Date: 1893-present
Location: 205 14th Street
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One of the early boarding establishments to serve students at the University of Virginia was aptly called the Blue Cottage, as it was lime-washed a light blue color. The building was situated in the area of what is today 205 14th St. Many University students roomed in this building, and at one time the University Jefferson Society established it as their place of residence and gathering. In his memoirs, R T W Duke Jr, a student at the University in the 1870s, recollects dining at Ambroselli’s on the Corner with his fraternity brothers when 14th St. was “non-est” (not yet established).
In 1894, several years after the Blue Cottage was demolished, Alexander N. Peyton built his home on this site. Peyton’s substantial Victorian-style house with a Second Empire mansard roof stood out prominently on 14th Street. The house soon housed U.Va. boarders, when Kate Grimes rented the house from Peyton in 1910 and furnished rooms and board to University students. She accomodated as many as 25 students and also provided dining to non-residents. The building served as a boarding house until it was converted to apartments in 1927.
In 1927 the house was divided into three separate, one-floor apartments and operated as Hillcrest Apartments. Hillcrest burned in 1985 and in 2001 Blue Cottage Realty constructed an eight-unit apartment building on the site. To accomodate a growing number of residents the house gained a series of additions at the rear, including second- and third-floor enlargements.