UVA Building Projects

PRESENTER: Alice is the Associate Vice President and Architect for the University of Virginia. She's the symbolic custodian of Thomas Jefferson's design legacy, directing the architecture, planning, and landscape design of the university's grounds. In addition to being the Chief Steward of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. I had written to her saying, wow, you have the best job. And she said, yes, I do. So she's been here 11 years doing that, and you're going to hear about it. 

Before that, she was at Yale, and she helped as their design thinker behind all the buildings that made the biggest change at Yale in over a generation. And before that, she was an architect in different practices. And she's a New Yorker. Went to Queens College of the City University of New York and Syracuse University for her architecture degree. So please join me in welcoming, Alice Raucher. Thank you so much. 

[APPLAUSE] 

Thank you, Alice. Thank you so much. 

[APPLAUSE] 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: I want to also point out that I'm a Darden alum. That didn't make it finally to my resume yet. So good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for re-inviting me to this occasion. I'd also like to extend my thanks to Dorie and to Denny for inviting me here to share some of the exciting work that we're doing around grounds. Can you all hear me? Perfect. I think I need my spectrum help to get this moving. Did that work? It did. OK. Thank you so much. So [LAUGHS] what a way to start. 

So before we dive in, I'd like to give a little background on who we are and the basis for our planning efforts. So, as is stated on this front page of our website, my colleagues and I in the Office of the Architect are committed to the mission of advocating for the highest standards of stewardship for our grounds, regardless of whether it is one of preservation of our historical heritage, or the design of new buildings to continue our architectural legacy. And you can access a lot of the information about the work we do on this site, which is, officearchitect.virginia.edu. 

Although our office comprises diverse professional expertise in real estate and land use planning, strategic space planning and programming, architectural design, historic preservation, and landscape architecture, this is a much more accurate graphic of how we work together. So it's far more common for all of us to have input on every project, given the diversity of expertise and experience in our office. And I can't state enough how fortunate I am to work with such incredibly smart, dedicated and collaborative individuals, the majority of whom whose. 

So we're missing a couple of folks in this image. But this photo was taken at one of our recently completed buildings, the Contemplative Commons, that you will soon be seeing. And if you haven't visited yet, please make sure to visit and access some of the incredible programs that are offered there. I also want to give a special thanks to the Jefferson Trust for helping us launch a student internship program that enables paid experience in our office for students in the A school. It's been an incredible opportunity for us to share the work we do on a day to day basis with our students. 

And although we number just 16 the office, we work with a vast number of colleagues and constituents across grounds as we do our work. So if you're interested in learning more, there's a great deal of research, analysis, and planning, that enables the projects that you see around grounds. And pictured here, are just a few of the reports and studies that are available on our website. 

And we would not be successful in our work without strong collaborative relationships with our city and county colleagues and our neighboring communities. We participate in each other's planning meetings and have roles on committees that plan together for land use, utility infrastructure, sustainability, housing, and transportation coordination. Because a lot of the work you're going to see today is on the MNIB charter, I've spent a lot of time in the living rooms of many of our neighbors in the Lewis Mountain neighborhood. 

So one of the most significant planning studies that you'll see on our website is our Grounds plan. So most universities have master plans helping to direct physical planning, whereas ours is a more flexible framework plan, which looks ahead towards an approximately 10 year planning horizon. In this framework plan, we recognize the remarkable legacy of the academical village and other significant places on Grounds. And the founding concept that the original plan equally balanced landscape and architecture. But as you'll see, we've come a long way since this was the extent of Grounds. 

So since the academical village was first completed as a mixed use community intended to support interdisciplinary collaboration among students, Grounds has grown significantly over the decades, characterized by new academic and health system buildings, athletics facilities, and student residential buildings, all to support the dramatic increases in enrollment over the years. And this has resulted in a large footprint of Grounds, often growing in an ad hoc fashion and making connectivity challenging across our 1,200 contiguous acres. 

So while we've had a few master plans over the years, in 2008, we took a different approach, creating a framework plan for campus growth, with overarching goals of making grounds more walkable, bikeable, and sustainable. By 2018, with a new administration and a new strategic plan in place, it was time for a refresh of the plan. So what you'll see on our website today is our 2030 Grounds Plan. 

The purpose of this plan, if I had to consolidate all the points written on this slide into one, is that it promotes good stewardship of our physical environment for future generations. The Grounds Plan proposes infill development to encourage more compact, walkable, bikeable, and public transit accessible future growth through mixed use redevelopment zones, which are distributed through the three precincts of Central, North and West Grounds. 

Relating to the surrounding context, blue redevelopment zones were deemed appropriate for academic mixed use, while the yellow indicates areas for residential mixed use. This approach is different from previous generations that proposed expansion of the University farther away from Central Grounds, making access and connectivity more challenging. So in the last few years, we've completed district plans for several of these redevelopment zones, with the intention of knitting previously disconnected areas into the fabric of Grounds. 

Since 2016, we've completed eight master plans, which have allowed us to move forward with development in an informed manner in districts such as Brandon Avenue, Ivy mountain, Fontaine Research Park, The Athletics District. And of course, the Emmet Ivy Corridor. So all of our planning efforts have an overarching goal of strengthening connectivity, allowing the landscape and the architecture to work as an ensemble, as a connective string of landscape spaces. 

