Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

William & Mary Begins 10-Year, $700M Campus Improvement Plan

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/03/23

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., recently announced that construction has begun on a ten-year project that will lead to the replacement or renovation of 80% of on-campus residences, according to college news. The project will cost an estimated $700 million and will take place across three phases.

Phase one entails building four new residence halls for a total capacity of 1,204 new beds, renovating two existing dorms, and building a 50,000-square-foot dining facility in west campus. The first step of construction—the demolition of the existing Yates Hall to make room for construction—began in July and is scheduled for completion in fall 2025. Phase one’s total cost is an estimated $320 million.

“This project reflects our steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of students of today and of generations to come,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler. “We have kept students at the center of this ambitious project, designing beautiful, innovative spaces that will allow them to thrive in community with one another.”

Phase two involves redeveloping the college’s Campus Center to incorporate student housing, a dining facility, and admissions office, and a bookstore; redeveloping the Randolph Complex to build a new residence hall; redeveloping the site of Richmond Hall; and upgrading One Tribe Place. Phase 2 will cost an estimated $350 million.

Finally, phase three will involve developing student housing in West Campus at a site still to be determined; renovating four existing residence halls; and renovating the Lettle Pate Whitehead Evans Graduate Complex.

The new residence halls will include sustainability initiatives like geothermal heating and cooling, as well as transitioning the fossil-fuel-using systems in two existing dorms with geothermal energy.

The university partnered with VMDO Architects for the buildings’ designs and with Balfour Beatty and Kjellstrom+Lee for construction.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.