On October 30, SupportWorks Housing hosted a ceremonial ground-breaking for Vista 29, a $26m 80-unit affordable housing development and our second in the Charlottesville region.
Located at the former Red Carpet Inn on Premier Circle in Albemarle County, Vista 29 will be a mixed-income, supportive housing community for homeless and low-income individuals from Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. Sixty-two units will have rental subsidies for homeless adults and the remaining units will be available for individuals earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI).
SupportWorks board member and Albemarle County Chief Human Services Officer Kaki Dimock welcomed attendees to the ceremony. “During the pandemic, a team began meeting virtually to discuss the redevelopment of the existing Red Carpet Inn,” Dimock said. “It’s been a long time coming, and we are excited to have arrived at this moment.”
Albemarle County Supervisor Nick Gallaway and Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders also provided remarks about the impact of the development on the community.
“Vista 29 is perched high above Route 29. The development’s name acknowledges the location of the apartments while speaking to the change in the residents’ lives and outlook once they have stable housing and access to services,” said Supervisor Gallaway.
City Manager Sanders praised the collaboration around the project. “We are excited about the opportunity for the City to join in more regional impact. We have to tackle big problems together. I appreciate the chance to bring the City into this conversation. We’re just scratching the surface,” Sanders said.
SupportWorks Executive Director Allison Bogdanović concluded the ceremony, thanking donors, partners, and attendees for their support.
Vista 29 will contain 77 studio apartments and 3 one-bedroom apartments. Each unit will be approximately 350 square feet and will feature a kitchenette with full-size appliances and a full bathroom. At least twelve units will be completely accessible for people with disabilities. In addition to apartments, the building will contain a community room, a computer room, a fitness room, laundry facilities, a front desk, and offices for on-site property management and support services staff. The front desk will be staffed sixteen hours per day with a night monitor on duty at night. The development will be EarthCraft certified for resource and energy efficiency and will feature solar photovoltaic panels.
Total development costs are approximately $26 million, with funding provided by local, state, and federal funds as well as private funds. Construction will begin next month with completion in September 2026. Martin Horn, Inc. will serve as the general contractor and SupportWorks will manage the property and provide on-site support services after construction is complete.
Vista 29 is part of a larger, multi-phased redevelopment project comprised of up to 140 affordable residential units within two multi-family buildings, with a two-story commercial building fronting Route 29. The creative redevelopment of the former Red Carpet Inn site is a partnership between SupportWorks Housing, the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless (formerly TJACH), and Piedmont Housing Alliance, along with critical acquisition funding from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation – an unprecedented investment in affordable housing by a community foundation.
Vista 29 will be our second supportive housing community in the region, joining The Crossings at Fourth and Preston in Charlottesville.