I like to refer to our landscape as the tie that binds, whether it's improving a tree lined streetscape for pedestrians, strategically locating bus shelters along transit routes, creating resilient working landscapes to handle stormwater, or improving accessibility around Grounds. And as you know, our beautiful yet challenging landscape is difficult for many to navigate. So many of our projects are small in scope, yet major in impact. 

Pictured here just a few of our more recent accessibility projects, such as, the brick ramps-- thank you, Pat, for providing support for that-- providing access to the lawn terraces, or the Central Grounds accessibility project that will allow access from the Central Grounds Garage up to the level of the lawn. These projects ensure that our flagship state institution is more physically accessible to all. So our district plans, which proposed land use designs and appropriate programmatic uses, allow us to be prepared to move forward with the design and construction of building projects to meet university needs as they arose. 

And yes, those needs came fast and furious over the last few years, but it's important to note that most of these projects, indicated by all these blue dots, are in our planned redevelopment zones. So pictured here, are some representative new buildings, such as the Contemplative Commons, the Hospital Bed Tower, the Manning Institute for Biotechnology, and the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. Renovation projects, such as the Chapel, Gilmer Hall, and of course, our beautiful Rotunda. And renovation projects with new construction. Such as Cobb Hall and Shumway Hall and the splendid, Shannon library. 

But in the interest of time, I'd like to focus today on one of the district plans we've been working on for the Emmet Ivy Corridor, and the capital projects it has enabled. Because I know what you're thinking, what the heck is going on at the Emmet Ivy Corridor? I thought I'd get a bigger laugh. Thank you. As some of you may remember, the University of Virginia foundation first began acquiring parcels in 1983, acquiring the final parcel at the corner of Copley Road in 2019. 

There were many studies in the ensuing years, because it was always acknowledged how strategic this parcel was. But by 2015, we had the opportunity to contemplate the full 14.5 acre parcel and develop a singular vision for the property. Acknowledging that the individual project proposals over the years had not really been successful, and that there should be an overall vision for the property, in March of 2015, the Board of Visitors passed a resolution with specific goals for the development study. 

And these goals included-- i'll just read them quickly-- enhancing the connection of the area within the overall university while providing an opportunity for interaction with the Charlottesville community, maximizing green space potential for community benefit, and aesthetic enhancement of a major university entrance. Accommodating current transportation, parking, and stormwater functions on site, while developing each to its maximum potential. Optimizing economically viable development and other university support activities within the site development. And providing appropriate screening of the parking garage. 

And this is a good slide to come back to at the end to check off to see if we've accomplished all of these goals that the board of visitors set out in 2015. So with that charge in mind, in late 2015 and working with Dumont Janks, our campus planners and landscape architects, we began the Ivy Carter study. As we've seen when we first started planning the Emmet Ivy Carter. It was a low density commercial area with more curb cuts than sidewalks. 

The site is bordered by the railroad tracks to the North, commercial property to the West, the International Residential College and the Lewis Mountain neighborhood to the South. And of course, it was the home of the Cavalier Inn since the mid 1960s. Many thought of the development of this parcel as the ability to provide an entry or a gateway to the University. 

And while the intersection is indeed important, we saw this parcel as having the ability to provide connection between Central and North Grounds. While the rotunda and the lawn will always be the heart and the soul of the University, this parcel is located at the geographic center of most of the academic activity on Grounds. So the site has its inherent challenges and opportunities. This slide describes some of the topographic and hydrological context with which we were working. 

So in this image, the deeper purple color shows the lower elevations, and the stream and stormwater management that is part of a larger hydrological system, that includes the Dell and the wetlands around JPJ arena. So to be more sustainable, we wanted to minimize our reliance on engineering underground water management. And you can see some of the existing older pipes that are shown in orange on this image. 

So this was the Emmet Ivy site when we began the study. And we knew that there were at least two amenities on the site. At least we thought of them as amenities. The daylighted stream, that was constructed during the earliest stormwater and stream management project that resulted in the beautiful Dell, just South on Emmet street. And the existing parking garage, which would support the new development on the parcel. So for reference, that's the Old Cavalier Inn in the lower right of the slide. And you might agree that the best thing about it was its great, central location. 

So the landscape framework plan that was developed in 2016 proposed relocating the daylighted stream to the center of the site, enabling city block sized parcels to face both the street and the interior green, and screen the existing parking garage. The linear green that you see is a working landscape, collecting stormwater for the district, with a corner pond providing much needed stormwater storage to prevent any future flooding of Emmett street. We heard great stories of Emmett street flooding and people taking canoes across in the day. 

So the program, for what would get built on the site, has been equally well considered. In 2018, President Ryan formed the Emmet Ivy task force to look at programmatic needs for the site with the goal of, "creating a welcoming and inviting place where local residents, visitors, and the University community interact." The task force proposed the three nexuses of creativity and experimental arts, democracy and discovery, as shown by the pink, orange, and blue blocks on this diagram. 

And the yellow is meant to identify all the shared public space on the site, not only in the open space, but within each building. And the site on the Southwest side of the garage is all yellow, identifying the site for a hotel and conference center. One that was proposed to serve the broader University and surrounding community. So the first three parcels to near completion are the School of Data Science in the foreground, the parcel towards the center of the site for the Virginia Guesthouse, and the parcel at the end of the linear green for the Karsh Institute of Democracy. 

