Dairy Central Breaks Ground
Charlottesville Tomorrow
By Emily Hays
Developers, architects, builders and realtors scattered soil on Tuesday to begin construction of the first of three new buildings on Preston Avenue. The complex, known as Dairy Central, will include food stalls, restaurants, office space and 251 apartments.
The building was constructed in 1937 as a home for Monticello Dairy Inc, a local ice cream production company that had expanded into milk, cheese and butter. During the groundbreaking, developer Chris Henry said that he hoped to continue that history in Dairy Central.
“This remarkable facility was once the center of milk, cheese and ice cream production throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County — a true farm-to-table operation,” said Henry, who is the president of Stony Point Design/Build. “We are beyond excited to reinterpret this history through Dairy Market, a food hall and community gathering place that will inhabit the historic portions of the building standing today.”