BLACKSBURG, Va.—Construction management firm Skanska, which is based in Sweden but has offices in the United States, has been tapped by Virginia Tech to build the school’s Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building.

The $70 million project—designed by ZGF—will entail over 100,000 square feet of laboratory and classroom space.  The four-story Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building will warehouse educational space for the College of Science, College of Engineering, College of Natural Resources and Environment, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  The building’s laboratory spaces are designed to be flexible for multiple uses, and the facility will also feature study areas, student spaces as well as offices for faculty and teaching assistants.

In a recent announcement by Skanska, Greg Peele, executive vice president responsible for the firm’s North Carolina and Virginia building operations, said that the building will improve the scientific inquiry and instruction taking place at Virginia Tech.

“This building supports the university’s strategic goal to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing landscape of higher education,” he said.

Added Dwyn Taylor, assistant vice president for capital construction at Virginia Tech: “The construction of the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building is an exciting new phase in the realization of Virginia Tech’s vision for the north academic district, as highlighted in our university master plan.  The Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities looks forward to collaborating with Skanska to bring this project to life.”

The work is due to be finished in the spring of 2024.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has been named as a foundational partner for the to-be-built Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Boeing, which has worked with Virginia Tech for decades, will be kicking in $50 million, which will go towards the school’s scholarships, recruitment of faculty and researchers, as well as funding pathway programs for underserved K-12 students who are looking to pursue a college education in the STEM fields. Boeing’s donation ties for the largest gift ever made to Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech’s main campus is located in Blacksburg, Va., but the new Tech Innovation Campus will give the university a prime hold on real estate close to the nation’s political center and government sectors, which employ thousands of scientists. Virginia Tech aims for the Innovation Campus to be the most diverse graduate technology campus in the country.

Among other uses, funds donated by Boeing will be utilized to fund PhD fellowships, a student “success center” and a technology leadership program. In addition, the money will be used for a “scalable” K-12 STEM engagement program as well as youth programs aimed at expanding technology programs availability for younger students both near and far.

The 65-acre plot where the campus will be sited is being envisioned as a tech corridor for the city of Alexandria, further enriching this already-prosperous community on the Potomac River. Last year, the school reported that University Architect Liza Morris was working with designer SmithGroup and master planner Sasaki on the futuristic-looking campus.

In addition to its diversity initiative—a cornerstone of the school’s philosophy—an emphasis will be placed on directing students toward industry mentors as they navigate their coursework. Other programs will be tailored specifically to veterans.

“We are extremely grateful to Boeing for this extraordinarily generous show of support,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said in a recent statement. “This is a milestone moment in our university’s history, and it will propel our work to help establish the greater Washington, D.C., area as the world’s next major tech hub.”

Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun, himself a Virginia Tech alumnus, praised his alma mater’s historic vision to tackle the technological issues not only of the present but those that haven’t even been imagined yet.

“Boeing is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion, both within our company and in our communities, and we look forward to partnering with Virginia Tech to build a robust and diverse STEM talent pipeline to drive the future of aerospace,” Calhoun said.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) echoed this positive atmosphere and can-do spirit.

“The U.S. must maintain international leadership in advancing technology, and talent is our most critical resource,” Warner said. “It’s exciting to see a world-class company like Boeing invest in a program that will help bolster the depth of our nation’s tech talent and drive economic growth in the Washington, D.C., region.”

Said Letitia Long, vice rector of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, an alumna of Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering and a resident of Alexandria: “I hope every talented student who has an interest in computer science or computer engineering sees themselves at this campus one day.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the computer science and information technology fields will add 531,200 jobs by 2029. Virginia plans to produce 31,000 computer science and engineering graduates over the next two decades as part of its collaboration with 11 universities in the state as part of its Tech Talent Investment Program.

The university expects to welcome students, faculty and staff into the completed building in fall 2024.

When completed, the 300,000-square-foot building will provide instruction, research, office, and support spaces for graduate-level programs in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, as well as select other programs.

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The Academic 1 building, designed by SmithGroup, features a gem-shape design centered on the principles of sustainability, health and wellness, green and social spaces, accessibility, connectivity, flexibility, and integrated technology. It has been designed to achieve LEED Silver certification from the USGBC.