Currently under construction, there's a student housing project directly to the West of the Karsh Institute. We're in the process of designing a new school of data science entrepreneurship building. And as you may know, we received a generous gift in support of a new performing arts center, which, if all goes as hoped, will be located in those white blocks on the right side of the slide. 

So our effort in the design of this district has been to enforce-- reinforce, the tenets of the Emmet Ivy task force, by locating public facing program and activity within the buildings-- as you can see in this X-ray view-- along the important, exterior civic spaces of the amphitheater, the green, and the promenade. And I'd love to show the vision for the site, juxtaposed against a recent drone photo, showing the great progress the construction teams are making. 

As you know, the School of Data Science opened in 2024. The Virginia Guesthouse just finished construction and is now open. And the Karsh Institute will be open this fall. So with all that as background, I'd like to take you on a little bit of a visual tour to explain the individual projects in a little more detail. So the School of Data Science, designed by Hopkins Architects, with our local VMDO team, is a cutting edge facility at the forefront of the transdisciplinary field of data science. 

As Dean Phil Bourne stated at the building's opening, data science has a spectacular new home. The building before you is much more than just a new physical structure. It was designed-- he was such a guiding force in this project-- it was designed to be a testament of everything we believe in. Openness, transparency, and innovation, among other things. 

So following these tenets of the Emmet Ivy task force, the building has public facing space on the ground floor, appropriately facing the beautiful stone amphitheater that you see in the foreground. The hub was purposefully located on the corner of the building to allow the events and the life of the School of Data Science to be on full display, and welcome the broader community into the building. And it's a great place for gathering and hosting many events like this Futures Initiative from last fall. 

So this long section through the building is really an interior landscape, with a central stair connecting all the different spaces in the building. From the entry plaza and the lobby to the right, moving up through the building, through the classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, up to the terrace with its dramatic views of the Grounds from under the brise soleil or the portico. The dean's mantra is that they are a school without walls, which is apt as data science pervades all fields and disciplines. And the project was designed specifically to encourage chance encounters and support collaboration. 

So here, you can see the open atrium and the interactive data sculpture, which extends all the way from the lobby up to the fourth floor. And of course, the building has state of the art active learning classrooms. And the terrace at the top floor of the building with views over the pond and back towards the rotunda and Shannon Library is quickly becoming one of the best places to meet on grounds. 

So now, we're back at the ground level and moving from the School of Data Science along the main pedestrian promenade with the ground floor of the Virginia Guesthouse to our right. The ground floor, following the design guidelines of the corridor is very transparent to encourage pedestrian engagement. There's a parallel interior promenade that connects the hotel's lower entry-- which you see on the right-- the Counter Cafe, and the Living Room, with the upper lobby of the hotel that you can see under the canopy in the distance. 

The Counter Cafe and the living room of the hotel are meant to be spaces where students, visitors, and hotel guests all feel comfortable to gather, have coffee, study, read, and enjoy the landscape and activity of the corridor. I can tell you that I walked into the space last week and students were already there studying. It was really thrilling to see it being used just as it was intended. They didn't want anyone else to know, by the way. 

So we've been working with a great team from TenBerke architects in the development of this project, and we're very excited about the life the Virginia Guesthouse will bring to the district. Not to mention the excitement over the rooftop bar, which some of you may have visited already, aptly named, The Perch, that you can see above the entry. The views from The Perch are spectacular, as shown in this rendering. 

Even at this level, the relationship to the surrounding landscape is remarkable. You can see the rotunda if you look to the left and look East. The Virginia Guesthouse is now officially open and welcoming guests, so please make sure to visit. In addition to The Perch and The Counter Café, there is also Poplar, a beautiful full service restaurant on the main level of the hotel. And I can tell you that the Lewis Mountain neighborhood is especially happy to be able to walk to all of these amenities. 

So thanks to our generous donors, we've been incredibly fortunate to have received a number of gifts in the last few years, not only for the School of Data Science and now its expansion, but for the Karsh Institute of democracy and a future center for the arts. So this rendering shows the site plan for those buildings, framing the central landscape and pond with the Karsh Institute of democracy located at the head of the linear green. 

So working with our design architects, Howeler and Yoon, the architects of our amazing memorial to enslaved laborers, we began to think about the meaning of the program for the Karsh Institute of democracy, and the form the building might take, given our own founding ideals and what we project for our future. There's a wonderful parallel with the fact that the rotunda was completed in 1826, and the Karsh Institute will be completed in 2026. So clearly, we wanted a design that speaks to democratic ideals, promotes healthy debate and discourse far into the future. 

We also considered how the Institute of democracy should present itself within the context of the Emmet Ivy Corridor, our overall Grounds, and Jeffersonian ideology. Not only are we considering the rotunda and the pavilions on the lawn, but we looked at John Russell Pope's Jefferson Memorial, which is the top image on the slide, with the Statue of Thomas Jefferson, framed by the white columns on the portico. And the warm white tone of Jefferson's own Virginia State Capitol, which is the image on the bottom. 

