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BAR gives guidance on massing, materials for 9-townhouse proposal at 528 Valley Road
Summary
At a pre-application conference, the BAR gave detailed feedback on a proposed three-building, nine-townhouse project at 528 Valley Road, urging a reduced street-facing massing for Building 1, vertical façade breaks, and material choices that respect the adjacent 1937 house in the Oakhurst Gildersleeve ADC district.
The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review provided advisory comments to Gaines Group Architects and consultants on a pre-application project at 528 Valley Road proposing three new buildings (nine townhomes) adjacent to a 1937 Colonial Revival house in the Oakhurst Gildersleeve ADC district.
Staff framed the session as advisory and asked the BAR to indicate whether the new cluster should be judged as new construction or treated subordinate to the historic house. Adrian Strong (Gaines Group) said the design preserves the existing house and is driven by new zoning allowing higher infill density; narrow lot width (about 34 feet for the Building 1 portion) and existing utilities constrained the site layout.
Multiple BAR members said Building 1’s current orientation and wide, flat façade make it feel "too big" in relation to the historic house and neighboring one-story or one-and-a-half–story houses. Suggested remedies included flipping Building 1’s orientation, aligning the main mass parallel to the stream, introducing dormers to reduce perceived height, breaking the façade into vertical townhouse-like bays, and exploring thin brick or fiber-cement cladding instead of vinyl. Members strongly discouraged vinyl windows and encouraged detailed treatment of entries and window placement to better respond to the district’s character.
Applicant team noted zoning constraints (maximum three stories or 40 feet in RB zoning), stream setbacks, and utility easements that limit placement options. The BAR asked the applicant to return with refinements if massing or materials change substantially; staff summarized key directions for the applicant to consider before formal application.
Because this was a pre-application review, no BAR approvals or permits were granted; the session provided guidance the applicant should incorporate into the next design iteration.
