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

  • AP Construction Breaks Ground on Two Projects for Austin ISD

    Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently announced that it has broken ground on two renovation projects for the Austin Independent School District, according to a news release. The work at McCallum and Anderson High Schools totals 97,350 square feet and is scheduled for completion in January 2027.

  • 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.

  • Creating Long-Term Sustainability on College Campuses Through Fair Student Housing

    The quality of student housing can have a significant impact on an individual’s college experience. Today’s higher education institutions face mounting challenges, including declining enrollment, low retention rates between the first and second years, and a rise in student mental health concerns. Thoughtfully designed living spaces can help address these issues by creating environments that promote both academic focus and personal well-being.

  • Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

    The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

Digital Edition