We also considered how one reads the lawn as a layer of red brick behind a screen of warm white columns in the foreground. We considered that the language of the architecture of the pavilions is not consistent, that there's an evolution of Jefferson's designs of pavilions nine and 10 from pavilions one and two, for instance. And in this sense, his designs could be understood to be looking towards the future and towards an open landscape. 

So with this in mind, we explored many ways of how the material palette could help ground the building to this place. As one reads the rotunda as a brick drum behind a facade of white columns and under a white dome, we proposed that the drum of the auditorium of the Karsh Institute is read as a warm, red figure behind a screen of the white, columned facade. We proposed that the Karsh Institute, sitting at the head of the linear green, needs to be visually significant, not only close up, but from a distance. 

Not unlike how the rotunda commands the view from the lawn. A very different landscape from the lawn, to be sure, but one that still provides a sense of this place. So at this point, if you don't mind, I'd like to share a five minute video that was created for the groundbreaking of the Karsh Institute that tells an inspiring story of the ideals of the building. 

[VIDEO PLAYBACK] 

[MELLOW ACOUSTICS PLAYING] 

- The University of Virginia is deeply embedded in the nation's founding democratic ideals and principles. The idea that citizens should be engaged and informed is absolutely essential to that. And that's what makes the University of Virginia the perfect place for the Karsh Institute of Democracy building. 

- So what this building will offer to us is both a focal point and a place to engage, to be collaborative, to meet with others, to listen to others who disagree with us, to come together really, at the heart of UVA. 

- Democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And this physical place will be an opportunity to practice all of that. 

- There's so much here to build off of. I think our challenge was to be authentic to this place, while also finding a contemporary expression for democracy at this time. 

- It was important to have echoes of the lawn without being specific about the stylistic elements. And I think the building really achieved that. 

- And then we sketched this idea that it might have doors on all four sides. That it's got a front and a back, but every face is a front. And so that set up this sort of relationship between the solid cornerstones and the spaces in between. Even the upper volume is designed as a series of discrete volumes that have gaps in between, so it doesn't feel tight and hermetic and imposing, but something much more porous and open. 

- The rotunda served as the university's library. And around it, students and faculty members lived together and engaged in important ideas of the day. That concept, that idea, is one that continues into the 21st century. And we believe the Karsh Institute building is a reflection of that and will help us build a modern and thriving democracy. 

- Our mission at the Batten School of leadership and public policy is to develop leaders, and to create knowledge to solve our most pressing problems in a diverse and divided world. 

- There are certain higher values that universities, especially public universities, should protect. Foremost among them, are democracy and free speech. And the Karsh Institute will support both. 

- Democracy is important, because it upholds the basic human rights and freedoms of the people. We need a non-partisan Institute like the Karsh Institute to understand and strengthen democratic values, to create a better future for everyone. 

- When you walk into the building, I hope students are inspired by the art on the walls that reminds them of the struggles people have faced to uphold their democracy and use their voice. I hope they hear interesting lecture series that open their eyes to all the different intersects of democracy, and all of the different sectors of our world. 

- The creation of these spaces has been an intense collaboration of world class architects, engineers, and specialty contractors, working closely with the University leaders, faculty, students, alumni, and the community to ensure that this place supports the values, hopes, and vision of the Karsh Institute of Democracy, now and into the future. 

- There are all these people coming together in concert in a way that's extremely thoughtful, that is happening specifically at this place, specifically at this moment in time. Born out of necessity, but driven by hope, driven by humor and excitement, and a true desire to do good for people around us.

- It's not about audience and speaker, it's about participants. So turning passive audience members into active participants. And I think the intimacy of the room and the geometry of the room creates that sense of participation and intimacy. 

- I think about the conversations that are going to happen in the hallways that will change students ways of thinking. They see that staircase, and I think about the elegant simplicity of those things coming together in concert with one another in a way that just makes so much sense. 

- I think it's an important exclamation point that UVA is making, and will really set us apart from other places that might have institutes of democracy. This will be special. 

[PIANO ACOUSTICS PLAYING] 

[END VIDEO PLAYBACK] 

[APPLAUSE] 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Well, thank you. Clearly, I'm emotional today. I don't know what's going on. So I hope you enjoyed that video. Now, back to reality. So here's an overall photo-- an overall aerial photo showing the progress of construction on the Karsh Institute, with the hotel's entry to the right. The site for our student housing is to the North and West of Karsh, which I'll show in a little more detail in the next few slides. 

I also just want to point out that the construction project across Copley, labeled bloom on Ivy that you see going up, is a new student housing project by a private developer. It is not UVA. In fact, I got some bad press about it just saying that I was not in support of it. In this view, you can also see the North Grounds parking garage, which is at the upper right of the slide, which will provide approximately 1100 new parking spaces in the athletics district. 

So I know there's a lot of construction traffic at the moment, but in a little over a year from now, everything should calm down with the completion of the buildings and additional parking that will be available. [CLEARS THROAT] So this rendering shows more clearly, our new student residential buildings that are North and West of the Karsh Institute. The project is the first move towards achieving the goal of housing all second years on grounds. 

With 780 bids on the site, 350 new beds under construction at Darden, and two large private developments, one across Copley Road that you just saw-- and you can see in the left on this image-- and the other at the intersection of Emmet street and Jefferson Park Avenue, there will be approximately 3,000 new student beds coming online in 2027. So we are planning to see what impact this will have on the market before contemplating any new on Grounds parking after this project on Ivy Road. 

