The University of Virginia has started a two-step process that could eventually transfer a Charlottesville historic home and the 5-acre parcel surrounding it to the city’s school division, according to a Board of Visitors’ presentation.
The board voted Friday to lease the Oak Lawn property adjacent to Charlottesville Middle School to the school division for $1 annually, with the option to later hand over ownership. UVA Health acquired the historic property for $3.5 million when it went on the market in 2023 with designs on developing it into a neighborhood center and child care facility, but University leaders later decided it would have more value to the city school district.
The historic house traces its beginnings to a carpenter who also worked on Monticello, the Rotunda and some of the Lawn pavilions. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
“The Board of Visitors is pleased for this historic property to find its highest and best use,” Rector Rachel Sheridan said. “As we continue in partnership with the Charlottesville community, we are excited to see how the school system reimagines this property to benefit both the community and the city’s students.”
The tract is one of the largest remaining in the city. Carpenter James Dinsmore, who worked on Monticello, the Rotunda and some of the Lawn’s pavilions, designed and built the house for Col. Nimrod Bramham in 1822. James Fife, namesake of the city’s Fifeville neighborhood, bought the home in 1847. It remained in the Fife family until the University’s purchase.
“A strong partnership with Charlottesville schools benefits both the city and the University of Virginia,” UVA interim President Paul Mahoney said. “Many of our students have come from Charlottesville High School, and many of our student-teachers receive their valuable first experiences in city schools. It is in all of our interests to work together to build strong educational foundations.”
