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Charlottesville BAR denies demolition of 1301 Wertland Street, citing historic significance
Summary
The Board of Architectural Review voted unanimously to deny a COA to demolish the 1843 Wertenbacher House at 1301 Wertland Street, finding the application failed to meet local demolition-review criteria and preserving one of the district’s oldest contributing structures.
The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review voted to deny a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for the demolition of the two‑story brick Wertenbacher House at 1301 Wertland Street, citing the property’s architectural and historical significance.
Staff presented a code‑anchored review of the request, noting the house dates to 1843, is listed as a contributing resource in the Wertland Street historic district, and is one of the city’s relatively few pre‑1850 dwellings. The BAR’s purview, staff said, is limited to criteria in Charlottesville City Code Chapter 34 and the ADC district design guidelines. A recent structural report supplied by the applicant described repairs that would be needed but did not, staff said, demonstrate that demolition met the legal standards for public necessity or that all viable alternatives had been exhausted.
Preservation advocates and preservation professionals urged denial. Genevieve Keller of Preservation Piedmont told the BAR the house is among Charlottesville’s most significant endangered historic places and urged the board to refuse demolition. Preservation architect Jody Lahendro and longtime board members and former chairs called the house an anchor of the district and noted prior efforts to protect it, including earlier tax‑credit rehabilitation approvals. Several speakers referenced research confirming the 1843 construction date and described the house’s long association with University of Virginia history.
Board members who supported denial pointed to the code factors the BAR must weigh — including the structure’s age, rarity, retained historic fabric and association with a prominent early university librarian — and to the lack of a persuasive case from the applicant for demolition as the only option. A motion to find that the proposed demolition did not satisfy the BAR’s criteria carried in a roll call vote; board members recorded unanimous support for denial.
The BAR’s decision is subject to appeal to Charlottesville City Council. Staff noted the appeal window under the city code and said an appeal would need to be filed within the 10 business days after the meeting.
What’s next: The BAR denied the COA; if the applicant appeals, the City Council will consider the matter. If no appeal is filed, the structure will remain subject to maintenance and code enforcement avenues and to future review if new proposals are filed.
