VCU news

By Kendra Gerlach
VCU College of Engineering

The Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Engineering Research Building on Tuesday, June 5, at 9 a.m. on the northeast corner of Cary and Belvidere streets.

The groundbreaking will feature remarks from Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney; Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU; and Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., dean of the VCU College of Engineering and Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Chair.

The research building is slated to open in 2020. It will significantly expand the college’s laboratory capacity and serve as a collaboration hub to support advanced research, economic development initiatives and hands-on approaches to engineering. The facility’s design emphasizes makerspaces, collaborative research facilities and flexible gathering areas.

Richmond-based architecture firm Baskervill and Boston-based firm Goody Clancy have designed the 133,000-square-foot building, which is being financed by investments from the state, VCU and private support.

Altria, a major supporter and employer of graduates from VCU’s College of Engineering, donated an additional $1 million to support the Engineering Research Building’s makerspaces to enhance student creativity and experiential learning.