The walls on the Garage go up, up, up

The Garage, Charlottesville's tiniest all-purpose venue, was the victim of a car smashing through its walls in September from the Hill and Wood Funeral Service parking lot. The errant elderly driver left a gaping hole when she plowed through the south wall, and the crash caused the north wall of the early 20th-century structure to bulge. Not only that, but the structure has double brick walls, so four walls need to be replaced, says David Mawyer with Foxfire Construction.

While the Christ Episcopal Church-owned Garage is being rebuilt, Sam Bush, the musician responsible for turning it into an arts space, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $10,000 for upgrades in lighting, sound, flooring and more. The fundraising began December 28, and fewer than two weeks later, 144 people had donated over $8,900. The campaign runs through January 18, and the donations will only be redeemed if the $10,000 goal is met by the deadline.

"We're thrilled about the support," says Bush. "It's hard to gauge how much impact the Garage has had over the years. This whole campaign seems celebratory. It's really encouraging that we've raised so much so quickly."