“I love it. It’s absolutely the kind of thing we’d like to see there on that campus,” Councilwoman Redella “Del” Pepper said. “It’s really extraordinary.”

The Innovation Campus will make its home on 3.5 acres in the 19-acre first phase of a new mixed-use development and innovation district in North Potomac Yard that JBG SMITH is developing near the future Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.

“This is a large milestone and another step forward in welcoming Virginia Tech and continuing the development,” said Councilman Canek Aguirre. “This building just puts a smile on my face. I’m ready to see some shovels in the dirt.”

Mayor Justin Wilson noted the context of Virginia Tech building its Innovation Campus at Potomac Yard, a former industrial rail site that was an economic engine for the city in an earlier generation.

After years of planning and work, “we are making this the economic engine for the city for the next generation,” he said.

Moments later, the city council voted 7-0 in support of a development special use permit that clears the way for construction of the 11-story, 300,000 square-foot structure to start next summer in North Potomac Yard. The university expects to welcome students, faculty, and staff into the completed building in fall 2024. Plans call for two other buildings, measuring about 150,000 square feet each, to be built as the campus grows.

When completed, the Academic 1 building will provide instruction, research, office, and support spaces for graduate-level programs in computer science and computer engineering, as well as select other programs. Experiential learning environments within this building will be designed to enhance the Virginia Tech experience including flexible multi-purpose areas, research and testing labs, and maker spaces.

SmithGroup utilized computational and generative design techniques to inform the building’s unique geometry. The form was sculpted to capture the sun’s light and energy to maximize photovoltaic power generation. The building will include a space frame to allow for a rooftop solar array, while plans incorporate photovoltaics directly into the glazing system throughout the facade.

At Saturday’s hearing, the city council also approved development special use permits for six buildings JBG SMITH will develop in phase one of the North Potomac Yard redevelopment. Those buildings will offer a mix of office, retail, and residential space and include an “Innovation Building” adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus.

Mayor Wilson praised the university and JBG SMITH for their willingness to work with the city to create a unique project that “plows new ground” for environmental sustainability and features innovative design.

“This is not the same old, same old. I really appreciate the fact that we are stepping up on the architecture side,” he said. “This would not have happened without some partners who were willing to join us in pushing the envelope. I really appreciate both Virginia Tech as well as JBG [SMITH] for stepping up and saying we’re willing to help the city meet some of these goals. We can approve master plan after master plan. Unless you have a willing partner, who is ready to make it a reality it’s not going to happen.”

Brandy Salmon, managing director of the Innovation Campus, also lauded the collaboration between Virginia Tech, JBG SMITH, and the City of Alexandria.

“It’s hard to overstate the work — so much great thinking, community outreach, negotiating, and compromising — that has been done to get us to this point,” she said. “It’s all worth it — because together we have created the framework to build something special from the ground up — a vibrant innovation district anchored by a new Virginia Tech campus where our faculty, students, and industry partners will come together.”

Virginia Tech Innovation Campus Vice President and Executive Director Lance Collins said the council’s approval builds on momentum that has continued despite the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is another clear signal that the innovation district momentum is building. We aren’t waiting to make an impact — that’s why we launched our inaugural class of students this year, hired a new chief operations officer, and are actively recruiting faculty and designing new programs,” he said. “Starting construction of the first academic building will be an exciting milestone and a visible reminder to the community of Virginia Tech’s commitment to the City of Alexandria.”

Through the state’s public procurement process, Virginia Tech has secured a pre-construction agreement with Whiting-Turner; a construction contract will be executed next year. The total project budget for Academic 1 is $275 million.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The first academic building for Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria features a design centered on the principles of sustainability, health and wellness, green and social spaces, accessibility, connectivity, flexibility and integrated technology.

Architectural renderings of the building — designed by SmithGroup, one of the world’s preeminent integrated design firms — were filed with the city this month as part of a Development Special Use Permit concept submittal.

“This project is a bellwether for what we are trying to achieve through our new campus, creating a place that provides the space and environment to foster collaboration and the creation of bold new ideas,” said Lance Collins, the incoming vice president and executive director of the Innovation Campus. “University Architect Liza Morris worked with SmithGroup, and our campus master planner, Sasaki, to create a unique project that has connectivity at its core.”

