peaks Valleys C h a rlot te s v i l le gol f cou r s e s of fer somet h i n g for e ver yone S TORY BY

Danny McKenzie

✦ PHOTOGR APHY BY

Wes Aldridge

I

f you want to play golf on manicured, rolling, tree-lined fairways with pristine greens surrounded by concentrationshattering views – and who doesn’t – then you’ve come to the right place. Charlottesville is definitely for golf lovers. Public, private, semi-private or resort, Charlottesville can meet the demands of discerning golfers on a year-round basis. With sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the Piedmont foothills, meandering streams or stately lakes, golfers of all ages and skill levels will find something guaranteed to bring them back for more. “That’s the thing about Charlottesville golf,” says Andrew Blair, director of communications for the Virginia State Golf Association. “Because of the terrain, you never seem to play the

Spring Creek Golf Course is Charlottesville’s newest course but has already established itself as one of the finest.

12

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

13


same hole twice. There are lots of elevation changes on any course you play. It’s just a beautiful place to play golf, and for the most part you can play all year.” According to the Virginia State Golf Association, there are nearly 20 golf courses in the Charlottesville area. Here’s a look at just a few of the courses golfers will fall in love with: • MeadowCreek Golf Course. Owned and operated by the city of Charlottesville, Meadowcreek is far from the “muni tracks” many cities offer. The 6,050yard, par-70 course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and unusually large, fast greens that are anything but flat.

The elevation changes – and the five par-3 holes – make the yardage for Meadowcreek deceptive. • Birdwood Golf Course. Located at the Boar’s Head Inn, Birdwood has been rated by Washington Golf Monthly as one of the top courses in the MidAtlantic Region. The inn and course are owned by the University of Virginia Foundation, and the course is the home of the Cavaliers’ men’s and women’s golf teams. The par-72 course can be stretched to more than 6,800 yards, and plenty of trees, water and astounding views await golfers, as well as an assortment of restaurants designed to please any palate. • Spring Creek Golf Club. The newest course in the Charlottesville area – it opened in August 2005 – Spring Creek has quickly established itself as one of the area’s finest courses and an attractive real estate development. The par-72 course plays at more than 7,000 yards from the championship tees, and features large, undulating (many two-tiered) greens protected by clever bunkers. • Wintergreen Resort. Offering 45 holes of golf on two distinct courses, Wintergreen has been recognized by Conde Nast Traveler as a top-50 golf resort. The Devils Knob Course, a mountaintop course, is the highest course in the state. The small greens are undulating and fast and the fairways narrow. Devils Knob plays to nearly 6,600 yards from the back tees. The Stoney Creek Course is 27 holes playable in three 18-hole combinations, all with breathtaking views, and features several streams and Lake Monocan. • Glenmore Country Club. The more contemporary Glenmore Country Club course offers a combination of open and tree-lined rolling fairways with large, fast and multi-breaking greens. Reminiscent of a Scottish inland course with several water hazards, Glenmore is part of a private, gated community. Other Charlottesville courses include Farmington Country Club, The Keswick Club, Laurel Ridge Golf Club and Old Trail Golf Club.

MeadowCreek Golf Course is not the typical public course. It has tree-lined fairways and large, fast greens.

14

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

15


Going Out for

H omeCooking Family-s t yle res t aur ant s r ank amon g area’s f avor ites S TORY BY

Danny McKenzie

W W

✦ PHOTOGR APHY BY

Wes Aldridge

hile Mr. Jefferson would certainly delight in Charlottesville’s fine dining

scene – full of chic, trendy, multi-star restaurants – he would also be particularly pleased at the area’s wide array of down-home eateries. Despite being in a region with an international appetite, the good old American family restaurant is Rhett’s River Grill & Raw Bar serves up steamed shrimp, chocolate truffle cake, the restaurant’s famous River Salad and an apple martini.

16

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

17


This sandwich lives up to its name. The Remarkable, made up of turkey breast, cream cheese, mayo, bacon, tomato, sprouts and avocado on multigrain bread, is a favorite among customers at Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches.

18

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


Specializing in down-home diversity, the Blue Ridge Café & Catering offers diners everything from sandwiches to steak. Left: Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches has long been a Charlottesville family favorite.

alive and well – and thriving – in the Charlottesville area, and its Southern roots run especially deep. “The restaurant business in the Charlottesville area is healthy,” says Shawn Hayes, owner of the Blue Ridge Café. “I’ve heard that something like 51 percent of meals are eaten out these days, and I’d say that we’re right along those lines. That’s a lot of dining out, and there are a lot of good places around here offering a lot of different, and very good, menus.” Now in its 12th year, the Blue Ridge Café, located a few miles north of Charlottesville in Ruckersville, is one of CHARLOTTESVILLE

the area’s more popular family spots. Hayes calls it “an American grill with an international flair,” and his lunch and dinner menus live up to their billing. French dip sandwiches are among the most popular items, along with New York strip sirloin steaks, crab cakes and beer-batter fish, which Hayes says is probably the most popular dish his café serves. The Blue Ridge, open seven days a week (with a popular Sunday brunch), also offers a wide variety of Virginia wines. On the other end of the dining spectrum is Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches, owned by Mike and Ann LaPanta and their sons Jonathan and Jason. With two locations in Forest Lakes Shopping Center and on the Mall in downtown Charlottesville, diners can order from a variety of freshly made sandwiches – the Navajo chicken and The Remarkable (a turkey breast) are two of the favorites – and take it with them, eat outside or dine inside. “The name [of the restaurant] comes from the actual bag we put the sandwich in, “ explains Mike LaPanta. “The menu

is on the bag, we fill it out for what you want, and we deliver the sandwich in it.” Baggby’s, now in its 14th year of serving sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts, is open Monday through Saturday for lunch only. “It’s just darn good food, and it keeps bringing them back,” says LaPanta. North of the downtown area, on Seminole Trail, is Rhett’s River Grill and Raw Bar. The menu at Rhett’s ranges from steak, barbecue, burgers and salads to its fresh seafood specialties of oysters, shrimp and Prince Island mussels. True to its Southern heritage, among Rhett’s appetizers is a dish of fried green tomatoes covered with a garlic cayenne sauce. Rhett’s is open seven days a week and also features one of the area’s most popular Sunday brunches. “The university brings in a lot of people to the Charlottesville area, and everyone wants to enjoy a good meal while they’re here,” Hayes says. “On some weekends there will be tens of thousands of people here, and we’re fortunate that we’ve got such a good choice of restaurants to handle everyone.” IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

