The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - Since '18, ACPS Student Enrollment Up 49, Staff Up 284; Most Significant Storyline From ACPS Saga?

Episode Date: October 2, 2026

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Since 2018, ACPS Student Enrollment Up 49, Staff Up 284 What Is The Most Significant Storyline From ACPS Saga? How Does Albemarle Regain Its Trust In AlbCo Schools? Is Dewberry Hotel Under Contract Top RE Story Of Year? Is A New Restaurant Best Use Of Dewberry Ground Level? $35 Million Mount Ida Reserve Hits Albemarle Co Market Will Virginia Beat Florida State In Tallahassee? Do You Need To Rent Office Space? Contact Jerry Miller Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Welcome to the I Love Seville Show, guys. It's the Friday edition of the show. Good afternoon to you, and thank you kindly for joining us. This is the last piece of content for the week. It's been a busy week for the I Love Seville Network, and we appreciate you watching and listening to the show. If you could do us the favor, please hammer that like button if you're watching on Facebook. Better yet, share the show, click the share button and share it to your friends.

That's how we spread the gospel. That's how we get the word out for the I Love Seville Network. That's the only thing we ask of you. the viewer and listener when it comes to this program. It's free for you to enjoy. It's a hell of a lot of work for our team. Significant hours going to this show. And the only thing we ask with this program is you help us spread the work. That's it. Today's program is a good one. It's got a good mix of real estate and a good mix of schools and a good mix of business and a good mix of sports as we try to give you the water cooler of content and conversation in Charlottesville and across central Virginia.

This was an interesting tidbit sent to us by Philip Reese during this morning's talk show. We had Neil Williamson on Real Talk with Keith Smith. He's the president of the Free Enterprise Forum. Alamara County Public Schools student enrollment is up 49 kids since 2018. In that same period of time, staff, the count of staff, is up 284 paid employees. We're going to try to unpack that on the program today. In eight years, the enrollment of kids at Al Morrow County and its public school system is up 49 students. and in that same eight-year period of time, the uptick and paid staff is 284. Goodness gracious.

I'm going to try to unpack what's the most significant storyline from this Alborough County saga. The saga continues, and as the world turns, Victor Newman and Cricket and Jack Ryan. Those are two actual soap operas. That's the young and the restless, and as the world turns. This saga, Almore County Public Schools, and I should not joke about this because the saga is very real, is unfortunately much more Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210 meets Law & Order and Jack McCoy and Letty Briscoe and much less, you know, reading Rainbow and Dora the Explorer and Dora and and Mr. Rogers and leave it to Beaver and step by step and family matters. And I think we all would prefer the ACPS storyline, the Alamara County Public Schools storyline, to be Steve Urkel and Carl Winslow and Larry and Balkie and rainbows and sunshine,

then Jack McCoy and Lenny Briscoe and Dylan McKay and Valerie Malone. but here we are. So we're going to try to unpack the most significant storyline and maybe rank them for you. The most recent one is Jim Dillon Beck's shocking, surprising, Ryo District Town Hall where he threw his colleagues, his fellow school board members under the bus, where he basically encouraged an Almaro County public school employee that's been put on paid administrative leave to lawyer the F-Up and to sue the school. system where he calls the Outmore County Public School system one that's in absolute crisis right now. I've never seen frankness and transparency like we saw from Dillonback a couple of days ago. And props to Dillon back. I wish most of our leaders spoke this frankly.

And remember, this time last week, Sally Duncan was on record talking about a whisper network of moms in Almero County, alleging more cover-up and corruption within Al-Moral County and demanding that Al-Morough County and its public school system author a truly independent third-party investigation, and she's one of six people that control the purse strings for the school system. So we'll talk about that today. Eventually, we need to ask this question, and this is one that hits close to home for everyone. When does the saga and soap opera of Almaro County Public Schools start impacting real estate values in Almaro County? And that pains me to say that. But there's three criteria that really influence what folks are doing when buying real estate. Criteria number one is,

seems pretty clear to me, can I afford the monthly payment? Can I afford the mortgage? Criteria number two, they're buying houses because of schools, because their kids are going to get educated there. And criteria number three is probably tied to how far is the commute from our job. Then you get criteria of four, five, six, and seven where it's, you know, finishes and fixtures and open layout and primaries on the primary level and the first level or backyards and white picket fences. swimming pools and and amenities and and neighborhoods and and and associations and community. But folks are buying and sell in real estate, certainly buying, tied to what can they afford, what school system is it in, and how close is it to my work. And if criteria number two is the integrity or credibility or viability or legitimacy of the school

system, that's criteria number two for buying. When do we start talking the impact it has on? real estate values, this saga and this crisis, as Dylan Beck put it. That topic on the show today will also discuss on the program, the Dewberry Hotel. We broke that news on this network, proud to break that news on this network. The Dewberry is a monument is a significant story, monumental story. Are we talking, viewers and listeners that are watching and listening in the show? Is this the most significant story, real estate wise, of calendar year 2026. Is this the most significant story, real estate wise, post-COVID?

