Several new elements greet students as they return to Grounds this fall. (Photos by Matt Riley, University Communications; illustration by John DiJulio, University Communications)
Each autumn feels like a new start as the school year begins. This year, several changes will greet University of Virginia students as they arrive back on Grounds.
Here’s the rundown of what’s new.
From a distance, Carr’s Hill Field may look the same, but it’s not. The field, used for club and intramural sports, marching band practice and other activities, has a new artificial surface and is taller.
The field’s first new surface in 10 years has been raised 5 inches to improve drainage. Runoff from the field drains into Meadow Creek, which is part of the overall drainage and stormwater management system that includes holding ponds at the Dell and another stormwater retention pond at the Ivy Road entrance corridor.
The renovations at the field include replacing the facility’s old scoreboard, replacing the 6-foot-high fence with a 10-foot-high welded wire fence and an upgraded lighting control system. The lights have been converted to energy-efficient LED lighting.
The $80 million Hardie Football Operations Center off Massie Road, which opened in June, is a 93,000-square-foot facility including a locker room, strength and conditioning space, nutrition spaces, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, video operations and sports medicine areas. The center is part of the second phase of the Department of Athletics’ master plan.
A new videoboard has replaced the circa 2009 scoreboard on the north end of Scott Stadium. The new Hoovision board and accompanying sound system are designed to enhance the game-day experience for Cavalier fans. The video display area is more than 6,700 square feet, more than twice the size of the old unit.
It’s technically not a new addition, but the Shannon Library’s grand opening landed barely a month before Final Exercises and it was still missing most of its books as Hoos headed home for summer. So since this will be its first full academic year serving students, it’s certainly worthy of inclusion in this roundup.
The new Shannon Library is really the product of a four-year and $141 million renovation of the former Alderman Library. The updated building will be a study space, gathering place and research destination when classes kick off later this month.
The library is named for Edgar F. Shannon Jr., the University’s fourth president.
The four-story Contemplative Commons building, sited between the Dell Pond and the School of Education and Human Development, has open, adaptable spaces for small and large groups, workshops, lectures and research. The 57,000-square-foot structure, which is scheduled for an official opening in April, has different-sized studios for academic activities and research, and exterior gardens and green spaces to connect each level of the building with nature.
Programs range from recurring to seasonal offerings, including some offered in collaboration with other University units. Programming is primarily for students, though “Meditation From the Dell” on Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. is open to everyone. The Contemplative Science Center’s programs team will begin piloting programs during the first week of classes.
Programs already slated for the fall include a drop-in studio for individual, silent and seated contemplation on Tuesdays and Thursdays; drop-in classes for stretching, light yoga, tai chi, qigong and dance on Wednesdays and Thursdays; a drop-in reflective writing workshop on Fridays; and wind-down yoga classes on Friday.
The 1970s-era footbridge over Emmet Street, connecting the School of Education and Human Development with Newcomb Road South, is no more. The removal of the concrete-and-steel structure closed Emmet Street for a few days this summer.
The University recently opened a new pedestrian bridge over Emmet Street just a few yards to the north, connecting Newcomb Road South with the new Contemplative Commons building. The new bridge complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act, which the old bridge – with sets of stairs at either end – did not.
The five-story Gaston House and six-story Ramazani House on Brandon Avenue offer apartments for upperclassmen. Most of the furnished apartments include eight single-occupancy bedrooms and four full baths. A small number of apartments include seven single-occupancy bedrooms and three full baths. All units include two full kitchens and a communal dining and living space in each apartment. Adjacent to Bond House and Bice House, and close to Central Grounds, Gaston and Ramazani houses feature a dining facility and underground parking.
University News Associate Office of University Communications
mkelly@virginia.edu (434) 924-7291
November 7, 2024