19



Portfolio / B Y J O E M O R R I S

Grape Expectations K I N G FA M I LY V I N E YA R D S I S R E A P I N G T H E D E L I C I O U S F R U I T S O F I T S L A B O R

I

WE S ALDRIDGE

n the late 1990s, David and Ellen King wanted to get away from their Houston-area farm life. Ellen’s father and brother had attended the University of Virginia, so she was familiar with the area. They wanted to continue farming, so they decided to purchase some land and grow alfalfa. Enter a very dry summer coupled with some surveyors from Virginia Tech. Seems the Kings’ land would be good for growing grapes. It had been used for peach growing in the past, with good results, and after the Kings thought about it, they decided to go into the grape-growing and winery business themselves. “They planted the vines in 1998, had the first crush in 2000, then built and opened the winery in 2001,” says Melanie Edsall, office manager of King Family Vineyards. “They had just fallen in love with this land, and they wanted to see if they could make it work.” Wines produced so far include Roseland, viognier, chardonnay, crose loreley, cabernet franc, meritage and merlot. The 330-acre winery already is attracting attention from wine enthusiasts, but the only expansion plans will be for buildings and development necessary for making wines. To that end, the Kings have put the land under a conservation easement. “We want to have agritourism, but the Kings also wanted to make sure that no one could build on this land, ever,” Edsall says. “We’re at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the views are absolutely amazing. The community has been very supportive, and the fact that this land will be preserved has made a lot of people very happy.”

The award-winning wines at King Family Vineyards are attracting wine enthusiasts from across the country. CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

21


Portfolio Montpelier’s Granary Oak bedroom, restored in perfect detail by Charlottesville’s Mountain Lumber

Mountain’s Montpelier Makeover M

ountain Lumber’s staff is no stranger to home restoration. But when the home is historic, was once owned by a former president, and the restoration has to be done to exact detail, then it’s definitely a project that requires careful attention. The company has been involved with the restoration of Montpelier, the home of President James Madison. From trim to windows, floorboards to doorways, decking to latticework, Mountain Lumber has been involved. “We’ve provided a ton of wood for this – anything from big timbers, which have been re-sawn for a variety of purposes, to finished flooring product,” says Jerome Maddock, the liaison for the project. “They’ve done a lot of the outside decking on the porches, the exterior trim and roof work. They’re also moving inside, so we’ve got a couple of big orders for the interior trim package, staircases, casing, window trim, things like that.” The 33-year-old company has been asked “to do the impossible, or at least what we thought would be impossible,” Maddock adds. “We’ve been able to accomplish what they wanted us to do, but it took a lot of hard work,” he says. “They were trying to re-create the original look as much as possible, make it identical – that’s their mandate. We’ve been stashing materials away, what we think they may need. It’s definitely put us through our paces.” At one point that meant 50 people work ing on 20-foot-long sections of flooring. “It was long, wide, heavy … and it had to be flawless,” Maddock says. “We’re just really happy that it worked out well.”

22

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


Community Carpenter I

WE S ALDRIDGE

n the Charlottesville nonprofit community, Grace Carpenter looms large. She’s a woman of firsts: first president of the area YMCA, first woman to serve as chairwoman of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. And all those firsts, as well as a tireless commitment to bettering her community, led to her latest honor, the Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award. Carpenter, first vice president of Davenport & Co., had no idea the honor was coming. In fact, she’s served on the award committee in the past and chosen that year’s recipient. But it’s not something she does every year, so when she wasn’t asked to participate this last time around, she didn’t get suspicious. “It was a complete surprise,” Carpenter says. “I certainly wasn’t aware of anything going on.” The award recognizes Carpenter’s service to the community since moving to Charlottesville in 1961. In addition to her chamber involvement, she also has served on the board of directors for the Piedmont Virginia Community College and its education foundation, and been involved in organizations including the Santa Fund, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA and the United Way. While the McIntire Award could be seen as the crowning achievement of a long and successful volunteer career for Carpenter, it’s a nice milestone, not an ending. “There’s always a challenge when you’re recognized for anything,” she says. “You want to see if you can’t do better, as a personal challenge if nothing else. But it is nice when something like this kind of recognition comes.”

Grace Carpenter, recipient of the Paul Goodloe McIntire Citizenship Award CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

23


Portfolio

Teamwork at Triple C L

ooking for a place where your child can learn the value of teamwork or where your employees can brainstorm in a beautiful outdoor setting? Try Triple C Camp, where “H” and Libby Rothenberg have been building local character(s) for eight years. The camp, which provides day and overnight programs as well as private functions such as corporate retreats and birthday parties, reflects the culmination of the Rothenberg’s careers as camp administrators. Libby, a nurse, had an extensive background with the Girl Scouts, while “H” admits to either attending, working at or running a camp operation of some type since 1975. After the two married, they worked for several different types of facilities and eventually wanted to start a camp of their own. “We had been looking for a site, and Triple C was for sale,” he says. “It is a beautiful place, and we thought it was perfect for us to begin pursuing our own dream.” Known as a traditional day camp, the 35-acre property has just about every outdoor activity you can think of, but the Rothenbergs place an emphasis on team-building and interaction, so there’s more to be had than just outdoor fun. For example, Triple C has a ropes course, teaching the elements of cooperation and teamwork to young people and adults alike. “Our activities lend themselves toward child development versus child care,” he says. “A lot of summer camps focus on child care while the parent is at work. Families may utilize us that way, but they also value our strategy and style of development. It’s part of our mission.” The Rothenbergs credit Triple C’s staff, which offers a 5-1 ratio to campers, as being a core element of the camp’s success.

At the Rothenbergs’ Triple C Camp, everyone can be a kid again.

24

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


Holtzbrinck Publishing’s 300 employees field more than 2,000 calls a day and move 129 million books a year.