Is this the most significant story, real estate wise, over the last five years, 10 years? Where does it stack up? That topic on today's show. We're also going to talk Mount Ida Reserve, a $35 million asking price for Mount Ida Reserve in southern Almaro County, the former estate of billionaire Bernard Arnault. And Bernard Arnault, I'm probably butchering his last name, as I butcher most people's last names, frankly, is a French businessman, best known as the longtime chairman and CEO of LVMH. This is the Louis Vuitton brand and holding company,

the world's largest luxury goods group. He took control of LVMH in 1990. 1989, and he has built it into a global luxury powerhouse through acquisitions, brand development, and long-term investment. Many of the brands in the LVMH portfolio, you know, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Tiffany and Co, Sephora, and tag, just to name a few. His, I think it's part of his estate. I think there's other aspects to this estate that are not listed with this because the price tag is so high.

Mount Ida Reserve has an asking price of $35 million. We'll show some photos on this internationally listed opportunity. It is right in the middle of Monticello, Ashlawn, Blenham Vineyards, Grace Vineyards, Early Mountain Vineyards. has, goodness gracious, you know, you got manor home, you got an event venue, you got a full service restaurant, you got obscene amount of acreage. I mean, the acreage alone is absolutely ridiculous. We'll talk about that on the program today. Thirty-five million dollars asking price of Mount Ida Reserve, 1,850 acres along The Blenham Corridor.

Absolutely unbelievable. When 1,850 acres in Almore County hit the market for $35 million, that's a story. And I would imagine after today's program, Legacy Media is going to be reporting about this as well. And finally, the last topic we're going to cover on the program today is that UVA Florida State matchup. That is what, on Saturday in Tallahassee, a lot on the show. We'll give some attention to Snow's Outdoor Living, Corbin Snow. and Trevor Chandler and Snow's Outdoor Living. Snow's Outdoor Living is who you contact for anything

hardscape and landscape related. They have been in business for 114 years, snows. 114 years for Corbyn's team. And if you need anything, hardscape, landscape, fire pits, retaining walls, seating walls, outdoor patio. You call Corbin and you call snows. We're doing it at our house, a 275 square foot custom patio, fire pit, seating wall, white hydranias, artificial turf on one side, then freshly

laid sod on the other. It's going to be something I think that's going to be an outdoor oasis that my wife and I and our two sons will enjoy for decades to come. Judah Wickhauer's studio camera, Judah Wickhauer, two-shot with thousands of people watching and listening to what we have to say today. The headline that you find most intriguing today and why, Judah Wickhauer. I think the headline about the number of students and the number of administrative staff is a bit crazy. I think it bears asking the question, what's all the staff for? Is there a good reason for it, or is it just bloat? Talk about that on the show today.

I did see the notification, Carol Thorpe, from about an hour ago, about a bomb threat at Charlottesville High School. I am aware that Charlottesville Police Department is on location. Our studio here on Market Street sits 200 yards from the police station. And less than an hour ago, we saw easily a dozen police cruisers storming down Market Street to Charlottesville High School. Am I right to say, viewers and listeners, that students are not in attendance today at CHS? Is it a teacher workday, viewers and listeners,

at Charlottesville High School? Put it in the feed. I was told it was, but I have not personally confirmed that. I can confirm that the police are on location for a bomb threat that's going on. So a bomb threat, yeah, it is a teacher work day. I just got that notification. A bomb threat at Charlottesville High School on a teacher workday.

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire. Thank you, Patrick McAdams. No school today. Patrick Vic Adams has a kid at Charlottesville Public Schools' parent-teacher conferences. Thank you, sir. All right, Judah Wickauer. Let's lead with the tidbit we got, the factoid we've. got from Philip Reese, the lower third on screen. This was a text message sent to me during

real talk with Keith Smith. Neil Williamson filled in for Keith Smith this morning. The show was absolutely fantastic. Since 2018, Almaro County Public Schools have watched as their student enrollment has uptick only 49 students while their staff headcount has popped 284 paid people. With some words of caution off air from Neil Williamson after Real Talk with Keith Smith this morning as he was leading the studio, he indicated, I would like some more information on why staff has uptick at such an aggressive clip compared to the student body uptick. and an extremely nominal clip because he's not quick to say it's paid employees in the teacher lounge enjoying bonbons while being paid by taxpayers. And with that word of caution from a man, Neil Williamson, that I have tremendous respect for, I will heed his advice while offering my commentary on the show today.

and I will temper my commentary by saying, as taxpayers and as voters and as parents, we should certainly ask why the head count at ACPS is aggressively up while the student body count is flat in an eight-year period of time. It reminds me of the University of Virginia and some of the bloat on its payroll. Some of that bloat tied, for example, to deans and assistant deans and in middle. administrators, paid employees at the University of Virginia that are certainly driving up the cost of in-state and out-of-state tuition. The cost to attend the University of Virginia, whether in-state or out-of-state, is now a cost that, frankly, can really be associated or covered or managed by families of tremendous means and wealth. That's why you look at the University of Virginia and you're like, why are all these luxury automobiles here?

