A myriad construction and renovation projects will be in full swing this summer across all corners of the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus.

The projects will improve operational efficiency of university utilities, expand student housing offerings, and create new spaces for learning and discovery.

A sampling of the projects includes:

Creativity and Innovation District Living-Learning Community



The Creativity and Innovation District Living-Learning Community (CID LLC) is a new 225,000-gross-square-foot residential building. It is under construction next to the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown between Kent and Otey streets and will be part of the larger Creativity and Innovation District.



The CID LLC will be highlighted by a unique three-winged, interconnected design and will offer housing for 600 students, along with a wide variety of academic, performance, social, research, and collaboration spaces synonymous with Virginia Tech’s living-learning communities.

Site and utility preparations for the CID LLC are currently underway with full construction set to begin this summer. The project is anticipated to be completed in summer 2021.

Holden Hall

The 42,100-gross-square-foot Holden Hall was constructed in 1940 and currently houses the mining and minerals engineering and materials science and engineering programs. Plans are in place to renovate Holden Hall’s three-story south wing. In addition, construction will include demolition of the single-story east and north wings, replacement of the north wing with a new four-story wing, and the replacement of the east wing with a new three-story wing.



The project is currently in the design phase. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

Chilled Water infrastructure upgrades

A proposed major multiyear project will provide critical upgrades to the university’s chilled water infrastructure. Expansion of the centralized, energy-efficient chiller network will deliver enhanced operational efficiency and significant cost savings for the university.

Additional chilled water production capacity will be installed in the North and Southwest Chiller Plants, and roughly four miles of underground piping will be installed across campus. The extensive piping network will connect the North and Southwest Chiller Plants to improve chilled water distribution around campus.

The project is expected to last approximately two-to-three years and construction is proposed to begin this summer.

Student Athlete Performance Center



The Student Athlete Performance Center project is set to renovate the entire fourth floor and portions of the third floor of Jamerson Athletic Center. Upgrades will include an expanded dining area, a new full-service kitchen, new serving areas, new exterior balconies, and a new service elevator. There will also be renovations to the existing corridor connecting the fourth floor of Jamerson to Cassell Coliseum.



Construction is expected to begin this summer.

Package boiler upgrades

The project will include the demolition and disposal of a decommissioned coal-fired boiler and the installation of a new gas/oil-fired boiler. The new boiler will help to increase the steam production capacity of centralized heating and hot water infrastructure on campus, while also improving the operational efficiency and environmental footprint of the system.



Construction is expected to begin later this summer to early fall.

Looking ahead - Student wellness improvements

Proposed improvements to enhance student wellness will include significant renovations to War Memorial Hall and portions of McComas Hall in support of the university’s student health, wellness, counseling, and recreational sport programs.

As part of the project, War Memorial Hall will be fully renovated with portions repurposed to house Hokie Wellness, Rec Sports administration spaces, School of Education faculty offices, and research space to support the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise.

The current Schiffert Health Center will be renovated with expansion into space on the second level.

Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2019.

“This summer kicks off one of the most unprecedented periods of construction in the university’s history. These projects will not only transform the visual campus landscape, but deliver necessary upgrades to infrastructure, expand housing and wellness opportunities, and fuel interdisciplinary research and collaboration,” said Dwayne Pinkney, senior vice president for operations and administration.



A number of proposed non-capital renovation projects are also set to launch this summer. Among them are:

Litton-Reaves Hall Auditorium renovations.

Roof replacements in buildings across campus.

Wallace Hall renovations.

Perry Street Parking Garage repairs.

Major Williams Hall carpet replacement and painting.

North End Center LED lighting upgrades.

Hutcheson Hall fourth floor office suite renovations.

Seitz Hall restroom renovations.

Implementation of numerous Green RFP projects from the 2018-19 proposal period.

“As early as the day after commencement, summer construction and renovation projects go into overdrive across the Virginia Tech campus. It is through the hard work and dedication of operations team members that we’re able to implement so many projects in such a short timeframe,” shared Sherwood Wilson, vice president for operations.

Throughout the summer, drivers and pedestrians across campus should expect delays and detours to be in place to accommodate construction and renovation projects. Changes in normal traffic and routes will be updated continuously in the interactive Campus Closures Map.

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