A PageTurning Business B

ookworms take note: Chances are a lot of the books in your collection spent some time in the Charlottesville area. Von Holtzbrinck Publishing Services has two sites in Orange County, a 92-acre complex that houses the customer service, order entry, accounts receivable, credit, technology services, returns processing and distribution for Holtzbrinck’s U.S. holdings. Those imprints include Bedford/St. Martins College, Farrar Straus & Giroux, Henry Holt, Picador, St. Martins Press, Tor Books, W. H. Freeman, Worth Publishing and the related distribution clients for each. All told, the two buildings have 600,000 square feet of distribution/ warehouse space, as well as 50,000 square feet of call center and administration offices. They employ more than 300 people, working three shifts daily, five or six days a week. So, how big is big? The centers have three kilometers of powered conveyors to move 25,000 different titles and 40 million units. Annually, the two facilities control 1.2 million billings and credits, representing 129 million books for Holtzbrinck. More than 2,000 calls are handled daily, with payments collected from more than 100,000 shipto locations. When the Virginia operation opened in 1997, it merged the functions of five different distribution and service centers. CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

25


Business CHARLOTTESVILLE

S TORY BY

Gary Perilloux

• PHOTOGR APHY BY

Wes Aldridge

A Jeffersonian

Approach St a t e Fa r m I n s u r a nce bu i ld s a n en l i g hten i n g pre sence i n t he reg ion

I

n 1995, the Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development sprang from a conviction its namesake would have loved. The founders – business, government and education leaders – envisioned a holistic approach to prosperity in greater Charlottesville. The partnership’s chief goals would be continuous business investment growth and the creation of career-ladder jobs. Both goals were realized in 2004, when State Farm Insurance brought more than 300 new jobs to an already imposing operations center just east of Charlottesville. Today, the center teems with about 1,500 personnel supporting millions of policyholders in Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and the District of Columbia. To Charlottesville, State Farm brings the best of what a $60 billion-a-year company can offer. “They’re the region’s leading private employer,” says Timothy Hulbert, president of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. “They offer career-ladder jobs, they’re involved in every aspect of the community. They’re a cornerstone corporate citizen.” State Farm expanded its Charlottesville Operations Center for the same reasons others have hastened to the central Virginia hub. A high quality of life, an attractive labor pool and a central location favored Charlottesville, says State Farm’s Jon Hannah, who converted from auto claims adjuster to public affairs specialist in 2006. The sprawling 367,000-square-foot center provides a setting that, like the University of Virginia across town, represents more than a commuter’s destination. The 57-

26

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

acre campus contains a cafeteria, credit union, medical department and company store. Continual training gives State Farm employees opportunities in technical subjects, customer service and leadership growth. At work, they’re processing claims and underwriting insurance policies for one of every five homes and one of every six vehicles in Virginia and a similar ratio in neighboring states. Employees are encouraged to take their talents into the community, too, says Lynn Dickerson, vice president of operations. “In fact, every employee and agent who volunteers 40 or more hours a year for an eligible nonprofit or school can apply for a $500 State Farm Good Neighbor Grant for that nonprofit or school,” Dickerson says. “That’s resulted in numerous donations benefiting the Charlottesville community.” The pairing of a sophisticated corporate structure with a caring community touch gives Charlottesville precisely the kind of employer it wants in State Farm, says Hulbert. “The challenge is not simply to have jobs but to have career-ladder jobs that give people the opportunity to grow in their career and really participate in the bounty of a place like Charlottesville,” he says. “It’s a beautiful place, and all the more rewarding if you have a great employer like State Farm.” Hannah, who transferred from West Virginia, couldn’t agree more. “I’ve truly found my dream job at this point in my career,” he says. “But I know if I ever want to change my career path, there are still other opportunities here to pursue.” CHARLOTTESVILLE


State Farm expanded its Charlottesville operations to include some 1,500 employees. More than 300 jobs were added three years ago. CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

27


Business CHARLOTTESVILLE

B I Z

B R I E F S

WE S ALDRIDGE

YOU CAN BANK ON THEM Wachovia Bank has a big presence in Charlottesville, and not just because it’s part of the fourth largest bank in the country. While its size enables it to provide complete banking services, its business model also stresses local decision-making and community involvement, according to Scheline Crutchfield, market president in Charlottesville. The bank has a long history in the community. Wachovia has been the lead underwriter for the last four years for Leadership Charlottesville, is the corporate sponsor of the Preview Party for Martha’s Market (a benefit for the breast cancer awareness program at Martha Jefferson Hospital), and is a corporate sponsor of sports programs at the University of Virginia. “Our employee volunteer chapter, the Wachovia Volunteers, was noted by our company as having the most volunteer hours per employee in the entire company,” Crutchfield says proudly.

The Bonefish Grill takes a fresh approach to preparing fish. A FISH STORY The new Bonefish Grill takes the mystery out of fish for people who don’t eat it often. This restaurant features at least nine different kinds of fish every day, paired with one of four signature sauces made on-site. The fish comes in fresh daily and is cooked over an oak grill for a distinct flavor. Non-fish lovers can choose from a variety of steaks, chicken, chops and pasta dishes. Not sure which fish to order?

28

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

No problem. “You can ask any of our servers any question about any ingredient or any menu item, and they’re going to know the answer,” Managing Partner Scott Hutson says. “They go through an extensive training program.” Hutson says customers are often pleasantly surprised that the bill for dinner is less than they expected, given the Bonefish Grill’s “polished casual” atmosphere, service and attention to detail.

F L E X IBL E E V EN T S PAC E The Monticel lo Event and Conference Center has nothing to do with Thomas Jefferson’s famous home but everything to do with providing a deluxe conference or banquet experience at a reasonable cost. It’s an elegant yet flexible place, able to handle groups as small as 10 or as large as 350 and anything in between. For event planners, the center even allows you to bring in your own food if you wish, and if your plans don’t work out quite like you expected, they’ll help you out of a jam. President and owner Dolores Johnson says that flexibility makes her minorityowned facility popular with a wide range of ethnic groups and for a variety of social and business events. “We try to get the groups that can’t afford the big convention center, but we provide the same amount of elegance at about one-fifth the price,” Johnson says. CHARLOTTESVILLE


Able to accommodate groups as small as 10 or as large as 350, the Monticello Event Center is a favorite for events.

PHOTO COURTE S Y OF K IM ALLEN, ALLEN DE SIGN

A UNITING FORCE The United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area unites the community to address basic human needs in a strategic, effective way. This nonprofit agency has a close relationship with the business community; last year the local United Way president, Cathy Train, served as chair of the board of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. The United Way’s four impact areas are successful kids in strong families, access to health and wellness, achieving self-sufficiency, and strengthening the community. These dovetail nicely with the chamber’s focus on economic vitality and quality of life, Train says. “It benefits the entire community to make sure our children start right and that our families and individuals have the tools they need so they can attain quality, career-ladder jobs that can support families,” she says. The annual campaign for United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area runs from October through April and raises $2 million to $2.2 million. MOVING STORIES Professional Movers Inc. doesn’t just move objects. About 40 percent of the time, the 7-year-old, locally owned independent company moves senior citizens from homes they have occupied for decades. “We don’t rush them,” says owner Eddie Giles. “They may be moving to a retirement center from a place they’ve been in for 35 or 40 years, and they can’t take everything. It’s a hard process, like breaking up a nest. I try to make it easier and share some tears with them.” Their most remarkable move involved taking all the belongings out of a house that had been flooded, and later returning them to the exact same place in the house. When the owner returned, she thought the furniture hadn’t been moved yet. Giles keeps the company at a manageable size, to assure he can maintain that kind of exceptional service and earn repeat business and referrals. – Jim Elliott CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

