Vultures at former White House Gardens building | Photos by Jennifer Spence

May 3. Dave Vieser. There’s been a big change in the scenery on West Catawba: Clearing is just about completed on what’s known as the Junker project—a multi-family development whose approval shook local politics back in 2021.

Left standing at the moment is the former White House Gardens building, complete with vultures.

The old house will be gone soon. In its place: 195 residential units, which will take several years to build.

Background

The project was originally proposed by developer Jake Palillo. Shortly after the rezoning was approved in September 2021, the project was taken over by Jamie Rolewicz/West Catawba Properties, which consists of Legacy Pointe Properties, LLC, as well as New Castle Development Group (an apartment developer from Charlottesville, Va.) Rolewicz is well-known for the Hyde Park commercial development on Bailey Road and the Watermark luxury condominiums to the east on West Catawba.

Election issue

The original project was approved in June 2021, but not before some residents voiced their opposition to the project. The final vote on the project was 4-1, with only Commissioner Denis Bilodeau opposed.

Three commissioners who voted for the project—Tricia Sisson, Thurman Ross and Michael Miltich—lost their re-election bids five months later in November 2021. Bilodeau won in 2021, but very narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2023.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for a new name for this project which the owners promised a few months ago.