Why is there very little diversity at the university with its student body? Why so homogenous with its look? How are these students able to afford these luxury student apartments that are coming on the market at a $2,000 a month clip or more? And what's the impact it's having on the Charlottesville community? You can make a correlation. It's not the driving factor, but you could certainly make a correlation that as the University of Virginia has hired more employees,

employees that are paid extremely well, those employees, ladies and gentlemen, are driving up the cost to attend, and as the cost to attend is increased, the students that are enrolling or the University of Virginia are the ones that can afford it, and the ones that can afford it

are from the top 10% or so of the wealth spectrum, and as the top 10% of the wealth spectrum comes to the University of Virginia for four years of glory, for four years of fun, this right of passage into adulthood, they are making the immediate cost, of living in Charlottesville and Amar County more expensive for all of us, while also driving the cost of living at a greater clip down the road as these students, some of the smartest in the

world, get a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world and then wax nostalgic of their four years in Charlottesville where they had the best times of their lives and decide to either stay here in Charlottesville or eventually come back, work remote, work hybrid, work from an ISP, and take a big city salary and live here in Charlottesville. or start businesses here in Charlottesville. I'm a perfect example of that. I'm a perfect example of that. UVA educated, stayed in Charlottesville,

launched a business more than 18 years ago because my time in Charlottesville at UVA was so absolutely fantastic and memorable and impactful at this period of my life 18 to 22 when I was incredibly impressionable. is a similar phenomenon happening at ACPS? Are we having ridiculous bloat at ACPS with payroll? Is that why the cost to educate these kids on average per pupil?

Is that peak levels of the Commonwealth? I mean, you compare and contrast the metric how much it costs to educate a student within, that's attending Almore County Public Schools. that cost per pupil on a yearly basis is literally at the upper, upper, upper top echelon of any school system in the Commonwealth. We should ask and demand more answers. Why is this metric? And then Judah jump in.

Viewers and listeners jump in and offer your perspective, please. And thank you to Philip Reese. Tip at the cap to Philip Reese for this factoid. Since 2018 at Almore County Public Schools, student enrollment is up for. 49 kids. It's flat. However, staff in that eight-year period of time, the same eight years, has jumped 284 paid people. Judah, the show is yours. I mean, you could maybe explain some of that away, but at five times the number, it seems I'd be hard-pressed to think it's normal to gain five staff for every student. But yeah, we need a better explanation.

You know, that's eight years. And it just seems like if you needed that much new staff to do the job correctly in the schools, then something was clearly going wrong before. and if you don't need all those staff to do the job correctly, then why are we hiring them and why are we spending all this money on people in the school system that we don't need? Keep going. Keep going. You're on it. Especially when we're having problems with the people that, like,

how many people are, how much, how much, how much are these people, how much are these people being watched? We know that, for instance, Sweeney allegedly, had his own basement office. And... At an office in the library, in the corner of the library at Hollimede Elementary, off the beaten path where he was able to unfortunately create a child sex dungeon

where he committed the most decrepit and disgusting of acts while kids were at school as parents thought their children were safe. a social, emotional learning coach, allegedly, that committed behavior with the most vulnerable students. He was provided a list as a social and emotional learning coach of the most vulnerable kids at the elementary school. Yeah. And I hate to say it, but where there's one, where there's one that nobody was watching, that the most they could do was ask him not to cover his window.

or lock his door, do we point to the 15 people who are out of the school system right now, who are on leave? Double secret probation, 15 employees in the last 30 days put on paid administrative leave, according to Jim Dillon Beck. Rotate headlines 1, 2, and 3 throughout this segment of the show, if you could, please, sir. Here's how I'm going to try to frame this. I'm not going to frame the 284 as all classroom teachers. Almar County Public Schools currently categorizes 2,821 employees as 1,395 being teachers or related instruction professionals.

1,302 are classified as staff, 75 are school-based leaders, and 49 are Central Services leaders or other administrators. So that gives us this on-air question. Where did those 284 additional positions go? Was it classrooms? Was it special education? Was it counselors? Was it transportation? Was it administrators?

Was it central office? And why I'm asking that question is if it's 284 additional employees that go to making class sizes smaller as teachers, 284 additional employees that are teachers, that make class sizes smaller, which makes learning more approachable, more digestible for kids, then let's give some props.