29


Discover the Arts at U.Va. Music, drama, art, film, literature — discover them year round at the University of Virginia. For a regularly updated calendar of events, visit

www.virginia.edu/arts/

University of Virginia Art Museum

434-924-3592

McIntire Department of Music

434-924-3052

Virginia Film Festival The Festival Film Society

800-UVA-FEST

McIntire Department of Art

434-924-6123

Department of Drama Heritage Repertory Theatre

434-924-3376

Virginia Festival of the Book

434-924-6890


Business CHARLOTTESVILLE

C H A M B E R

R E P O R T

Responding to Members Chamber initiatives target emergency preparedness and transportation

W

hile the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce has always focused on member services, last year that focus took a new direction. The Chamber conducted two seminars on emergency preparedness – to help small and large businesses recover and continue operating after manmade or natural disasters. Mary Loose DeViney, the 2007 chairman of the Chamber board, is proud that about 100 companies participated in these seminars last year. She and attorney Leigh Middleditch of the law firm McGuireWoods pushed for emergency preparedness planning after the 9-11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Isabel in 2003. The hurricane caused 32 deaths and property damage of $1.85 billion in Virginia alone, and most small businesses were totally unprepared for it. A more recent global threat, a potential flu pandemic, will be addressed through another seminar being organized by the Albemarle County Health Department with DeViney’s involvement. “We have also definitely taken an advocacy role in transportation,” DeViney says. “We need to start planning for growth; we’ve got, or soon will have, congested roads, so we’ve talked to the legislature about more funding. We’ve been very fortunate with U.S. Sen. John Warner, who has gotten us federal funding for roads here.” The senior senator from Virginia was also the keynote speaker at the Chamber’s annual meeting, which drew more than 500 guests. It was a highlight of a year that saw about CHARLOTTESVILLE

5,000 people attend various Chamber events, according to Chamber President Timothy Hulbert. The Charlottesville Chamber led a statewide chamber coalition advocating before the state legislature for 67 priority transportation projects. Although they did not get the additional funding they sought, the Chamber has successfully

pushed for the Meadowcreek Parkway, a critical local connecting road. The Chamber has also advocated tirelessly for a long-term water supply plan that will serve the region for the next 50 years. And on the communications front, the Chamber was a pioneer in developing a weekly electronic newsletter. – Jim Elliott

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

31


Business CHARLOTTESVILLE

E C O N O M I C

BUSINESS CLIMATE

P R O F I L E

Charlottesville is the commercial and marketing center of a seven-county region serving a trade population of about 225,000. In the Charlottesville/ Albemarle County area, the main industries are hospitality, manufacturing, education, retail, travel, construction, services and agriculture.

BUSINESS POINTS

SUPERLATIVES

With 188,567 acres devoted to agriculture, Albemarle County ranks ninth in the state for productive farmland, including vineyards, orchards and pastures. Albemarle County’s unemployment rate – as of December 2005, two percent – is consistently lower than the state and national averages.

In 2005, Forbes magazine and the Milken Institute ranked Charlottesville as the 12th “Best Small Place for Business or a Career” in the United States. The ranking is based on growth in jobs and earned income in the Charlottesville area, plus a measure of activity in critical technologies that foster future growth.

Canada in 10 different categories, including the economy and the cost of living, and found that the Charlottesville metro area attained the top overall rating.

The city’s gas, water and sewer rates are among the lowest in Virginia.

The City of Charlottesville has been reconfirmed with an AAA bond rating by Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s.

In 2005, Charlottesville was included in CNN/Money magazine’s listing of the “100 Best Places to Live.”

COST OF LIVING INDEX

Charlottesville is the only city in Virginia, and one of only 14 cities nationwide, to have an AAA bond rating. The city has received this rating each year for the last 28 years and is the smallest city in America to be honored with it.

2003 ALBEMARLE COUNTY RETAIL SALES

Charlottesville MSA Composite index • 107.2 Grocery items • 119.8 Housing • 103.7 Utilities • 91.2 Transportation • 97.1 Health care • 109.1 Misc. goods & services • 112.5 U.S. average = 100

Frommer’s Cities Ranked & Rated 2004 named Charlottesville the “Best Place to Live in America and Canada.” The book rated more than 400 cities in the United States and

MISCELLANEOUS 19% FOOD 25% MATERIALS 8%

MAJOR EMPLOYERS Company University of Virginia Albemarle County

32

2,000

Martha Jefferson Hospital

1,000-2,000

State Farm Insurance

1,000-2,000

Wal-Mart/Sam’s

1,000-2,000

City of Charlottesville

1,000-2,000

Klockner Pentaplast of America Inc.

750-1,000

Northrop Grumman – Sperry Marine Inc.

750-1,000

U.S. National Ground Intelligence Center

750-1,000

GE Fanuc

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

MERCHANDISE 24%

Employees 12,000+

600-750

APPAREL 4% AUTOMOBILE 5%

MACHINERY 4%

LODGING 2%

FURNISHINGS 9%

Among the leading retail locations in the CharlottesvilleAlbermarle County area are Charlottesville’s pedestrianfriendly Downtown Mall, the enclosed Fashion Square Mall and the Barracks Road Shopping Center.

CHARLOTTESVILLE


LABOR FORCE Charlottesville Region

Charlottesville City

Private sector

67,928

26,050

Public sector

28,245

9,410

Total

96,173

35,460

With its small-town charm and picturesque setting, Charlottesville attracts new businesses each year, including a surging technology sector. TRANSPORTATION Airport Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, with service on Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink, US Airways Express and United Express.

Atlanta

500 miles

Baltimore

150

Charleston, S.C.

430

Charleston, W. Va.

235

Charlotte, N.C.

265

Chicago Cleveland

683 378

Rail CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern provide freight rail service. Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago and New Orleans.

Detroit

534

Greensboro, N.C.

175

Indianapolis

542

Knoxville, Tenn.

360

Median household income (2004) Charlottesville region Albemarle County Charlottesville

$45,022 $54,604 $33,122

Sources: ACCRA Cost of Living Index, Fourth Quarter 2005; charlottesvilletourism.org; charlottesville.org; tjped.com; cvillechamber.com; albemarle.org; Virginia Employment Commission, December 2005; County of Albemarle Office of Geographic Data Services; forbes.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE

A Great Place To: Visit • Live • Learn • Work

DISTANCE FROM OTHER CITIES

Highways On U.S. 29 and Interstate 64, connecting with Interstates 95 and 81.

