The University announced Wednesday that the state government will provide $64.5 million toward planned renovations of Cabell Hall. This news signaled the end of a three-year saga in which the University initially was promised money for the project only to later have it delayed when the state ran into financial complications during the economic crisis.
Students, faculty and administrators now can breathe a sigh of relief, however, because the state has committed firmly to financing the renovations, albeit at a level below that which was requested by the University. Although lawmakers could have done more to support the project, the approved money should allow the University to initiate its plans to upgrade what is the central classroom building on Grounds.
The story behind the financing began in December 2007, when then-Gov. Tim Kaine included the project in a $1.65 billion bond package. At that time, the $80 million requested by the University for renovations seemed like a bargain when compared to the alternative, which would have involved tearing down Cabell entirely during construction of the South Lawn project. Lawmakers grew concerned last February, however, about issuing the debt needed to finance the renovations as the state struggled to cope with declining revenues.
Wednesday's announcement, however, definitively means state money will go toward improving Cabell Hall. This is welcome news because the building is not only one of the most heavily used on Grounds, but also one of the most decrepit. Many of its classrooms are inadequate for even moderate-sized classes and feature uncomfortable seating arrangements.
Moreover, the building lacks a central air conditioning system, which means individual units are installed in each classroom. These units are notoriously loud, to the point that instruction often is negatively impacted when they are in use. By addressing these issues, as well as incorporating additional technological infrastructure into the classrooms, the renovations will have a substantial positive impact on the academic experiences of both students and faculty.
The $64.5 million appropriated by the state for the renovations is a significant sum, but it still constrains the University as it moves forward with the project. The state felt the full $80 million requested would not be necessary because of reduced construction costs, and the administration has remained optimistic about completing the project with reduced funding. "This is not as much money as we asked for, but with the decline in construction costs in recent months, I am confident that we will be able to do this," President Teresa A. Sullivan said during a Wednesday press conference.
Nevertheless, the 19 percent cut in financing from what the state originally promised could cause problems. "We're hopeful that we will be able to do the project for $64.5 million, but, of course, we will not know for sure until the project is put to bid," University spokesperson Carol Wood said in an email.
If the project moves forward as anticipated, however, then the University must be prepared to undertake a much more challenging task. For the four years between the project's start and its completion, major construction operations will occur within one of the University's main classroom buildings while students and faculty continue to occupy it. To the administration's credit, the plans that it announced Wednesday sound promising. It is expected that only two floors of Cabell will be renovated at a time and that construction will take place only when classes are not in session. With these accommodations in place, students should be willing to accept minor inconveniences in the short-term because of the tremendous future gains that the renovations portend for the University.
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