Virginia Tech announced plans for the new campus as part of the state’s successful bid to attract Amazon to the region. The Innovation Campus will make its home in the first phase of a new mixed-use development and innovation district in North Potomac Yard which JBG SMITH is developing, just steps away from the future Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.

The Innovation Campus will be comprised of three buildings on about four acres at the northern end of phase 1, near Alexandria’s border with Arlington County. The other six buildings in this phase will house office, residential and ground-level retail space, according to a preliminary plan filed last year with the city.

SmithGroup was chosen through a public process to provide integrated architecture and engineering design services for Academic 1. The university expects to break ground in 2021 and welcome students, faculty and staff into the completed building in fall 2024.

“We are proud to be working with Virginia Tech on this transformational new campus, which will change the face of computer science and redefine the role of the land-grant university for the 21st century,” said David Johnson of SmithGroup. “The university’s goal is to re-center computer engineering in a humanist context, and we brought to life an inclusive setting that will help accelerate knowledge creation and solutions at the intersection of humanity and technology.”

When completed, the 300,000-square-foot building will provide instruction, research, office, and support spaces for graduate-level programs in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, as well as select other programs. Experiential learning environments within this building will be designed to enhance the Virginia Tech experience including flexible multi-purpose areas, research and testing labs, and maker spaces.

SmithGroup is utilizing state-of-the-art computational and generative design techniques to inform the building’s unique geometry. The form was sculpted to capture the sun’s light and energy to maximize photovoltaic power generation. The building will be capped by a solar array and photovoltaics will be incorporated into the glass of the facade. It will also be staged to deploy sewage water energy exchange and geothermal energy to offset energy usage in future phasing.

The academic building incorporates opportunities for daylight, while addressing solar heat gain, glare and occupant comfort. Occupants will have access to nature through connection to open space and parks in the district, and within the building via multiple terraces. The ground floor will be welcoming and active, with exhibits in the lobby and transparency toward the campus green. The university can put science on display to better connect with the local community and attract future students.

SmithGroup is also taking inspiration from Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus by including dolomite limestone (“Hokie Stone”) in the landscape, and together with the university’s staff, is exploring special use of the stone at the base of the building, to balance the glass and metal facades with the warmth and solidity of natural stone.

“It’s exciting to finally be able to share our full vision for the campus,” said Morris, Virginia Tech’s assistant vice president for planning and university architect. “We also look forward to our continued collaboration with the City of Alexandria and JBG SMITH as we anchor this dynamic new innovation district.”

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“Rhode Island College is proud to be part of this historic collaboration between the public and private sectors,” Rhode Island College President Dr. Nancy Carriuolo said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “…The Rhode Island Nursing Education Center, will help our state grow the educated workforce it needs to meet the changing needs of its number-one industry sector: health care."

The project will renovate and repurpose the vacant and abandoned South Street Power Station on Providence’s Eddy Street. This point in particular inspired Mayor Angel Taveras to refer to the project as a “transformational moment” for the state’s economy, according to the Providence Journal. The project is also expected to create up to 500 new construction jobs, as well nearly 400 indirect jobs, generating a potential $5 million in new tax revenue.

The Nursing Education Center is also expected to advance Rhode Island’s role as a regional leader in health care and nursing education. In addition to establishing new classrooms and related office space, the project will include extensive improvements to the site’s existing power plant as well as the construction of a new six-story graduate student housing facility, a new 650-space parking structure and various landscaping and site improvements.

An agreement reached by the three institutions in early 2014 will divide the roughly 265,000-square-foot complex in half, with one portion reserved for Brown University offices and the other dedicated to learning and teaching spaces for the other two institutions. The project currently aims for a mid 2016 completion.

“Reaching this important milestone in this highly complex project has required the commitment and tenacity of our private and public sector partners,” said Brown President Christina Paxson, in a statement. “Today, we set the stage to transform a staggering liability into a gleaming asset, providing opportunities for meaningful academic connections that will have lasting benefits for our institutions, our city, and our state.”

“The Nursing Education Center will certainly play a role in the economic recovery of our state,” added Rhode Island House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello. “The training that our future nurses and health care professionals will receive at this first-class facility will open the door for good-paying job opportunities. I am so pleased that the state has made this investment in support of three great institutions of Brown, URI and RIC to make this groundbreaking possible.”

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