INCOME

Albemarle County

Lynchburg, Va.

66

New York City

350

Norfolk, Va.

162

Philadelphia

250

Pittsburgh

257

Richmond, Va.

71

Roanoke, Va.

120

Washington, D.C.

125

Wilmington, Del.

216

FOR MORE INFORMATION Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce 209 5th St. NE Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 295-3141 Fax: (434) 295-3144 cvillechamber.com E-mail: chamber@cvillechamber.com

albemarle.org

Protecting Rural Spaces, Creating Urban Places

k12albemarle.org

Our vision is for all learners to believe in their power to embrace learning, to excel and to own their future.

434-296-5822 IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

33



SPORTS/RECREAT ION

Keeping Up With the Joneses NE W JOHN PAUL JONE S AR ENA I S CON S ID ER ED ONE OF T HE NAT ION ’ S F INE S T

evolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones would be proud to know that the new arena at University of Virginia was named after him. Oh, wait a minute. It wasn’t. The $130 million John Paul Jones Arena opened Aug. 1, 2006, on the U.Va. campus and holds the distinction of being the largest arena in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It seats 15,129 for men’s and women’s college basketball games and 16,000 for in-theround concerts. The facility can also scale down to an intimate setting of 1,500 seats for small theatrical productions. “Paul Tudor Jones II, a 1976 U.Va. grad, made a $35 million commitment to the university and was granted naming rights to honor his father, John Paul ‘Jack’ Jones,” says Larry Wilson Jr., general manager of John Paul Jones Arena. “Jack himself is a 1948 graduate of the U.Va. School of Law and currently lives in Memphis.” The university owns the modern arena, and the facility is operated by Philadelphia-based Strategic Management Group Inc., a private company that oversees 210 arenas around the world. “The vision of the university was to build a multipurpose sports and entertainment facility, and they sure accomplished that goal,” Wilson says. “It has great sight lines, and the scoreboard and video components rival the majority of NBA and NHL arena scoreboards. There’s not another facility like this on any college campus in the United States.” John Paul Jones Arena was built in a horseshoe shape, with the open end utilized for concert stages. For basketball games, students are seated courtside in two separate sections. The arena is equipped with 20 luxury suites, a club lounge, dining hall for student-athletes, weight training room, coaches’ offices and media offices. Besides basketball, there have already been a number of successful events staged, including concerts by Kenny Chesney, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, George Strait, Justin Timberlake and the Dave

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Matthews Band. There have also been performances by Disney on Ice, Cirque Du Soleil, Blue Man Group and the Harlem Globetrotters. Prior to the John Paul Jones Arena, the U.Va. basketball teams were served by the 8,457-seat University Hall for many years. “It was time to increase capacity and create a venue that would help

us recruit and develop top basketball student-athletes in the country,” says Jon Oliver, University of Virginia executive associate director of athletics. “We tried to think of the participants and the fans as well as the other student-athletes and staff that might benefit from a new building. This place is phenomenal.” – Kevin Litwin

WE S ALDRIDGE

R

The new John Paul Jones Arena on the U.Va. campus will not only host basketball games like this one but also concerts, performances and other special events. IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

35



P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F K G T H I E N E M A N N - I M A G E A R T W O R K .C O M

ARTS/CULTURE

The Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra and the University Singers make sweet music together.

They’re in Perfect Harmony THE CHARLOT TESVILLE & UNIVER SI T Y S YMPHONY HAS UNUSUAL MIX OF MUSICIANS

H

aving an orchestra made up of university as well as community musicians is unusual in the United States. Not so in Charlottesville. The Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1974 and has been entertaining audiences ever since. A total of 70 musicians comprise the orchestra, with professional artists at the 13 principal instrument positions. “Those 13 positions are faculty members from the music department at the University of Virginia, while the rest of the orchestra is U.Va. students along with the community members,” says Bill Martin, executive director of the Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra. “The term I would use for our symphony is ‘teaching orchestra,’ with students and community members actually learning from the 13 professional musicians they perform with.” Martin says the symphony brings great classical music to Charlottesville. “For many years, we’ve been lucky enough to have 85 percent season ticketholders who attend all the concerts,” he says. “Our performances are exciting because they take place at U.Va. in the 850-seat Old Cabell Hall, which was built in 1898 and has superb acoustics.” The symphony season runs from October through April, with five classical concerts along with a family holiday concert

CHARLOTTESVILLE

and a young people’s concert. Conducting the Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra is Kate Tamarkin, who for 20 years has led a number of large symphonies throughout the United States. “I came to U.Va. in 2006 because I got the opportunity to conduct the orchestra as well as teach a couple of classes on campus,” Tamarkin says. “My two classes – Instrumental Conducting and Exploring the Orchestra – along with the conducting aspect make for a nice combination. Plus this part of the world is gorgeous, which was a large draw for me as well.” Oddly enough, Tamarkin never planned on becoming a symphony conductor when she was a student in college. “Back in the late 1970s, I was studying to be a music teacher and tried to get out of any conducting classes because it sounded like a terrible activity,” she says. “However, I eventually found out that conducting was something I loved – for the past 20 years now.” Tamarkin says some of the famed composers she admires most are Chopin, Mozart and Prokofiev. “My favorite classical music is actually whatever I’m working on at the time,” she says. “I look forward to conducting the orchestra in Charlottesville for many years to come.” – Kevin Litwin IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

37


ACTION! ADVENTURE! “IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”

“CHARLOTTESVILLE LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

Images of Charlottesville

THE MOVIE

STARTS TODAY!

WORLD WIDE WEB SHOWTIMES VALID MONDAY-SUNDAY 24/7

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PLACES, EVENTS OR QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE IS PURELY INTENTIONAL!

