North Downtown
Diverse renovated homes
Housing is eclectic in North Downtown, but softened by a subtle Southern aesthetic. Even the multi-million-dollar condos in the Waterhouse complex at 218 Water St., are tethered to a downhome feeling. The lower level of this glassy modern building is decked out with brick, faded paint and a yoga studio. Plus, locally grown food is just a block away. “The farmers market on Water Street is one of the best I’ve been to,” says Danny Hugus, a Charlottesville native and Realtor with The Hogan Group. But despite the downtown moniker, housing isn’t primarily condos – it’s mostly single-owner homes that buyers are eager to renovate themselves. “If a house is renovated here, finding it under a million will be difficult,” says Lisa Lyons, an expert on North Downtown and a Realtor with Loring Woodriff Real Estate Associates. Passing along desirable Evergreen Avenue and Lexington Avenue, she points out natural lifestyle features: “Solar panels, a Tesla charger, native plants, a rainwater barrel. It’s all very Charlottesville.” Much of the area is filled with stucco homes absent a front yard, cottages and two-story dwellings that blend Craftsman with colonial style. Some of these can range from $615,000 to $760,000, but keep heading north toward Locust Grove, and the vistas open up. “You’ll see larger properties with a pool and acre lot,” says Lyons. “You wouldn’t know you’re still in the heart of downtown.”
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Live performances and global cuisine draw crowds
“It feels like downtown got a new start after the pandemic,” says Kandyce Baker, a comedian who regularly appears at The Southern, a multimedia venue on First Street. “You continue to see new shops, restaurants and meetup groups take hold.” There’s certainly a buzz in the air, even on weeknights. The Paramount Theater, restored 15 years ago, dazzles with pulsing round lights – but a couple blocks west of here, dancers groove to live music in front of The Whiskey Jar. There's a global spread of restaurants, from Turkish to Thai and Japanese. A sushi joint called Ten is owned by Coran Capshaw, the manager who helped the Dave Matthews Band rise from Charlottesville secret to international rock sensation. “The North Downtown mall is its own animal,” says Lori Meistrell, a resident of the neighborhood and associate broker at Nest Realty who’s been involved in local real estate since 2008. “It’s for people who enjoy cultural and age diversity. You’ll see people who’ve transplanted from Boston, but also residents who have been living here since the '60s. And it still has First Fridays, where you can tour the downtown art galleries and enjoy wine.”
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Tom Tom Festival celebrates a budding startup scene
One of the neighborhood’s biggest events is Fridays After Five, a free concert series held April through September at the Ting Pavilion, a grassy, shaded venue that caps the mall’s east end. “Waterworks Fest is great if you want to check out what’s happening in the local theater scene,” says Baker. Workshops, after parties and pop-ups like trivia events are also part of the festival that lasts from May to June. Also in April is the Tom Tom Festival, a weeklong event that’s brimming with civic pride. “This is especially appealing to the entrepreneurial crowd,” says Baker. “It celebrates the city’s budding startup scene.” Holidays get spotlighted, too. “There are fun, lighthearted events like the Buddy Elf Run and Santa Run on the downtown mall,” says Meistrell.Extracurriculars at Charlottesville High
Burnley-Moran Elementary has a 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio and is B-rated by Niche. Buford Middle is a B-minus institution with a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Charlottesville High receives an A, and features diverse extracurriculars, with both the Debate Team and Golf Team winning state championships in 2023. The central branch of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, open to the public, is another standout educational feature of the neighborhood, and architecturally significant, bestowed with large marble columns reminiscent of the nearby university buildings. “North Downtown has a strong identity in history and people tend to lean preservationist,” says Meistrell.
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McGuffey Park is an all-ages refuge
“McGuffey Park is very well designed,” says Woodriff. During weekday mornings a common sight is children scrambling across the playground while others lounge on benches in the shade. It’s perched on the appropriately named High Street, joined by a towering steeple next door at First United Methodist Church. Down the hill from the church is Market Street Park, which is a green oasis but somewhat lacking in features and seemingly overlooked in favor of the busting downtown mall mere steps away. “It’s more of a public square,” says Lyons. Little pocket parks with flowers, like the one near the intersection of McIntire Road and High Street, add a cozy touch to the neighborhood.