So with the addition of student housing on the Emmet Ivy Corridor, the district really becomes a living learning community with 24/7 activity with residences, dining, academic buildings, much like Brandon Avenue, and of course like the lawn. The communal linear green of the master plan continues to this upper area on the site, and the residential buildings themselves are focused around smaller landscaped courtyards. The buildings also have been scaled in consideration of the surrounding context, with five and six story wings continuing the height of the guest house, and the Karsh Institute, and they also take into consideration the scale of these adjacent residential neighborhood. 

So this rendering is looking North Northeast at the intersection of Copley and Ivy Roads, where you can see the six story building along Copley to the left, and the five story wing along Ivy Road to the right. Elkus Manfredi Architects, the team that successfully designed Gaston Ramazani houses on Brandon Avenue, have similarly designed these buildings, where the ground floor along Copley and Ivy maximize transparency to provide not only direct access to the retail space at the corner, but also eyes on the street for safety. 

The project will continue the wide, tree lined sidewalks that have made a huge difference along Ivy Road. And we're also widening the sidewalk along Copley and over the bridge, knowing how much foot traffic goes over the bridge for athletics events. So this view is looking West at the interior shared lawn towards the residential dining hall and social hub behind the portico. The project provides stair and elevator access to Copley Road that you can see on either side of the dining pavilion. 

The 20 foot wide promenade, in fact, on the left, provides connectivity all the way from Emmet Street to Copley Road, and then up through the stairs and elevators. The presence of students in this district and the mix of academic, residential, dining, cultural, and hospitality uses, not to mention the athletics programs on the other side of the tracks, will make Emmet Ivy an active, vibrant and really stimulating district of the University. 

So with all these projects now under construction, our attention is focused on the Center for the Arts, on which we've been collaborating with the renowned team of Diamond Schmitt architects, who completed David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Annabelle Selldorf, the architect who just completed the renovation of the Frick Collection in New York City, and our Charlottesville based, VMDO architects. The building will be home to the Tessa and Richard Ader performing Arts Center, the Fralin Art Museum, the Kluge-Ruhe Gallery, and the Department of Music. 

While an important site for an important program, this building will also be part of an ensemble of buildings that are intended to create a collective sense of community, offering shared resources, and building upon our tradition of buildings and mixed uses in a harmonious relationship with the landscape. So this long section through the site, which is looking North towards the tracks, puts all the buildings on the Emmet Ivy Corridor in context with each other. 

The section begins at the left of the slide with the 11 story private housing. Then moving to the right, our student housing, then the Karsh Institute of Democracy, the Virginia Guesthouse, the proposed Center for the Arts, and the proposed private hotel development-- which is where you see private development-- which is across Emmet street before ending at our Culbreth theater across Carr's Hill Field. 

The facade of the Center for the Arts is designed to tie into the horizontal datums created by the Karsh Institute and the Virginia Guesthouse. With the brick mass of the center stepping down towards Emmet Street, and the large window of the performing arts center centered on the pond and the open landscape. And as you've seen before, all the buildings on the Emmett Ivy Carter have been designed with a transparent, welcoming ground floor to connect all the interior public spaces with the exterior pedestrian promenade to create a safe and active district. 

As shown in yellow on this X-ray illustration, the Center for the Arts will have an internal promenade on the ground floor that builds upon these design guidelines, and which will connect with the public facing program in the School of Data Science, the Welcome Center and living room of the hotel, and the lobby of the Karsh Institute. So that shared connection is again shown in yellow on this ground floor plan of the Center for the Arts, and provides connected lobbies for the Performing Arts center, the music department, and the combined UVA art museums. 

You can also see that although the public spaces will be connected, each program will be able to have an identifiable entry. A great aspect of this site is the adjacent parking garage, and there will be direct access to the center from the garage, where you see access to the building. That shared circulation happens horizontally in plan, but also vertically in section through the building. It's one of the reasons why this large building is actually very efficient in its ability to share program spaces, as well as circulation. 

So this section of the building, taken lengthwise, shows how the programs are arranged to take advantage of room adjacencies. The section also begins to show the logic of the facade composition that you'll soon see. As we saw in the ground floor plan, while the collaborators efficiently share space in the Center of the Arts, it was important that each collaborator have a specific identity. So now here's that same building section without the color coding and with some of the primary spaces noted, these adjacencies were carefully considered. 

So for example, you can see how the Performance Lab in the middle of the slide, which is a flexible theater space, can be used by all three programs. Also take note of the recital hall, rehearsal hall, and dance studio that are located on the right of the slide on the East side of the building. These programs will activate the public facing facade along Emmet Street. So the Performing Arts Center is prominent in this view, putting a large window with the activity of the center on full display, and centered on the landscape amphitheater, which is around the pond. 

To the left, you can see the glass fronted link that not only provides an identifiable entrance for the college's music department, but importantly, provides the break between the masses of the Performing Arts Center on the right and the art museums on the left. So now moving inside the building, the lobby of the Performing Arts Center will provide an elegant space for pre-concert events. And is also being designed to be a social or study space for students when the main hall is not in use. 