AT IM AGESCHARLOT TESVILLE.COM


EDUCAT ION

Business Plus Education NE W BUS INE S S - ED UC AT ION ALL I ANCE CR E AT E S OPP OR T UNI T IE S FOR S T UD EN T S

B

Piedmont Virginia Business-Education Alliance was born out of previous school and business efforts. Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville is overseeing the alliance, which will benefit students from kindergarten through graduation. Elementary students will get opportunities to learn about a range of careers, while high school students may receive assistance to find summer jobs and other work. Businesses also could offer students incentives, such as free tickets and discounts on food, music and other items, in exchange for good grades. “The idea is to get employers involved with the school district in terms of what kind of support employers can provide, and students will be exposed to the knowledge employers have and their needs for the next workforce generation,” says Valerie Palamountain, dean of the Workforce Services division of Piedmont Virginia Community College. The alliance’s director will meet with the school districts and local employers to determine the final vision for the new organization, she says. The director also will implement ideas of how employers and schools can work together to foster student achievement and business growth. “We’re going to be working with a lot of different employers,” Palamountain says. Those employers are in the best position to provide “some type of exposure to the student through internships and job shadowing and making those opportunities available at the worksite,” she says. – Cristal Cody

WE S ALDRIDGE

usiness is about to get more exciting for students through a new education-business partnership. Five Central Virginia school districts established the Piedmont Virginia Business-Education Alliance in January 2007 to promote student achievement and workforce development. The partnership includes members from the school districts of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson. Area businesses and their employees are linked with individual schools to serve as student mentors and tutors, to host events and more. “We want a stronger connection between learning and careers for students working in our community and students also being positioned for success anywhere in the world,” says Cass Cannon, community relations specialist for Charlottesville City Schools. Leaders in the business community will be able to share their experiences with students, much like fire fighters and police officers do when they visit elementary schools, she says. The alliance will focus on the academic preparation for individual careers in a variety of sectors, including health care, education, service and government. Charlottesville City Schools’ mission is “personal and academic success for all,” Cannon says. “In that regard, we want the learning to be particular to each student, while at the same time, achieving certain standards. Any involvement for students in the workplace, especially at the high school level, is really a partnership the schools would like to cultivate and expand.”

The Piedmont Virginia Business-Education Alliance helps forge a bond between business leaders and future employees. CHARLOTTESVILLE

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

39


Situated in the rolling hills of Piedmont Virginia, Meadowcreek Golf Course boasts magnificent views of the entire region. The course is adorned with stately oaks and flowering dogwoods and cherries. The course is a par 70 measuring a little over 6,000 yards. Meadowcreek proudly hosts the Reines Jewelers City Championship, including the men’s, ladies, junior and senior events. Meadowcreek Golf Course at Pen Park A Short Drive For Better Golf! 1400 Pen Park Rd. • Charlottesville, VA 22901 charlottesville.org

Tee times may be reserved seven days in advance by calling (434) 977-0615.

40

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


HEALTH/WELLNESS

Getting Noticed for Good M A R T HA JEF F ER S ON HO S P I TAL R ECE I V E S M AGNE T S TAT U S, PL ANNING F O R NE W S I T E

artha Jefferson Hospital, the only independent community hospital in Virginia to be designated a Nurse Magnet facility for its nursing staff, is moving forward with plans that will expand the health-care options in Charlottesville. The hospital is busy planning for a new building to house medical services and physicians. “Our goal is to open a new hospital in 2012,” says Steve Bowers, hospital spokesman. “We’re hoping to break ground in 2009. We’re in the design phase right now.” Martha Jefferson Hospital will have a new location in a few years, but the hospital also wanted to complete the renovation of its emergency department to help patients in the meantime. “We decided it was worth making a significant investment in our emergency department in the here and now,” Bowers says. “That was something that could not wait.” The hospital finished the $1.7 million renovation of the emergency department in late 2006. The renovation allowed the addition of private treatment rooms outfitted with cardiac monitors; flat-screen TVs to ease the anxiety of waiting patients and family; and centralized nursing stations that allow nurses to keep a physical eye on patients. Martha Jefferson Hospital is a 176-bed medical center that serves Charlottesville and the surrounding Central Virginia counties. The hospital is accredited as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Care Program by the American College of Surgeons. Magnet designation is the latest honor given in December 2006 to the health-care center. The American Nurses Credentialing Center, part of the American Nurses Association, gives the honor to only a few medical facilities around the country. The Magnet Recognition Program provides patients with a way to measure the quality of the health care from the nursing staff, a key part of a patient’s

CHARLOTTESVILLE

treatment and recovery, according to the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. “For years, nurses at Martha Jefferson have worked hard to become leaders in their field,” says Jim Haden, president of Martha Jefferson Hospital. “With the full support of more than 1,600 members of our team, our nursing staff has led an outstanding effort to achieve Magnet recognition. This provides our community tremendous assurance that the quality of care provided at Martha Jefferson meets the gold standard today, and that our institution is well-positioned to continue recruiting and training the

best nurses in the field for years to come.” Hospitals applying for Magnet status must meet stringent expectations, including on-site inspection. “We’re the only independent community hospital in Virginia to be awarded Magnet status,” adds Bowers. “We’re one of just 35 hospitals with under 200 licensed beds nationwide [with the designation].” “What our community has always known is our nurses give the best personalized care,” Bowers says. “What magnet recognition does is show the clinical confidence is just as high.” – Cristal Cody

WE S ALDRIDGE

M

Martha Jefferson Hospital continues to grow in the right direction. IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

41


trusted name in real estate for over 20 years Integrity, Knowledge & Service

Byrd Abbott ABR, GRI, SRES Associate Broker

Call Byrd For All Your Buying and Selling Needs in Charlottesville and Central Virginia At St. Jude Children·s Research Hospital, we can·t.

434.951.7136 434.242.9600 byrdabbott.com byrdabbottsellscville.com byrd@byrdabbott.com

That·s why we are working every day to find cures for lifethreatening diseases that strike children everywhere. Diseases like cancer, pediatric AIDS, and sickle cell. And we won·t stop until every child is cured and every disease is defeated.

Because we can·t imagine a world without children … can you? Call 1-800-996-4100 or log onto www.stjude.org to learn how you can help.

Finding cures. Saving children. 42

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


Charlottesville C O M M U N I T Y SNAPSHOT

P R O F I L E

With the laid-back feel of small-town life, a wide range of career opportunities and lots of leisure activities from which to choose, Charlottesville consistently ranks at the top or near the top of lists of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States.

CLIMATE

LIFE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE The Downtown Mall is a magnet for dining, shopping, the arts and entertainment. U.Va. is a major hub of sporting and cultural events. The city has 23 neighborhood parks, movie theaters, museums and a year-round ice-skating rink. More than 13,000 horses are stabled in the city and surrounding Albemarle County. One of the area’s signature events, Foxfield Races, lures horse lovers from around the country every fall and spring. Rich in American history, Charlottesville is near several Civil War battlefields and the homes of former presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and James Madison.

