A Board of Visitors special committee discussed a proposal to construct a new Arts & Sciences building and renovate other buildings on the lower Lawn yesterday.
"We hope to be able to make a recommendation to the Board of Visitors next week, depending on what happens today," said Thomas Farrell, chairman of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences facilities special committee.
"We are looking at a variety of options ... there is no decision yet, just considering options."
The proposal includes the renovation of Cocke and Rouss Halls, the construction of a new parking structure and a new Arts & Sciences building, and the renovation or replacement of New Cabell Hall.
The new, 120,000 square-foot Arts & Sciences building would be built across Jefferson Park Avenue from New Cabell Hall. A possible walkway could connect the two structures over the roadway.
The additional space will be used to bring the University into compliance with State Council of Higher Education for Virginia guidelines requiring 50 square feet per full-time student, said Colette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget.
A 400-to 500-car parking garage would be built near the new building to replace parking spaces removed to make room for the new structure.
The total cost of the new construction and renovations is expected to reach $126.7 million, with $4.5 million coming from Parking and Transportation to cover costs for the new parking structure. The remaining $122.2 million would be split between the College Foundation and the University's general funds.
The overall timeline for the project is five years and two months, with the completion of the new Arts & Sciences building by 2005. The renovation or replacement of New Cabell would not begin until after the new building is finished, and would not be complete until 2007. The Cocke and Rouss Hall renovations should be completed by the middle of 2005, and the parking structure finished by 2004.
The committee still is looking into the financial feasibility of different options to decide whether to renovate or replace New Cabell.
"New Cabell is a very sound building structurally; it would cost quite a bit to replace at the same square-footage," Sheehy said.
The current proposal calls for different architects to be used for each of the four projects, with a professional academic space-planning firm determining a conceptual framework for the buildings and their occupants.
"The quality of the architects responding is the best we've seen in a long time," University Architect Pete Anderson said.
Even so, committee members were worried about the unity of the designs, particularly New Cabell and the new Arts & Sciences building.
"The two buildings are a totality" and need to have a "unified design," committee member and Board member Tim Robertson said. "Do we really want it cut up with four different architects?"
The Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee also met yesterday, approving design guidelines for projects including the new Observatory Hill Dining Facility, a new Emmet Street Bridge and parking structure to serve the new arena, and the Aquatic and Fitness Center addition.
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