The mission of Refuel Irvington is to both be profitable and inspire guests long beyond their visit through thoughtful, human scale, living and social spaces. Refuel Irvington seeks to meet this dual goal by converting a formerly polluted “brownfield” site and transforming it into a vibrant community asset.
Albert C. Pollard, Jr. is non-profit consultant with a specialization of energy regulation in Virginia and wholesale markets in the PJM region. As a consultant, he draws on his experience as an entrepreneur, a former Virginia State Legislator and the former Director of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
He has long been captivated by the way the physical design of a space can impact the thoughts and feelings of those who occupy it. This, combined with a belief that our over consumption makes us less happy as Americans (along with already owning a few short-term rentals), inspired him to be the general contractor and build Refuel Irvington.
While the inspiration and design criteria for a walkable, car free and human scale micro hotel was his alone, Pollard is careful to give credit to all the talented people along the way that helped build Refuel. No one plumber, carpenter or mason completes an entire project but, of particular note is his father, Albert Pollard Sr, who acted in the capacity as the architect and consulting engineer.
In his spare time, Albert is dad to three wonderful and equally overbooked young adults and helps Install Native Plants for his wife and 2019 “VSU Small Farmer of the Year” Carolyn Quinn. He believes putting water in bourbon is a sign of personal weakness.