While City Council is set to decide the fate of a proposed Midtown development at their meeting Thursday, city residents have weighed in on the current proposal.
The City of Williamsburg has published a survey of residents in anticipation of Thursday’s City Council meeting. The survey was released in the council meeting agenda and took place from Sept. 18 to Sept. 20, according to city documents.
The majority of respondents were against the proposed development. A total of 76.5 percent opposed the development, with 13 of the survey’s 17 respondents voicing opposition.
The number of respondents was markedly low, representing only 0.11 percent of the city’s total population of 15,214 residents, according to census data.
But the developer says the proposal will make Williamsburg even more of a destination. Michael Jacoby, CEO of the project developer Broad Street Realty, said he has not heard a lot of negative feedback from the public.
“The only negative I’ve heard is some people don’t like the colors,” Jacoby said. “I’m confident, me and the ARB [Architectural Review Board], we’ll pick some colors the people like.”
Williamsburg residents have voiced concerns with the project, both in public meetings and in the city survey. Residents comments have varied from calling the proposal an “alien-implant on a charming colonial city” to asking members of city government for more opportunity to give input on the design.
The development proposal calls for buildings as tall as 66 feet, a 140-room hotel, 624 beds in 240 residential units, and 380,000 square feet of residential and retail space, according to city documents.
Terence Wehle, a long-time Williamsburg resident, responded to the survey by asking city officials to postpone a vote on the project.
“If you cannot vote no, vote to postpone,” Wehle wrote. “Give the Citizen’s [sic] more time to digest and tell you what they think.”
Jacoby said regardless of the city survey and public comments the project has “overwhelming support.”
“I’ve done this dance before,” Jacoby said. “It’s the negative people that come out, not the positive.”
Several residents signaled their support in the survey. City resident Sara Meldrum said she wishes the developer would change its focus to affordable housing, but overall was in favor of the project.
“I support the proposed plan in general and look forward to seeing this area of town made more appealing for walking and exploring,” Meldrum wrote in a comment in the survey. “Though I understand the developers need to recoup their costs, please request that some percentage of the housing units be set aside as affordable housing.”
Meanwhile, Williamsburg resident Jane Chambers is concerned less about affordable housing than she is about retail. She said the city doesn’t need to build new retail space, rather it needs to attract businesses people want to frequent.
“Williamsburg has overbuilt retail space,” Chambers wrote in the survey. “Even Merchants Square is unable to maintain a vibrant retail market in this internet age.”
Regardless of opposition, Jacoby says he is confident the design will win over the city.
“I’ve heard very little negative feedback,” Jacoby said. “City staff have been very supportive. They’re all residents.”
Andrew Harris contributed reporting.
