CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Plans for a grocery store many in the community want as part of the 501 Cherry Ave. development are not feasible under the current design, according to a consultant’s report.

Seven Roots, a grocery consulting group, found the design of the property is not conducive for delivery access and waste removal, which are two non-negotiable crucial elements of a grocery operation.

A Monday morning release from the Charlottesville Food Co-op said Seven Roots’ process included a thorough review of a general market study and the financial pro-forma, as well as the current site plans.

“After so much time and effort, we were incredibly disappointed to receive this analysis,” said Alysse Dowdy, Steering Committee Co-Chair. “We certainly recognize and deeply appreciate how many obstacles the project has already overcome in the pursuit of constructing affordable housing and a home for the Music Resource Center. And we believe if the team is willing to dedicate the same diligence and creative energy to the grocery store portion of the project, similar solutions can be found.”

According to the co-op’s website, “Building on the work of the Fifeville Neighborhood Association’s six-month Cherry Avenue Grocery Community Engagement process in 2024, a multi-racial, multi-generational group of community members from across the City came together to form the Charlottesville Food Co-op Steering Committee in January 2025.”

Their stated intent is “to open a small, full-service, community-owned grocery store (also known as a “food co-op”) in the 501 Cherry Avenue development, the same location as the former Estes IGA, which served the Fifeville neighborhood for decades.”

The co-op was chosen in May 2025 by Woodard Properties, Piedmont Housing Alliance, and the Fifeville Neighborhood Association to work the grocery store development which was a stipulation that helped toward City Council’s approval of the project zoning.

According to the release, “The Seven Roots process included a thorough review of a general market study and the financial pro-forma, as well as the current site plans. Additionally, their team met with BRW Architects, the firm contracted by Woodard Properties to create the architectural drawings for the 501 Cherry Avenue development. Their conclusion was clear: the current design plans for the site are not appropriate to support a successful grocery store operation.”

“The primary issues identified in the Seven Roots report relate to (1) delivery access and (2) waste removal, two non-negotiable operational requirements for any grocery store. The current site design does not provide a viable, dedicated area for semi-trucks to unload and deliver products. Furthermore, the tight turns and steep grade of the proposed site plan’s egress do not allow a large truck to move through and out of the site. The site as planned also does not include a dedicated trash area for the store – an industry standard – to accommodate pallets and other large trash and recycling items. The two suggested trash locations on the site are both shared with residents.”

The co-op has reached out to the project developers, architects, and engineers to assess options for major changes to the current project design.

The city also has committed some money toward the project in the form of a $3.85 million forgivable loan, as well as $700,000 to retrograde the commercial space in the property for grocery store preparation.