So now we're back outside, moving West. Outside the building, you can see how the transparent pedestrian promenade at the ground level connects all the program in the building. The glass link in the middle of the slide not only provides an identifiable entry for the music department, but really locks the building into the broader site, by aligning with the plaza in front of the School of Data Science and the bridge that you can see in the foreground that connects the two across the green. 

So inside the music Commons. The interior promenade will not only connect the program and the building, but will also connect the interior activity of the building to the exterior public realm. And we've worked with broad stakeholder groups over the years, composed of students, faculty, staff, and administrators, in addition to our world class consultants, to make sure the design of the specialized spaces, such as this music class lab, provides the required functionality for the program. 

So now we're back outside, moving to the West of the building again. You can see the prominent illuminated entry to the museums from Rothery Road, which is the road that leads to the entry of the garage. This entry is not only accessible from the promenade, but there's also a vehicular drop off in the plaza between the guest house, which is in the foreground to our left and the Center for the Arts. The illuminated signage that you see will be able to display the museum's names, as well as highlight art exhibitions or display commissioned digital artwork. 

So we're still in the early stages of designing the interiors of the center, but the architects have started imagining an impactful lobby for the art museums. Perhaps commissioning an artwork for the large wall that can be viewed from the exterior of the building, once again, connecting inside and outside. And the architects are starting to consider all the details of the design of the galleries for the Fralin and the Kluge-Ruhe. 

It's wonderful to think now of gallery spaces worthy of the Fralin and the Kluge-Ruhe's collection. And in fact, this facility will be especially transformational for the Kluge-Ruhe. So back outside, this view shows the building as a prominent, identifiable marker of the Center for the Arts for those entering grounds from the North. 

It also shows the city's smart scale, pedestrian improvements along Emmet Street, and the proposed pedestrian tunnel through the railroad embankment, right under the bridge-- that you can see-- at the end of the sidewalk, that will hopefully be under construction within the year. So that shared pedestrian path, which is about 10 feet wide, will go all the way from the Emmet Ivy intersection, all the way through to Arlington Boulevard. The most impactful thing, I think, is now providing a safe entrance or a safe access through the railroad embankment. 

So this view shows the continuation of the transparency of the lobby along Emmet Street and the large corner window of the rehearsal room. There will also be a bus drop off and a ramp up to the pedestrian promenade, that is behind the stone wall along the sidewalk. The rehearsal room, which you saw in the section, faces Emmet Street and will be used by students and performance artists, and can also be set up for celebratory events and dinners, and maybe an event such as this. 

So this view from across arts grounds shows the life and civic presence the Center for the Arts will bring to this prominent location. I love the possible visual connection between the activity of the rehearsal room at the corner, and the frequent marching band practices on Carr's Hill Field, which is directly across Emmet Street. I know many of you will ask whether there's the possibility of a pedestrian bridge across Emmet Street. Yes. It would be curious. 

And although it is yet unfunded, there is the opportunity to connect arts Grounds and significantly, the Culbreth Garage to an upper level lobby in the Center for the Arts, which is to the right in this image. So now please keep this image in view as we move to the next slide, which is a cross section through the main lobby of the Performing Arts Center, showing its relationship to the overall district and the layering of the facade from the public realm of the amphitheater around the pond, then to the pedestrian promenade in front of the building, to the glass fronted lobbies, and finally, to the main hall. 

The main hall, which has a 1,200 seat capacity, will be adaptive to various formats, such as performance by the University singers or the Charlottesville symphony. Or a venue for our UVA dance performances, or the Charlottesville opera or ballet. Or for UVA theater productions, the Virginia Theater Festival, or touring Broadway shows. Or the showing of films perfect for our annual Virginia Film Festival. 

So although we have received incredibly generous philanthropy, the future of this project is dependent upon state funding. So please keep your fingers crossed this spring as we await the governor's budget. The team has been busy at work furthering the development of the design, and if we are fortunate enough to receive state funding, we hope to be ready for performances by early 2030. I realize there are a lot of big ifs in that statement, but we've never been closer in this decade's long endeavor. 

So we're hopeful because it's not hard to imagine an exciting opening night performance for the University and the broader community at the Tessa and Richard Ader Performing Arts Center, and how amazing that would be for the University and the broader community. So on that note, pun intended, I'll stop there. Thank you so much for your time. But since I think we have some time, I might jump in here, if that's OK. I'm happy to take questions or share the three top questions I'm usually asked. 

So given the consistency of these questions, I've prepared a little more in depth answers to these specific questions. So shall I try to see if I guess them correctly? OK. So the question I am asked most frequently is, how do you reconcile the architectural history of the academical village with modern buildings? Has UVA's new building policy abandoned more traditional styles? 

And so when I'm asked this question, I point out that both Shannon Library and Shumway Hall are two of our newest buildings and are neoclassical in their design. So the answer is that we consider context and program as buildings are designed. But since everybody cares very deeply about this topic, I just want to go into a little bit more detail. 

I know I'm talking-- I'm preaching to the choir here, but this brief tour through buildings on grounds shows that not long after the academical village was completed in 1828, the infirmary, what we now know as Varsity Hall, was built in 1958, in a stripped down Italianate style, which was a modern style at the time. Even more than the exterior, the systems in the infirmary were state of the art, appropriate for its function. Soon after that, Brooks Hall was completed in 1876, in a romantic Second Empire style, with exotic animal heads as keystones above the windows. 