EDUCATION Albemarle County Schools Charlottesville City Schools CharlottesvilleAlbemarle Technical Education Center National College of Business & Technology Piedmont Virginia Community College University of Virginia

296-5826 245-2400

973-4461 295-0136 961-5203 924-1400

Charlottesville and Albemarle County have mild winters and warm, humid summers. Mean annual average: 57 F June through August: 75 F December through February: 37 F Rainfall Mean annual average: 48.9" Snowfall Mean annual average: 24.2" Humidity Mean annual average afternoon: 52 percent

Gas AmeriGas AMVEST Corp. City of Charlottesville Columbia Gas of Virginia (800) Quantum Energy Services Inc. Tiger Fuel Co. Telephone Adelphia Business Solutions NTELOS Sprint

295-4194 977-3350 970-3800 544-5606 984-3580 293-6157

817-8170 979-5200 971-2161

MEDIA HOUSING Median value of housing units in Charlottesville MSA: $225,500 (2005) Median home sales price (2006) in Albemarle County: $320,000 in Charlottesville: $240,000

UTILITIES Cable Systems and Services Adelphia Cable 951-3700 Electricity American Electric Power (800) 956-4237 Central Virginia Electric Cooperative 589-8342 Competitive Power Ventures Inc. 842-6000 Dominion Virginia Power (888) 667-3000 Green Light Energy 220-1406 Old Mill Power Co. 979-9288 Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (540) 898-8500, (804) 633-5011

The area code for Charlottesville is 434.

Newspapers The C’ville Weekly The Daily Progress The Hook (weekly) The Real Estate Weekly The Reflector (monthly) The Tribune (weekly) Radio WCHV/3WV 1260 AM WCYK 99.7 FM WUMX 107.5 FM WVAO102.3 FM WVSY 101.9 FM WINA 1070 AM/WQMZ-Z 95/ WKAV 1400 AM WMRA 90.7 FM/WMRY 103.5 FM WTJU 91.1 FM WNRN 91.9 FM Television WAHU 27 (Fox) WCAV 19 (CBS) WHTJ 41 (PBS) WVAW 16 (ABC) WVIR 29 (NBC) WVPT (PBS)

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

43


Big Enough To Help. Small enough to care.

Pantops Office 1658 State Farm Blvd. (434) 970-1177

Main Street 400 E. Main St. (434) 951-1200

Lake Monticello Office 5980 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. (434) 589-7860

Rio Office 1700 Seminole Trail (434) 970-1132

Commercial Loans (434) 244-6618

Forest Lakes Office 3290 Worth Crossing (434) 970-1400

Barracks Road 2151 Barracks Rd. (434) 970-1139

Real Estate Loans (434) 970-1150

Lovingston Office 124 Main St. (434) 263-6000

unionbankandtrust.com

Products & Services

Personal Banking • Commercial Banking • Commercial Real Estate Business Banking • Internet Banking • Bill Pay • Telephone Banking Investment & Insurance Products • Residential Mortgages 24-Hour Banking

Customer Service Center 866-593-1100

One Boar’s Head Place • Charlottesville 434-296-6104 • stevensandcompany.net

Residential, Land, Farm & Estate Sales Specialists Since 1938 44

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


ANNUAL EVENTS

TAXES

M ARCH

Real estate tax rate per $100 Charlottesville: $.99 Albemarle County: $.74

ALBEMARLE COUNT Y FAIR (THROUGH EARLY SEPTEMBER) 293-6396

VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK 924-3296

Personal property tax rate per $100 Charlottesville: $4.20 Albemarle County: $4.28

UNIVERSIT Y OF VIRGINIA FOOTBALL (THROUGH NOVEMBER)

APRIL HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK IN VIRGINIA

Sales tax: 5% (4% state and 1% local)

(800) 542-8821

977-1783 or (877) 386-1103

SEPT EMBER

DOGWOOD FESTIVAL

MEDICAL FACILITIES

961-9824

FOXFIELD STEEPLECHASE RACES 293-9501

FOXFIELD STEEPLECHASE RACES 293-9501

Charlottesville is home to two hospitals and several clinics.

OC TOBER

M AY

The University of Virginia Medical Center ranks among the country’s top teaching facilities and provides some of the best health-care facilities and practitioners in the nation.

CROZET ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL

CROZET ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL

823-2211

823-2211

Martha Jefferson Hospital is a nonprofit community hospital with 200 beds. Among its noted services are the Cancer Care Center, the Women’s Health Center and the Endoscopy Center.

MONTICELLO WINE AND JAZZ FESTIVAL

ASH LAWN-HIGHLAND VIRGINIA WINE FESTIVAL

296-4188, ext. 21

293-9539

INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL

JUNE

NUMBERS TO KNOW Ambulance/Fire/Police 911 Charlottesville Police 977-4000 FBI 293-9663 Martha Jefferson Hospital 982-7000 Poison Control Center (800) 222-1222 State Police (800) 552-0962 U.Va. Medical Center – Emergency Room 924-2231 U.Va. Police 924-7166

questions

AU G U S T

SCOT TSVILLE BAT TEAU FESTIVAL 286-6000

296-8548

ASH LAWN-HIGHLAND SUMMER FESTIVAL (THROUGH MID-AUGUST)

VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL

SPIRIT WALK 296-1492 924-FEST or (800) UVA-FEST

NOV E M BE R

293-4500

NELSON COUNT Y SUMMER FESTIVAL 263-7015

GOV. JEFFERSON’S THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL

J U LY

978-4466

AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL

DOWNTOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

296-4986

977-1812

answers

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

The area code for Charlottesville is 434.

THOMAS B. LINCOLN LAND SURVEYOR INC. • • • • •

Boundary & Topographic Surveys Construction Stake-Out Land Planning & Site Design Physical & Subdivision Surveys Computerized Mapping

E-mail us at: lincolnsurveying@mindspring.com 632 Berkmar Circle • Charlottesville • 974-1417 LINCOLNSURVEYING.COM

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

45


DEC E M BE R SOUNDS OF THE SEASON – A HOLIDAY CONCERT 293-9539

FIRST NIGHT VIRGINIA 975-8269

CITY PARKS Azalea Park (23 acres) Located off Old Lynchburg Road at the southern edge of the city near Interstate 64. Bailey Park (0.33 of an acre)

At the corner of U.S. 250 Bypass and Hillcrest Road. Belmont Park (3.1 acres) One of the finest neighborhood parks, bounded by Stonehenge Avenue, Rialto Street and Druid Avenue. Fifeville Park (0.66 of an acre) Neighborhood park located within Grove, Spring and King streets. Forest Hills Park (7.35 acres) Tall oak trees and a magnificent view of Carter’s Mountain highlight this park on Forest Hills Avenue.

