Virginia Tech Board Approves $19.5 Million For Planning Of Student Life Village
On Tuesday, the school's board of visitors approved $19.5 million for the first phase of planning for the new Virginia Tech campus.
According to university documents, the first phase plan includes more than 1,000 beds in North Campus Village, which will also include dining and recreation areas.
“The university should build 1,750 beds for students to live and study as soon as possible,” the university documents say. "Without these 1,750 beds, effective housing capacity, and educational and residential programs in particular, will begin to decline over the next decade as beds are phased out."
According to the documents, the new beds in the first phase of the village will replace the height lost during the demolition of Slusher Hall and will become a swing until other traditional dormitories are renovated. The new student village will also house a community of business and analysis students.
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According to university documents, the first phase of planning includes pre-design work, such as blueprints, and will be paid for by grant proceeds earmarked for facility improvements. The Board of Visitors may authorize the construction of a student village after finalizing the details of the design.
According to the documents, the first stage of the student village may open in the fall of 2028. The total volume of the student village is expected to include up to 5,000 places, university representatives previously reported.
Virginia Tech's freshman enrollment is expected to surpass 7,100 by 2027, according to university president Tim Sands.
“To keep our class sizes at this level, on-campus housing needs to be a priority,” Sands said, thanking the board for approving the village plan. "Without that, we would have had to make some very difficult decisions, including possibly reducing our starting class."
On Tuesday, the council also approved a decision to renovate the soccer locker rooms.
“This 4,200-square-foot redevelopment project provides hydrotherapy and state-of-the-art bathroom and shower renovations for players at the Jamerson athletic facility,” the university said in a document. "The total cost of the project, $5.9 million, will be financed by private donations."
Luke Weir at (540) 566-8917
luke.weir@roanoke.com