Let's give some love and some kudos. But of those 284, if we see this as high dollar admins or leaders or central office employees, then that's bloat right there. And that's something that should be discussed and highlighted.

Especially since we're funding this. We're in a county that is roughly $750 million the cost to operate the county. County, three quarters of a billion dollars. And of that three quarters of a billion dollars, the number one light item is schools. More than half is schools, ladies and gentlemen. And it's the same system, the same leadership outfit that is now pushing a referendum that's on the ballot the first Tuesday in November. I want, they want, not me, good, good gracious, not me. They want a 1%

sales tax increase to fund capital improvement at schools. So I need to understand something. And I want you, the viewer and listener, to understand this or help me understand this. Maybe we could try to digest this or figure it out together, viewers and listeners. Let me understand something. From 2018 to 2026 in the last eight years, student enrollment is flat, up only 49 kids. yet the school board is pushing a 1% sales tax increase for capital improvement spend, including potentially a new high school in the northern feeder pattern of Almaro County.

Welding Cooper, statisticians, demographers, they're crystal balling, and they are professionals paid to do this. So when they offer predictions statistically, I listen closely, their data suggests that public schools locally, the enrollment's going to fall. There's a disconnect that's happening here. Elected officials are pushing a 1% sales tax increase. They want you to vote to approve it. And they say, we need this for CAPACs for schools.

But at the same time, the data suggests that enrollment over the last eight years is flat. an enrollment in the very near future will diminish. It's not, the math ain't mathen. Right. And the problem is you don't get that money back once you give it to them. And the main problem is you seem to have bozos running the school system. How do you trust them to do well with the incremental money? Right.

I think that's the biggest question because this whole thing, has been about trust. And that leads us to the next question, what is the biggest storyline of this saga or soap opera? I mean, obviously, I think the biggest storyline unfortunately of this saga or soap opera is the Mike Sweeney guy

that's in the slammer for the alleged assaults on children. That's the, unfortunately, but what happened two days ago when Jim Dillonback calls a town hall and at this town hall, he says we're in a school system or a school system that's in

crisis. We're at the point right now where 15 administrators have been put on paid leave and we're running out of bodies to fill this spot where he says I'm going to throw my school board members under the bus by having this town hall and speaking transparently when they don't want us to do that but to hell with them. And when he says that some of these staffers that have been put on paid administrative leave, double secret probation, should lawyer up and sue the school system, Like, I'm not knocking Dylan Beck for this. Dylan Beck should have done this long ago because that's what he platforming and campaigned upon.

I'm going to give him props for finally doing it. But it puts into perspective how grave the scenario is right now. And that leads me to ask the next question, does this start impacting values? Folks, it's no secret. Crozet, a perfect example, Crozé. its population, its population growth was driven by

Western Amaral High School, Henley Middle School, Brownsville, Elementary, Crozee Elementary, Murray, Ivy. Folks, the Ivy Corridor is probably the most expensive corridor and the entire region,

the Ivy Quarter. And why it's the most expensive corridor and the entire region is a number of reasons. One of them without question, probably at top of the list, is Mary Weather Lewis Elementary and Murray Elementary. Mary Weather Lewis is now Ivy Elementary and Murray Elementary.

Second, the proximity to jobs and employment, the bypass in the interstate, very close. Third, the proximity to amenities and clubs, Borset, Farmington, Greencroft, and four, its central location between Charlottesville and Crozay. Also, bigger lot sizes, safety and security, historically. When does the question start asking if these schools become one that are dropping in headcount enrollment, which means less state funding. Funding from the feds in the state is tied to headcount. If enrollment drops, state and fed funding drops. Number one. Number two, leadership malpractice and malfeasance.

Obviously this is happening. number three, child safety is put into question. Number four, school transportation is continuing to plague the system. Bus drivers, maintaining them, filling the spots, getting schools, getting kids too in school on time, safely on time. There was a brawl on a bus outside Journey Middle School this week where the cops had to pull the bus over and investigate the police. The performance academically, look at the numbers. post-COVID, what's going on with SOLs, with learning. Yeah.

And frankly, we asked the question, is the saga and soap opera post-COVID going to lead the great migration out of ACPS? And if that great migration does materialize, are we looking at the gentrification of education with the former gold star of the Commonwealth? Questions, comments, put them in the feed, as we give some attention to Charlottesville Sanitary Supply,

