Virginia Tech Breaks Ground on New Campus

With a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony, construction has officially begun on the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Va. University, government and business leaders gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 14, to mark the first steps of the first academic building of the new campus. The new facility is scheduled to open its doors to students, faculty and staff in fall 2024.

“It’s a day many years in the making, made possible by a broad group of partners who were willing to support a bold vision to advance research, graduate education and community engagement in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands to a crowd of more than 200.

According to university news sources, the Innovation Campus will offer graduate-level programs in computer engineering and computer science, as well as project-based initiatives that will partner students with local industry leaders. Boeing announced in May of this year that it was investing $50 million in the new campus as its first foundational partner. The funds will help create scholarships and recruit faculty and researchers.

“Our vision for the Innovation Campus is to be both a place and a culture that unlocks the power of diverse people and ideas to solve the world’s most pressing problems through technology,” said Lance Collins, vice president and executive director of the Innovation Campus. “Diversity isn’t just a core value to me. It is a measure of excellence that will ensure the Innovation Campus delivers on its full potential.”

The new academic building will stand 11 stories and measure in at 300,000 square feet, and according to university news, its design draws on principles of sustainability, health and wellness, green and social spaces, accessibility, connectivity, flexibility and integrated technology. The campus itself will cover 3.5 acres and is being developed in North Potomac Yard, near a future Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.

The long-term plan for the Innovation Campus includes the construction of two other buildings, each about 150,000 square feet, as campus grows. The university partnered with Sasaki to create a master plan for the campus and with SmithGroup to design the new academic building. Construction is being handled by JBG Smith.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Extron, CENTEGIX Partner for Comprehensive School Security Solution

    Professional audiovisual solutions provider Extron recently announced a partnership with CENTEGIX, which provides rapid incident response technology, to integrate two of their top products in the name of school safety.

  • ProTeam Launches GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum

    Technology leader Emerson recently introduced the new ProTeam GoFit 6 HEPA backpack vacuum, according to a news release. The vacuum was designed to capture 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns—including atmospheric hazards like lead dust, mold spores, and other particulates—through an advanced filtration system.

  • Ancient Resilience: How Indigenous Intelligence Shapes the 4Roots Education Building

    As climate change intensifies, educational spaces must evolve beyond basic sustainability toward true resilience – we must design environments that can adapt, respond, and thrive amid shifting, and intensifying, climate hazards. Drawing on indigenous wisdom and nature-based strategies, integrating resilient design offers a path to create learning environments that are not only functional but deeply in tune with their natural surroundings.

  • CSU Pueblo Installs Solar-Powered Charging Benches

    Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) recently announced that it has installed four solar-powered charging benches from Bluebolt Outdoor, LLC, according to a news release.

Digital Edition