Torti Gallas & Partners/CHK of

Torti Gallas & Partners/CHK of Silver Spring, Maryland, recently completed an economic development and commercial corridor study for Charlottesville, Virginia. After studying the market and assessing the conditions in the corridors and surrounding neighborhoods, the firm organized several charrettes that created master plans for each of the 13 corridors. The plans are strategic in nature. While flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances, they are intended to be “clear and direct enough in their essence and vision to assure their relevance for years, if not decades,” according to the final report on the study. The report also includes urban design guidelines, recommendations on how to implement the plans, and projections on the economic impact of development based on new urbanist principles.