Charlottesville Swimming Pool Company, and Virginia Vacuum Company. These are brands in the Vermilion family of companies. Mila vacuums is what you guys should be focused on now. If you don't have a meala at your home, then you're not really getting your home to the level of cleanliness. It should be. It's the best vacuum on the market. And the only authorized dealer is,

and Andrew Vermillion at Charlottesville Sanitary Supply and their sister company, Virginia vacuum company. They warranty them. They have a mechanic on site should something happen. And they got a fantastic stock of them where you can touch them and feel them and turn them on. On East High Street, John and Andrew Vermillion, A-plus honest guys. Let's go to Hank Martin. Let's talk numbers. He says, how does any institution, private or public,

justify a 479% staffing increase when your customer base increased by less than 50 people. Again, until such time as the books are truly made transparent, I steadfastly believe that it's to provide a financial structure in which to camouflage non-disclosure agreements, cover-ups, and institutional protection. Logan Wells Claylow asked what's going on at Charlottesville High School. Unfortunately, there's been a bomb threat, and we watched probably a dozen of Charlottesville finest steam storm past our studio here on Market Street with sirens a blazon and now they're at CHS investigating what is a bomb threat and we pray literally on the show please

god let this be nothing but a threat and not actual danger please sir and please whoever called into this threat let's figure out who it was and let's enforce the letter of the law because these These threats are becoming entirely too common practice. And a dozen cars stored by our studio of the police variety to Charlottesville High School to investigate. That's tremendous resources allocated. Philip Dow speaks to the Milla vacuum value. I have one of their vacuums from Charlottesville Santeria Supply, Philip Dow.

I'm glad you bought it there. They are the best of the best, the Vermilience. Judah Wickhauer, anything you want to add. Yeah, sadly I would say that I think despite Sweeney, despite the enormity of the allegations against him, I think the scariest part for me is just the fact that finding out what he was doing or allegedly doing and now having 15. principals and teachers and workers in the school system, given paid time off, for me, that opens up a gulf of questions about if, again, if Sweeney was allegedly doing this, then how many others are there? if Sweeney was moved from Woodbrook to Holly Mead

because he could not get along with another staffer at Woodbrook Elementary. Dylan Beck talked about this and he talked about a teacher moved from Henley to Beaufort. What did he call it?

I found the term so fascinating. I'll find it. Keep your commentary going. It was junk something, I think. No, I think you're exactly right. It was such a fascinating, like, term I had never heard before. Do you have it in front of you? Yeah, give me just a second.

He called it. I think it was junk something. It wasn't junk. Let's see. Oh, almost got it. Trash transfer. Yeah. He said the staffers that are transferred from school to school within the system because of some issue. How did he describe the issues? He said, I can call it. them trash transfers. Yeah. There's a term coming up recently, trash transfer. Along the lines of somebody does something inappropriate, one school, you transfer them to another school. And he goes on and says, I can tell you, I can tell you, there is a staff member at Burley right now who demonstrated

some inappropriate behavior with the staff at Henley last year. And he's now at Burley. Yeah, like, that is shady. He's like, this guy or gal did something wrong. at Henley. And how we decided to solve the problem is to put him at Burley. This reminds me of like the Catholic priests that did awful, awful, awful things with kids. And then we're just transferred to a different diocese.

And it makes me wonder if the, uh, the official story, the official story about Sweeney being transferred because he didn't get along with someone is just a made up cover. so that nobody goes looking for more information. I mean, it's a horrifying thought. Conan Owen is watching the program, the owner of Sir Speedy Central Virginia. Conan and Sir Speedy of Central Virginia are who we count on for our tenant portfolio.

We have 24 doors, and Conan is who we count on for our firm, our consultancy that's helping businesses gain market share through strategies, whether it's branding, whether it's advertising, whether it's real estate acquisition, real estate leasing, some kind of capital raise. That's what we help businesses do.

We help them gain market share through solutions like capital raising, through acquisitions of other businesses, through real estate opportunities, through optimizing their brand placement. We suggest our clients work with Conan, and he's done fantastic by so many of them. He's a Darden graduate. It's got a fantastic head for business. And, you know, a lot of people don't know this. Hispanic, it's minority-owned Conan.

Support the businesses that make this community better. The Sir Speedy's got 35 years of franchise history in Charlottesville. Four of those 35 years, Conan has owned the franchise. Four of 35. The month of September was the top-producing revenue month, and it's 35-year history. Yeah. Think about that, folks.

He's got this comment. Almaro County Public Schools is bloated with non-teaching staff. It's what bureaucracies do. But I find it hard to believe ACPS enrollment has only grown 49 students in eight years. I don't believe every COVID transplant family set their kids to private school. I can't believe all the new UVA hospital and bureaucracy growth sends their kids to private school. Well, unfortunately, that's the case. I mean, our family's doing it.

