VCU news

By Michael Ford
University News Services

Mid-Atlantic Construction magazine has named Virginia Commonwealth University’s newest residence hall the Higher Education Project of the Year in its “Best of 2005” awards program, an annual competition that recognizes construction and design excellence in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

An independent jury of industry experts in design and construction judged projects in several categories in early September. VCU’s Brandt Hall and other winners will be featured in the December 2005 issue of Mid-Atlantic Construction.

Named for VCU’s first president, Warren W. Brandt Hall is the university’s new 17-story, $28 million residence located at 710 W. Franklin St. across from Monroe Park. It features suite-style rooms and co-ed floors and is home to more than 600 freshmen.

“Brandt Hall is a thoughtfully designed, good-looking building with a number of features that contribute to the comfort and safety of the students living there,” said Brian J. Ohlinger, VCU associate vice president for facilities management. “The building’s bay windows tie it architecturally to Johnson Hall and another high rise in the neighborhood, but they also provide the room occupants with an expanded view of W. Franklin Street and Monroe Park.

“VCU built the base of Brandt with lighter color brick to relate the scale of the high rise to the scale of the historic townhouses on W. Franklin Street,” Ohlinger said. “Designers also added a variety of textures, precast and brick, at the base for added interest at pedestrian level. And inside it has a sophisticated safety system.”

State-of-the-art fire safety equipment ensures that rooms are equipped with sprinklers, and the stairwells are pressurized to keep them smoke free in the event of a fire. The stairwell has a landing on each floor that has a designated “area of rescue assistance” with an intercom that reports centrally to the building lobby.

“This year’s competition drew numerous entries from around the mid-Atlantic region,” said Bruce Buckley, editor-in-chief of Mid-Atlantic Construction. “With winning projects stretching from Allentown, Pa., to Hampton, Va., and Wilmington, Del., to Winchester, Va., the jury’s selections include some of the finest examples of design and construction in markets throughout the region.”

Mid-Atlantic Construction is one of 12 regional construction magazines published by the McGraw-Hill Cos. throughout the country.