The design and construction of the Chapel followed in 1890 as a collegiate Gothic style many thought appropriate for an ecclesiastical building. Then followed Cabell, Cocke and Rouse Halls in 1896. In McKim, Mead, and White's favorite Beaux-Arts style, interestingly, using Greek precedents rather than Jefferson's own Roman choices. President Darden refocused student activity on the lawn with new Cabell Hall in 1952, in a stripped down Georgian style. 

And President Shannon grew the sciences at UVA with buildings such as Gilmer, chemistry, physics, and mechanical engineering in contemporary architectural styles. In fact, most of the buildings on the South side of McCormick Road were constructed during a very busy seven year period. We obviously know what that's like. U-Haul, a purpose built structure would put the basketball program on the map as a house that Ralph built. And Arts Grounds was firmly established with Campbell Hall, the Fiske Kimball library, and the Culbreth theater. All during the tenure of President Shannon. 

So through it all, though, I think it's important to remember that Jefferson, in using precedents from ancient Rome and then modern France for pavilions nine and 10, was interested in establishing a certain worldliness in the architecture of his new college. He believed in the Vitruvian principles of architecture as firmness, commodity, and delight. And I believe these tenets continue today in what we consider the essential characteristics of a UVA building. 

So specifically, UVA strives to be worldly, addressing both local and international audiences. UVA buildings articulate their role in its educational mission through siting, scale, and design, whether in brick, stone, concrete, or steel. UVA buildings manifest solidity. UVA buildings use the highest level of craftsmanship available-- trying to keep the costs low still. UVA buildings are appropriately sized. And UVA buildings are integrated deliberately into the existing landscapes and streetscapes. 

Finally, another important document that you'll find on our website is the Historic Preservation Framework Plan that we first developed in 2007, updated first in 2014, and most recently, last year. When it was first established, the plan had two primary goals to recognize that historic meant more than the Jefferson buildings and grounds. So it designated the original buildings and landscapes as fundamental, then focused on the post Jefferson buildings and landscapes that were more than 40 years old. And two, to create a tool that informed planning for maintenance, renovation, renewal and demolition. 

To guide the particular question of context, the plan includes a design influence map that applies to new construction projects. So zone one, the darker purple on the map, includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the Virginia and National Historic Registered Districts. In this area, new buildings must be designated design consistent with the architectural expression of the academical village. 

Zone two. The lighter purple defines the historic ground zone, and new projects will present a carefully designed response to zone one, but will allow for less traditional massing in detail. So in summary, building closer to the lawn requires more traditional expression, while distance from it allows more contemporary expressions that nevertheless exhibit the essential characteristics and make them legible as UVA buildings. Long answer, but it's a serious question. 

The second most asked question is, what are we doing to address traffic congestion along Ivy Road? Will additional parking pressures from new buildings be-- how will additional parking pressures from new buildings be handled? So I wanted to begin to answer that question with images of what Emmet Street and Ivy Road looked like before we began construction in 2018 or so. So those are all the top photos and the lower one to the left. 

The previous businesses on Ivy Road include, the Cavalier Inn, as we previously mentioned, as well as the Villa Restaurant, Shenanigans-- popular toy store that I'm sure you know-- the Dynamics Building-- which was a four story office building-- Carrie's Camera, Wings over Charlottesville, 711, the University Forum Apartments, and the BB&T Bank. There was obviously a lot of commercial traffic and many curb cuts accessing the site. The existing Emmet Ivy Garage, which has a little over 1,200 parking spaces, was used for commuters, many of them associated with the health system. 

So these commuters have now been relocated to the new 1,300 space garage in the Fontaine Research Park, which is the middle photo at the lower line. So the new-- sorry-- the new 1,100 or so space North Grounds Garage to the right on that image would also open this fall, and will help with the athletics events and commuter parking. It will also be a transit hub for our UTS buses, and have a student run bicycle repair shop there. 

So all this to say that the traffic congestion, which is currently on Ivy Road specifically, is largely due to the construction projects. Which, although they seem endless, are relatively short term. And the Emmet Ivy Garage is now freed up to house the parking demands of the hotel, the academic buildings, and the future Center for the Arts. Finally, the third most asked question is, will there be a time in the near future that does not include building on or near grounds? 

[LAUGHTER] 

It's difficult to see into the future, and when I consulted the Magic 8 Ball this morning with that question, this was the answer I received. But seriously, while we see the capital program slowing down in the next few years, it's hard to imagine a time when there isn't any construction on the Grounds. The construction of the Center for the Arts, for instance, will require renovation of the Bailey Building when the Fralin Museum moves out. 

Similarly, if the music department moves out of Old Cabell Hall, that will be an incredible opportunity for a much needed renovation of that historic building. So as always, though, we'll continue to collaborate with the community stakeholders as we do our work. So now, thanks again for your time today. I'm happy to take additional questions. 

[APPLAUSE] 

AUDIENCE: I wonder what your own personal views were around, not just the University building new apartments, which seems like an enormous number of new housing coming on, but then supplemented with all of the private housing that's coming on. When we think of the University not expanding greatly in size, it's hard to understand how that much additional housing unit comes into a market without there being repercussions for the rest of Charlottesville. 

