For decades, Charlottesville’s connective transformations along the riverfront and Downtown Mall Historic District were driven by Satyendra Huja, the city’s former mayor and longtime director of planning and community development.
Huja, who pushed for creative infrastructure solutions in Charlottesville, died Feb. 14 at the age of 83.
Born in 1942 in Kohat, India — now a part of Pakistan — Huja immigrated to the U.S. with his family in the 1960s. A graduate of Cornell University and Michigan State University, Huja served as deputy director of planning and chief planner for the City of Portsmouth before coming to Charlottesville in 1973. While in Hampton Roads, Huja helped complete the Portsmouth Marine Terminal.
The Daily Progress recently republished a portion of a 2004 Huja interview, where he discussed a 1970s-era conversation with then–City Manager Cole Hendrix.
"Are you sure that your Council can deal with a guy with a turban, a beard and an accent?" Huja recalled asking Hendrix.
Three years after coming to Charlottesville, the city completed the project that would become linked with Huja: transforming an eight-block downtown stretch of Main Street from a car-filled roadway into a walkable promenade.
In the 1990s, some residents were pushing city leaders to tear out the pedestrian strip — as many other cities had already done with pedestrian-only streets — but Huja held firm. Now, the Downtown Mall Historic District set to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Huja also played a key role in the revitalization of several other parts of the city, including Historic Court Square, University Corner and Starr Hill — one of Charlottesville’s historically Black neighborhoods.
After more than 30 years as a city planner, Huja won two terms on Charlottesville’s City Council, earning the most votes of any candidate in both 2007 and 2011. He was chosen by his fellow councilors to succeed Dave Norris as mayor in 2012, making him the first Indian Sikh to lead an American city.
In office, Huja advocated for affordable and inclusive housing for the elderly, people with disabilities and those living in poverty. He also supported Meals on Wheels, the Alliance for Interfaith Ministry and several arts programs.
Huja is survived by his wife of 20 years, as well as two sons. A celebration of life service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Charlottesville.
