Charlottesville council leans toward Scheme C for Walker early learning center after staff flags cost and constructability risks

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Charlottesville City Council on June 10 heard a staff recommendation to pursue a simplified design, called Scheme C, for an Early Learning Center at the Walker campus after alternatives proved more costly or difficult to build.

Mike Goddard, deputy director of public works, told the council the working group considered three schemes and that Scheme C "is about a $51 million project" while preserving Buildings A and B as future swing space and replacing — rather than removing — the site gym. Goddard said the terrace scheme staff previously favored had climbed to roughly $60 million after geotechnical and retaining‑wall issues were factored in.

The recommendation matters to school operations: staff framed the Walker site as critical swing space during a planned, portfolio‑wide series of school renovations. Goddard said that maintaining a gym on the site was important for accommodating physical education if other elementary gyms are out of service during multi‑year rehabilitation work.

Architect Maria Beninsky of B&M Architects explained the design differences. She said the terrace (Scheme B) stacks floorplates into the hillside and places some large movement spaces two flights of stairs from bus and drop‑off loops, while Scheme C keeps movement/gym space at the same level as drop‑offs — a configuration she described as easier to build and preferable for daily operation. "The clumpier version has three stories," Beninsky said, and the more compact stacking can complicate morning and afternoon flow for young children.

Council members pressed staff on capacity, cost and timing. Staff estimated Scheme C would serve roughly 200–300 three‑ and four‑year‑olds depending on final program decisions. With local funding, Goddard said a groundbreaking could occur as early as September 2027 and the center could open in July 2029, a roughly 18‑month construction window. The city’s capital improvement plan currently includes about $34 million toward the project; if referendum money is not available, staff said the city would need roughly an additional $15–17 million under the $51 million estimate.

On potential revenue, staff noted the city has explored a 1‑cent sales tax referendum as part of a broader school funding strategy but warned that state timing rules — an 81‑day procedural window tied to when a budget becomes effective — could limit the ability to hold a referendum for the upcoming election without legislative change. That timing uncertainty, staff said, is one reason they asked the council for informal guidance now rather than a formal vote.

Council members signaled informal support for moving forward with Scheme C while directing staff to return with budget modeling. "It makes sense to lean toward C," one councilor said, citing the lower construction and long‑term maintenance risk and the value of retaining a gym on the site. Officials stressed this was informal guidance; no formal council vote was taken.

Next steps identified by staff include continuing schematic design on the recommended option, clarifying final program capacity and maintenance requirements for roof terraces (where included), coordinating with the school board and preschool staff who have been engaged in planning, and bringing budget scenarios — including a model that assumes no referendum funds — to an upcoming work session.

The council took no formal action on June 10; staff said they wanted alignment from council before pursuing costlier parallel design tracks. The meeting then moved to roundtable committee updates and adjourned.