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Park Street, Locust Avenue link residential stretches
McIntire Road is the main thoroughfare on the west side servicing the bulk of the traffic and bringing drivers to key residential strips like High Street. It’s also populated by big-box offerings like Staples and chain eateries like McDonald’s. North Downtown, though, is focused on quaintness and it’s possible to hear the ding of an old trolley car when walking around the downtown mall. Plus, once removed from the rush hour traffic of McIntire, things quiet down. “You’re more likely to hear birds than cars in a lot of parts,” says Meistrell. Laid out in a grid, the neighborhood is fairly easy to navigate by foot and by car. “You have two main drags in the residential section above the mall, Park Street and Locust Avenue, which run in parallel to each other,” says Lyons. Driving conditions are manageable year-round, as Woodriff notes that the area isn’t much affected by natural catastrophes. “We’re typically buffered from fires, floods, tornadoes,” she says. By extension, many of the homes here don’t have garages, with heavy snow not often being an issue.
Written By
Paul Spencer
Photography Contributed By
Kayleigh Ulrich
Video By
Emily McNamara
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Cynthia Hash
Cynthia Hash
FIND HOMES REALTY LLC
(434) 443-7402
156 Total Sales
1 in North Downtown
$695,000 Price
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Amy McLeskey
Amy McLeskey
THE NEW HOUSE COMPANY
(434) 443-8719
22 Total Sales
1 in North Downtown
$260,000 Price
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JOHN INCE
JOHN INCE
WILEY REAL ESTATE-CHARLOTTESVILLE
(434) 443-6627
34 Total Sales
2 in North Downtown
$310,000 Price Range
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Matthias John
Matthias John
Responds QuicklyWILEY REAL ESTATE-CHARLOTTESVILLE
(434) 443-8900
46 Total Sales
1 in North Downtown
$2,200,000 Price
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Andrew Hardy
Andrew Hardy
Responds QuicklyFRANK HARDY SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
(323) 615-2771
28 Total Sales
1 in North Downtown
$1,725,000 Price
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Maureen Hegarty
Maureen Hegarty
Responds QuicklyKELLER WILLIAMS ALLIANCE - CHARLOTTESVILLE
(434) 443-6552
125 Total Sales
2 in North Downtown
$283K - $501K Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 7th to 8th
- Public
- Pre-K to 4th
- Public
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Parks in this Area
McGuffey Park
Rivanna Trail
Market Street Park
Emancipation Park
Shenandoah National Park Trust
Charlottesville Parks & Rec
Jackson Park
Lee Park
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | North Downtown | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 4 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 3 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 3 | 4 |
| Robbery | 4 | 4 |
| Burglary | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
| Larceny | 6 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
North Downtown Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in North Downtown, Charlottesville sell after 34 days on the market compared to the national average of 51 days. The median sale price for homes in North Downtown, Charlottesville over the last 12 months is $745,000, up 49% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$749,000
Median Sale Price
$745,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$970,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$649,900
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
71
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
49%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$443
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
703
Number of Homes for Sale
17
Median Year Built
1953
Months of Supply
2.90
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,113
Above the national average
1,927
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,827
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,368
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
764
Average Studio Size Sq Ft
431
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
8,712
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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$1,409 - $1,904 per month
- Tarleton Square
- Studio-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 446+ Sq Ft
- 701 E High St
- Charlottesville, VA
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Condo Buildings
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,952
Median Age
40
Population Density
14 ppl/acre
Population under 18
16.5%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
22.6%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$95,434
Above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$125,883
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
97.3%
College Graduates
78.7%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
45.2%
Significantly above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
73.4%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
49''
Average Winter Low Temperature
28°F
Average Summer High Temperature
87°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
74
/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
74
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
41
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
10th and Page
Walkable and revitalizing neighborhood near the University of Virginia
Martha Jefferson
Walkable, near Charlottesville's downtown mall and dining along High Street
Rose Hill
Urban sentiment mixes with suburban style in a small, strategically-located haven
Starr Hill
Bungalows within walking distance to Charlottesville's pedestrian mall
Barracks-Rugby
Leafy and quiet near Charlottesville's retail-rich Barracks Road Shopping Center
Belmont
A south downtown neighborhood with a hip reputation and popular eateries
Reviews
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