Greenbrier Park (28.3 acres) Undeveloped area in the Greenbrier neighborhood. Greenleaf Park (14 acres) Grassy hillsides with hardwood and evergreen trees in a fenced-in area on Rose Hill Drive at Greenleaf Lane. Jackson Park (0.4 of an acre) Bordered by Jefferson Street, Fourth Street N.E., High Street and the Albemarle County Court Building. Jordan Park (3.1 acres) At the south end of Sixth Street S.E. and bordering Moore’s Creek. Lee Park (1.04 acres) Bounded by Jefferson and Market streets, First Street N.E. and Second Street N.E. McGuffey Park (1.1 acres) Atop a hill next to the McGuffey Art Center at Second Street N.W. and Jefferson Street. McIntire Park (135.4 acres) Off the U.S. Route 250 Bypass, it features rolling land with magnificent views of the mountains to the east as well as a heavily wooded area. Meade Park (5.2 acres) At the corner of Meade Avenue and Chesapeake Street.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce 209 5th St. NE Charlottesville, VA 22902 295-3141 • Fax: 295-3144 cvillechamber.com E-mail: chamber@cvillechamber.com Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau 600 College Drive Charlottesville, VA 22902 charlottesvilletourism.org 977-1783 or (877) 386-1102

Sources: cvillechamber.com, charlottesvilletourism.org, charlottesville.org, albemarle.org

46

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE


I M A G E S

O F

Charlottesville 2007 EDITION, VOLUME 4

EXECUTIVE EDITOR T E R E E C A RU T HE R S COPY EDITOR J O Y C E C A RU T HE R S ASSOCIATE EDITORS DI A NE B A R T L E Y, L I S A B AT T L E S , SUSAN CHAPPELL STAFF WRITERS R E BE C C A D E N T O N, K E V I N L I T W I N, JE S S IC A MOZ O EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JE S S Y YA N C E Y DIRECTORIES EDITORS C A R O L C O WA N, A M A NDA K I N G, KRIST Y WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS C R I S TA L C O D Y, J I M E L L IO T T, DA N N Y M C K E N Z IE , J O E M O R R I S, G A R Y P E R IL L O U X AD SALES MANAGER T O D D P O T T E R AD PROJECT MANAGER RU T H M A R I NE AU ADVERTISING SALES ASSISTANT S A R A S A R T I N

I spy something green.

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER G R E G E ME N S STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS W E S A L D R I D GE , A N T O N Y B O S HIE R , M IC H A E L W. BU N C H, BR I A N M C C O R D CREATIVE DIRECTOR K E I T H H A R R I S WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR S H AW N DA N I E L PRODUCTION DIRECTOR N ATA S H A L O R E N S ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR C HR I S T I N A C A R D E N PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR H A Z E L R I S NE R SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGER TA DA R A S M I T H SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS C A NDAC E C O C K R E L L , BR I T TANY SCHLE ICHER, KR I S SE X TON, V IK K I W IL L I A M S LEAD DESIGNER L AU R A TAY L O R

Everyday moments can be learning moments with your kids. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org

GRAPHIC DESIGN C ANDICE HUL SE Y, L INDA MORE IR A S, AMY NEL SON WEB PRODUCTION J I L L T O W N S E ND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER A L I S O N HU N T E R AD TRAFFIC M I ND Y A R B O U R , S A R A H M IL L E R , PAT R IC I A M OI S A N, J IL L W YAT T CHAIRMAN G R E G T HU R M A N PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER B O B S C H WA R T Z M A N EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT R AY L A N GE N SENIOR V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JE F F HE E F N E R SENIOR V.P./SALES C A R L A HE N R Y V.P./SALES HE R B H A R P E R V.P./VISUAL CONTENT M A R K F O R E S T E R V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING S Y BIL S T E WA R T V.P./PRODUCTION C A S E Y E . HE S T E R MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS M AU R IC E F L IE S S

Visit Our Advertisers Albemarle County www.albemarle.org

Roy Wheeler – David Hendon www.davidhendon.com

Albemarle County Public Schools www.k12albemarle.org

Second Bank www.secondbank.com

CONTROLLER C HR I S D UD L E Y ACCOUNTING M O R I A H D O MB Y, DI A N A GU Z M A N, M A R I A M C FA R L A ND, L I S A O W E N S, S H A N N O N R IG S B Y MARKETING MANAGER T R AC Y R O GE R S RETAIL PRODUCTS MANAGER B R YA N C HI N E L L A DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING S U Z Y WA L D R IP DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES C I ND Y C O MP E R R Y DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR G A R Y S M I T H IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR M AT T L O C K E IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN R YA N S W E E N E Y HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER P E G G Y B L A K E BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT N IC O L E W IL L I A M S CLIENT & SALES SERVICES MANAGER/CUSTOM MAGAZINES PAT T I C O R NE L I U S

Images of Charlottesville is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , C O N TA C T:

Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce 209 5th St. NE • Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 295-3141 • Fax: (434) 295-3144 cvillechamber.com • E-mail: chamber@cvillechamber.com VISIT IMAGES OF CHARLOTTESVILLE ONLINE AT IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

© Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 361 Mallory Station Road, Ste. 102, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member Magazine Publishers of America Member

Custom Publishing Council

Charlottesville Gas www.charlottesville.org/gas City of Charlottesville www.charlottesville.org CMS, Inc. www.cms-builds.com Coleman-Adams Construction, Inc. www.coleman-adams.com Davenport & Company LLC www.investdavenport.com Economic Development – City of Charlottesville www.charlottesville.org Great Eastern Management Company www.gemc.com

Spring Creek www.springcreekliving.com State Farm www.statefarm.com Stevens & Company www.stevensandcompany.net Sunrise Senior Living www.sunriseseniorliving.com The Chase Team www.brianwchase.com The Land Office at Roy Wheeler Realty Co. www.landofc.com

Keswick Hall at Monticello www.keswick.com

Thomas B. Lincoln Land Surveyor Inc. www.lincolnsurveying.com

Meadowcreek Golf Course www.charlottesville.org

Union Bank & Trust www.unionbankandtrust.com

Montague, Miller & Co. Realtors www.byrdabbott.com

University of Virginia www.virginia.edu

Northrop Grumman Corporation www.sperrymarine. northropgrumman.com

University of Virginia Art Museum www.virginia.edu/artmuseum

Our Lady of Peace www.our-lady-of-peace.com

University of Virginia Health System www.uvahealth.com

Re/Max Excellence www.movetocharlottesville.com

Westminster Canterbury www.westminstercanterbury.org

Member Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce

The area code for Charlottesville is 434.

IMAGESCHARLOTTESVILLE.COM

47





Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.