The Westhaven Master Plan proposes a renewed vision for Charlottesville’s oldest public housing community. Emerging from a 3-year planning process that involved resident planners, long-time residents, UVA School of Architecture studios, and local designers, the master plan is built from the ground up. It envisions a neighborhood with multi-family housing, townhomes, and a mixed-use community center interwoven with spaces for recreation and reflection, accessible for diverse populations, and re-connected to the larger urban fabric.

The Westhaven public housing community reflects a history of disenfranchisement and discrimination. Once the center of Charlottesville’s African-American community, the Vinegar Hill neighborhood was demolished as part of large-scale “urban renewal” initiatives in the mid-1960s. Following demolition, many of the neighborhood’s displaced residents were relocated to Westhaven. A far cry from the dynamism of Vinegar Hill, Westhaven currently lacks common open spaces, shared amenities, and pedestrian-friendly streets.  

The new vision focuses on health and well-being as well as accessibility and connection. Playgrounds, open fields, sports courts, and picnic pavilions are distributed throughout the 10-acre site, ensuring access to open space for all residents. Perennial gardens, courtyards, and a series of outdoor rooms create spaces to rest and gather. Critical improvements to sidewalks and streets are also planned such as a new pedestrian promenade which re-establishes a direct connection from the neighborhood to West Main Street. A homage to the historical Cedar Street of Vinegar Hill, this new promenade offers opportunities for gathering, celebration, and reflection on history and memory.

Community-driven and historically situated, the Westhaven Master Plan is equal parts practical and visionary. It aspires to create functional spaces that serve a diverse and growing population while also reclaiming a sense of place and connection to a larger community.

LOCATION:
Charlottesville, Virginia

CLIENT:
Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority

PROJECT TEAM:
Riverbend Development - Owner’s Representative
Arnold Design Studio - Architect
Timmons Group - Civil Engineer