Planned shopping center change raises objections

By Seth Rosen

Published: May 12, 2008

A proposal to replace part of Barracks Road Shopping Center’s signature concrete canopy has angered merchants, who fear it could deter customers from shopping and hurt sales.

Charlottesville city staff has approved Federal Realty Investment Trust’s plan to remove the long, covered walkway from Panera Bread to Richey & Co. and replace it with small, individual awnings in front of each store. The 10-foot-deep concrete walkway serves as one of the defining features of the center, enabling shoppers to stroll from store to store without exposure to the elements.

The move is part of a planned overhaul of the shopping center, which will include replacing signs, adding parking spaces and altering the road network. Because the center is not in a historic district, the proposal did not have to come before the city’s architectural board or Planning Commission.

In some sections the covered walkway will remain but be redesigned, said Mary Joy Scala, the city’s historic preservation planner. However, in the strip south of Panera, 4-foot canopies of various colors will supplant the homogenous covering, giving each store its own identity.

“The new canopy design lends itself to more individuality versus a linear design,” Emily Groome, a senior development manager for Federal Realty, wrote in a letter to the city. “Many of the existing tenants have unique storefronts; we would like to continue that trend but still have control over the final outcome.”

A Federal Realty spokeswoman did not return calls for comment Monday.

Barracks Road merchants have panned the idea, arguing that the removal of the canopy could dissuade shoppers from coming there on rainy or hot days.

“We are better off the way we are now,” said Mark Klalo, manager of Beecroft & Bull. “People like to look at the storefronts without being rained on or being bothered by the sun.”

Other Barracks Road employees said that they understand Federal Realty’s desire to improve the look of the center. But they question whether the company has thought through the consequences of eliminating the continuous covering.

“From a visual standpoint it might look good, but it might hurt the street traffic,” said a Plow & Hearth employee, who asked that her name be withheld.

Interviews with lunchtime shoppers confirmed that suspicion. Brandi Duncan said that the street traffic would be greatly reduced on days with inclement weather, potentially hurting some of the smaller-name stores that depend on window displays to attract customers.

“Of course, people will still come here, but will they scurry from canopy to canopy to shop?” she asked.

Steve Metz, owner of Lynne Goldman Studio, has started a petition drive to convince Federal Realty to abandon the changes. He fears that energy costs will go up without the large, concrete canopy and wonders what impact the construction work will have on his store’s bottom line.

Mertz is also irritated that Federal Realty is charging tenants who renew their leases $3 per square foot to pay for the changes.

Federal Realty has yet to receive a building permit for the canopy changes, and it is unclear when work would begin.

The company is looking to make other improvements to the shopping center, including adding new signs.

“It won’t look dramatically different than it is now, but it will be fairly consistent throughout the shopping center and very tasteful,” Scala said.

Additionally, the parking lot will be re-striped to add more than 100 spots, and the entrance road from Emmet Street by the Burger King will be extended.