All right. Next topic. What do you got it? a 112 marker Judah Wickhauer. We've got Dewberry. Another story of the year. We broke the story of the

DuBerry Hotel and the fact that it's under contract, the Dewberry. $9 million contract price. It's under contract it has not closed. There's a huge distinction there. They are trying to close the deal before the end of the year. Under contract,

not closed. Under contract, not closed. still, it's fascinating what's happening here. A group of people with tremendous experience are structuring a deal that's going to have a budget of $42 million. The acquisition has got tremendous opportunity, and as a result, a $9.2 million assessed piece of property, the Dewberry on the downtown mall, is under contract for $9 million. The buying group values the steel structure, steel and concrete structure at $5 million, which they anticipate gives them a head start on development. Because they're putting an actual value of $5 million on the steel

and the concrete structure in their pro forma, which I have, and in their pitch deck, which I have, which is now circulating with the heaviest of heavy hitters, my instinct suggests that this group has done the due diligence of structural integrity with professionals, with that steel and concrete shell because you don't put a value on that in your pro forma or your pitch deck and send it to people like me and the other people that are looking over it now without doing your homework because that'll make you look bad. So let's say it has a $5 million value. They're saying get it under for nine. It's assessed at 9 to and change. You're buying below assessment and you have the upside of the concrete and steel structure. Then we raise $15.5 million. We passed the

hat with Charlottesville's 1% community, and we do a $15.5 million capital raise, and we position it in a way that anyone who owns buildings or real estate on or around or near the Dewberry Hotel, the return on investment, their value, their building appreciation will uptick, and will also promise them some kind of phenomenal return on their money if they invests in the project. I think that makes sense. Once they get the $15.5 million, they're pegging the total project to be at about $42 million, and that $42 million is going to get you 98 apartments that are not big. 98 apartments that are either studio apartments or junior one-bedroom apartments.

We're talking apartments with the studios that are roughly 400 or so square feet, and the junior one-bedrooms that are roughly 500 or so square feet. These apartments are going to lease for 2,000 a month or more. 10% of the 98 or about 9 of them are going to be allocated for area median income at 60% AMI. 60% AMI is about $80,000 or so. Let's take the median family household income area for according to HUD times it by 0.6. You get 84K. So that could be a couple in a studio or a couple in a junior one bedroom where they got a combined income of 84K.

A couple can do that. Okay. So, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to ask you this. Is this the most significant real estate story of 2026? Is this the most significant real estate story of the last five years? Is this the most significant real estate story of the last 10 years? Is this the most significant real estate story of the last generation? The Dewberry has been around.

a generation. Yeah. And it's plagued and haunted the downtown mall, the most important eight blocks in the region period, bar none. Mm-hmm. And there's been a lot of significant real estate stories. A lot of significant real estate stories, right? Mm-hmm.

There's real estate stories like Cav crossing purchased by an out of Northern Virginia real estate investment trust. The apartment complex that was $500 a real estate investment. that they're now luxury renting at four times that price point right over the city line in the urban ring down Fifth Street extended. There's the Carlton Mobile Home Joint Venture with Habitat for Humanity and Piedmont Housing Alliance that was funded by loans from taxpayers in the city. There's the development at Kim's Market on Cherry Avenue,

initially led by Woodard properties in conjunction with PHA, that has now been dumped and all-floor. voted onto PHA. There's the Carlton Mobile Home Park, again with PHA. What's the Hispanic community that was down Fifth Street extended that you could see from Mosby Mountain and Mountain Valley Farm that they've completely remodeled, Premont Housing Alliance?

This is across the street from your parents. I should know this. What was the name of that? Southwood. Southwood. The redevelopment of Southwood is one of the most significant real estate projects this community has seen in the last generation. Without question, one of the most significant projects.

The last generation, I mean, heck, that includes old trail. Yeah. The development of old trail. A farm once owned by the Jessup's, the Jessup family of Pepsi Cola, Central Virginia bottling fame. Old trails in that mix. I mean, when you're enjoying your cocktails and your charcutories and while watching college football this weekend and you need some talking points. You're sitting there and you're

mixing and mingling with people and you're drinking your IPAs or you're drinking your old fashion or or you're drinking your Bloody Mary or your mimosa while eating your Italian meats, your pursuit and maybe some Gouda and maybe some Brits crackers or you're having a spread from foods of all nations and you got the TV set up and the patio and and your homies are wearing their rowbacks and the ladies are wearing their sundresses and the bambinos are playing somewhere in the backyard while the dads are talking about something and watching college football as the moms are mixing and mingling i mean that's this weekend and you need a talking point you could ask is the dupary development under contract this project your most significant story in the last generation

and that leads me while i ask you that question and search for an answer from you the thousands that are watching. It leads me to ask this question. Speaking of this development project, is the best use of the ground level at the Dewberry a restaurant? That's the plan for now. The plan is a restaurant at ground level. The plan is 98 apartments. The plan is an incubator. The plan is co-working. The plan is subsidized parking in the water street garage. frozen real estate for 10 years, frozen real estate taxes for 10 years, JV done with the city. But that ground level is the best use of this project a restaurant on ground level. Does it need another restaurant in the downtown mall?

