VCU news

By Malorie Burkett

ACADEMIC CAMPUS

PROJECT: Brandt Hall

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2005

CONSTRUCTION BY: W.M. Jordan Company

LOCATION: 710 W. Franklin St at the corner of Laurel and West Franklin streets and the site of the former Rhoads Hall West Wing low-rise.

BUILDING FEATURES AND SERVICES: When completed, VCU’s Rhoads Hall II will be a new 17-story high-rise residence hall that will provide 640 new beds for freshmen and sophomores in suite style configurations. The $28 million project will feature rooms designed to accommodate double occupancy that will include furniture, a sink and mirror in the bedroom space as well as a shared connecting bathroom to another room. The suites also will be arranged so that four or eight students can share a common living room.

The main entrance to Rhoads Hall II will open to the new community of Rhoads East and Rhoads West. A central service desk and mailroom will serve both towers. The first floor of Rhoads Hall II also will have a computer lab, multipurpose activity space and laundry room with a connected study and TV lounge.

PROJECT COST: $28 million

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MCV CAMPUS

PROJECT: VCU Massey Cancer Center — “Building for the Cure”

PROJECTED OPENING: Spring/Summer 2005

CONSTRUCTION BY: Skanska Inc.

ARCHITECTURE BY: Shepley, Bullfinch, Richardson and Abbott

LOCATION: 301 College St., located at the site of the former Randolph-Minor Annex.

BUILDING FEATURES AND SERVICES: The new, state-of-the-art 60,000 square foot addition for research will nearly double the size of the existing VCU Massey Cancer Center, which was completed in 1981. The addition also will allow the cancer center to expand the type of research it conducts as well as attract and retain top cancer researchers.

The VCU Massey Cancer Center is one of only two National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers in Virginia and only one of 61 in the United States. The construction of the $28.5 million facility is one of more than 120 projects at public college and university campuses across the state to be funded by the General Obligation Bond for Higher Education approved by voters this in November 2002. VCU received $10.1 million from the bond bill for the construction of the addition that will include laboratories for cancer research, offices for staff and a healing garden for cancer center patients and staff. The remainder of the project’s funding is from private donations, federal grants and other sources.

PROJECT COST: $28.5 million