Are the restaurants on the mall right now already economically fragile? Is there a need for this or is there a better use than restaurant? I'll ask the viewers and listeners that comment. Conan says, Hotel restaurants are hit or miss, the Kempton does it right. They have a separate restaurant division that are chef driven.

Most good hotel eateries are partnerships with third parties, Ruth Chris, affiliate running the Doyle outlets, Mary Gold at Keswick, Ridley at draftsman. Very important point of clarification I'm going to make with that comment with Conan. This is not a hotel plan for the Dewberry.

It's 98 apartments above the Dewberry, above the restaurant, not a hotel. John Blair says, an interesting note to your question about the Dewberry and Lynchburg, the Craddictary Hotel downtown, very nice, is closing its restaurant and expanding its number of rooms. Here's a link to the article. Thank you for sharing that, John Blair. I've enjoyed seeing your family this week as well. There's very few, they're talking about hotels and restaurants. There's very few hotels that have restaurants on site that are worth a damn.

There's very few. The mill room, I think, does a good job at the Borset. And I think Marygold does a good job at Keswick. But there's very few. I like the good sport at the Kempton Hotel. I like that one. But there's very few. Viewers and listeners, what are your thoughts?

feed and I will relay them live on air. Judah, your thoughts. Restaurant, best use for ground level there? Whether it's best use, I think it's probably the best fit. I'm not sure what else you could really fit in there and make it, I don't know, make it natural. I mean, when you put a clothing store, I don't see a lot of people coming to the downtown mall to go clothing shopping. I mean, you could ask, is it best to take that ground level and make it like guarded apartments? Ground level apartments.

Like obviously folks are concerned about having ground level apartments for safety and security, but that could be one use. Adding more apartments and because they're at ground level, it's going to have a more affordable price tag. My point is this. Another restaurant on the mall at a time economically with many of the restaurants on the mall are fragile, seems curious to me. Is the restaurant in some ways a lost leader to drive leasing for the apartments?

Could be. Is that the play? A lot of these hotel properties, especially the four and five star ones, these resorts, these hotels, the revenue driver is room occupancy. And these amenities associated with these hotel properties and these resort properties

are almost in some ways marketing mechanisms to drive room occupancy. Like the pools and the fitness and the workouts and the experiential, the restaurants, the bars, the golf courses, the, the, the, the rackets are ways to secure branding notoriety. And the branding notoriety, four and five star, drives a higher price point to lease the rooms. I want to give some attention on the talk show to Stanley Martin Holmes. We're going to have some of the folks at Stanley Martin on the show next week to talk about the projects that are going on locally.

And I mean, it's incredibly impressive and almost astonishing how much development Stanley Martin is doing locally. In the last two years, they've done more than 600 homes in central Virginia. And in the couple of years to come, hundreds of homes in Green County. 80 homes outside Glenmore and Breezy Hill, nearly 50 homes in Fry Springs. This is the most significant developer and builder locally. Stanley Martin Holmes.

And they're doing innovative homes. They're doing homes based on a proven track record, and they're building them in conjunction with their customers and clients in communicative capacities where timelines are set and benchmarks are hit, and they do it in trustworthy ways. Sometimes with financing, offered to clients, Stanley Martin Holmes. Next headline, what do you got you at Wickhauer?

Next up, we have the Mount Ida Reserve. I found this intriguing. It's not every day you see a $35 million piece of property hit the market. We have some photos that we can put on screen. Does the lower third that you're putting on screen give photo credit? Yeah. And you're giving photo credit to whom? Let's see, we've got Coldwell Banker. real estate. I would adjust that to,

yeah, chain, put that lower third as well as a Facebook message it to you to this as well. Check your Facebook messages and then rotate these two lower thirds on screen as photo credit as well.

That's on your Facebook messenger. I'm going to highlight a couple of points here with this piece of property. First, it's $35 million. Second, it's 1,850 acres along Blenham Road. It's Mount Ida Reserve at 5520 Moonlight Drive in southern Almaro. The property is being marketed as the former estate of Bernard Arnalt. And Bernard Arnault is the longtime chairman and CEO of the holding company, LVMH,

which owns the brands, owns some of the most, noteworthy luxury brands in the world, including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Tiffany and Co, tag. They also own Sephora. I mean, this guy is filthy rich. He's a billionaire. It's his estate, his former estate, and it's smack dab in the middle of Monticello, Ashlawn, by Blenham. Massive, 18,900 per acre, the list price. 18,900. 18,900. 18,000. $900 per acre. And that's simply on the advertised acreage and asking price. The question I'm asking is, why is another Al Morrow winery and event venue being

marketed for sale? I had a conversation this week with an Al Morrow winery and vineyard owner. And this individual made it very clear to me that the drinking population is way down, way down, as people are choosing to go sober. altogether or cali sober where it's just ganja and no booze. I mean, is this another indicator of headwinds? And what is the upside for this piece of property from a development standpoint? $35 million for $1,850 acres when you chop it down for price per acre,

it seems cheap. I mean, granted, the upfront money is expensive. $35 million divided by $1850 is $18,900 an acre. And this is some of the lush, most beautiful acreage in an aspect of Almaral County, southern Almaral that is right for upside in development. I found that intriguing. I wanted to pass it on to you, the viewer and listener. Scott Harris watching the program.

He's got a fantastic transportation service. Mount Ida was $75 million in 2022. source washington.com seems I remember it being 98 million when I started the wine tour seven years ago I also remember that Scott I think this is a chopped down version of that though I do remember that as well Scott I believe this is a chopped down version of it though an abbreviated chopped down version as they look to potentially make the price more affordable Philip Dowell the mayor Sconsville what about a farmer's market for the ground floor of the Newberry Hotel. That's an idea. I like how you're thinking, Philip Dow. I understand the restaurant's

important for driving leasing, but how will leasing be impacted if the restaurant after the novelty wears out struggles and closes? Like, look how long Commonwealth Skybar has been open. Look how long or vacant. Look how long draft tap room has been vacant. Look how long, what was the stupid name that Hunter came up with for that Belgian restaurant. Brasserie Cézanne. Brassery Cézanne. And then what was the name that Stefan Freibin gave it? You're talking about Bonnie and Reed?

Bonnie and Reed. That place has been vacant forever. Like forever. There's a handful of people that are doing restaurants and actually making money in this town. Like a handful of people that are doing restaurants and making like real money in this town.

Annie McClure is doing that and his group. Ryan Rudy is doing that. Coops, Trinity, Boylan, Fitzroy, and soon to open South Street Tavern coming in a few days it's going to open, the old South Street brewery location.

His Trinity location is the number one Budweiser account and the entire Commonwealth. He's making money. Kid Ashi's making money. With her Thai Empire. I'm talking real money here, folks, at

F&B. Tom Star Roger watching the program. When you demand your explanation but very suspect on the information you're given by Almar County Public Schools, there have been numerous people who are counted in the teacher pupil ratio, when in fact creative measures have for years been used to give false low numbers. There are many Sweeney positions in every school and growing. He's talking about the emotional and emotional, a social emotional learning coach. All right.

Get out of here at the 130 marker with the final. topic, Virginia. The University of Virginia folks has got Florida State tomorrow at 3.30 on ESPN2. Virginia continues to be a two and a half point favorite. The line open at one and a half. Now it's two and a half. Wow, I'm shocked by this. The over under at 51 and a half. Florida State is two and O and one in conference play and they're literally fighting to keep their coach's job and to maintain their push to bowl viability and eligibility. Philip Dow says tip-top restaurant is crushing it. Tip-top is crushing it, but not at the level when Terry, tip-top Terry was running it.

When tip-top Terry was running it, you were probably looking at a, I don't know, $6 million top-line restaurant, and there's very few that can. do that that are not outback or, what's the other one, everyone loves Texas Roadhouse or Starbucks or Chick-fil-A. If you discounted the outbacks, the Texas Roadhouses, the Chick-fil-A, and the Starbucks, you would have a very difficult time finding restaurants that are eclipsing $5 million in top-line revenue in a calendar year. Somebody would take the place if they were all gone, though. What's that? Something might take their place if they were all gone, though.

Something would take the place of what was all gone. No, if there were no Starbucks in town, some people wouldn't just be not buying coffee. Yeah, yeah. Something would pick up the slack. Right, but one of the reasons Starbucks does so much revenue, the product is good. Yeah. They have the drive-through component. Yeah.

They have the app and loyalty component. The app, the rewards program. and they have the brand recognition. Those elements drive top line revenue. Whoever took Starbucks's place would not have the same firepower and could not drive the top line revenue. That money would go somewhere,

but it would be splittered amongst the number of different coffee shops. It would be spread out. Just like Texas Roadhouse and Outback, those places closed down, people will still eat steaks, but you're not going to see a restaurant doing $5, 6, 7, 7, 8 million

in Topline. There's few that do that locally. Philip Dowell says Timberwood. I would doubt that Timberwood's at the 5 million clip. I would doubt that. All right, that's the talk show. I encourage you to subscribe to jerry rackliff.com.

$8 a month to get you the best Virginia sports content possible. I thank you for watching and listening to the show. I thank Judah. for being a part of the program. He does a good job. My name is Jerry Miller. His name is Judah Wickauer,

and you're watching and listening to the number one media platform in Charlottesville in Central Virginia. And, folks, it's not even close. This is The I Love Seville Show. Enjoy your weekend. Keep your money local in the community, your support local in this community.

And let's keep watching and listening to the program so we can figure out what's going on around here. So long, everybody.