And I just wondered if you had any thoughts. We've been reading a lot about concerns about affordable housing being driven out by the luxury housing built for students, but I wondered what your personal-- i know we don't control what developers do. But certainly, we're the impetus behind a lot of what's happening. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Well, we do you have an expert in the audience on this question, but I'll say that the hope is that the new student-- that the purpose built student housing will draw the students out of the residential neighborhoods, because there's a great percentage. We have all our first years living on grounds and the percentage of students living on grounds drops precipitously as it moves up through the four years. So I think that the hope of housing all second years on grounds had a variety of goals. 

One is that, it extended the residential culture of UVA to full two years. That first year students are not really prepared to decide where they want to live or who they want to live with in the first few months of their first year on grounds. And so this gives them a little time to get used to everything. And then thirdly, we heard from the city very often, that if we only housed more of our students, that would free up housing in the city and probably in the city, not really the county to provide more affordable housing. 

So that is the hope. When we started advertising that we were going to be building more on grounds housing, the local developers were up in arms because we were taking away their profit margin. But I think that that's just capitalism. They're going to have to figure out who that housing is for, because our enrollment is not growing. 

So I think there's going to be a great desire for the students, for our housing at least, because they're nine month leases, they're more affordable than the private developers, and I think it's yet to be seen what impact the private development is going to have, because they are certainly luxury and not inexpensive, and they are rented by the bed. So not quite sure how that's going to go. But I think it's a good thing to house, at least through second years on grounds, because it will have that impact of lightning or lessening the impact of students living in the residential neighborhoods around 14th Street, et cetera. 

AUDIENCE: I would add to the issue about the second year housing is that, the task force from the culture groups that met after the murder and the abduction and murder of our students was that-- one of the recommendations was that we should expand housing on grounds for second year students and get them out of the wetland area and some of the places where these events had happened. I had a question, though. I wanted to ask about the pedestrian elevated network and what that really was going to look like. Can you? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: You mean the bridge over Emmet Street that I alluded to? 

AUDIENCE: At one point, I heard that we would be able to walk all the way to Arlington. And maybe even to Barracks Road, all that way up above. Is that going to happen? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: No, I've never heard an elevated-- i think what you're talking about is this Smart Scale Project, which is a tree lined wide sidewalk, well lit, from Emmet and Ivy all the way to Arlington Boulevard with that tunnel that goes through the railroad embankment. I hear a lot. I probably should have put question four on the list, because the next question I hear is about bridges. 

And we have a very challenging topography here. And bridges work where we can connect high elevation to high elevation. It just makes sense. So we've had a program for many years called, the Grounds Work, which resulted in the Goodwin Bridge by Lambeth Lane that goes-- which now connects. Actually, it used to just dump people over into the parking lot by JPJ. 

Now, there's a beautiful athletics promenade, also 20 feet wide, that goes all the way up to, what I call, the park of parks, where Palmer Park is, and continues up to Darden, because the North grounds parking garage is now going to create a sidewalk, again, a wide, lighted, tree lined sidewalk that will connect all the way up to Leonard Sandridge Road. So an answer to your question. Bridges are not-- A, they're expensive. B, they're difficult to do, because if they don't go high elevation to high elevation, you need ramps and stairs and elevators to access them. 

So for instance, the new bridge that connects Newcomb Plaza to Contemplative Commons and then to the old dorms-- McCormick Road dorms-- is brilliant. Because it now is accessible as opposed to the Ruffner Bridge, which had stairs with A, It was deteriorating. It had stairs at both ends. So this is now fully accessible from Newcomb Plaza, all the way to dorms. It's like a incredible connection for first years especially. So we always look for those opportunities. 

I think there's a great opportunity at Emmet Street, especially, we can connect from the intersection of Emmet Ivy. We'd have to ramp up along Castle Field, and then-- because you have to get to be 17 feet above Emmett Street to be able to cross over. And then you need a building to accept that bridge. 

So this is an opportunity, if we get funding for it to do a ramp or a bridge into the Center for the Arts, I think would be brilliant to connect it to the Arts Grounds and to Culbreth Road Garage because it doubles the amount of parking for those events. So who's in advancement? Can we get out there. Certainly. 

AUDIENCE: Yes. I wanted to ask about considerations of energy conservation and climate resiliency and how those have figured into your guidelines into that. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: We work very closely with our sustainability colleagues in facilities management. Every project needs, we go through in-depth charrettes with them. We have to achieve their very aggressive 2030 sustainability goals of carbon neutral and fossil free, neutral by 2030 and 2050, respectively. We are increasing our square footage and yet if you look on their website, we are decreasing our energy uses-- our energy usage. 

So it's quite extraordinary that just in the way we have changed designing our buildings, we're making them much more efficient. We still have some energy hogs, the hospital. There's things a lot of our research buildings. We can do what we can do, but they're still going to be some energy hogs. Before I retire, and join you, if you let me-- i hope to see something at the West complex happen because that is hugely inefficient, third world country space that needs to be done. And we could save a lot of energy over there. Now that's just energy. 

We also take very seriously into consideration all our stormwater effects. The corner pond has been designed for major 50 year storms. Probably we're now up to 100 year storms in the time we've wasted here. So we're always thinking about this. The good thing about the Emmet Ivy Corridor and Brandon Avenue is that we treat them as district wide stormwater treatment facilities, so that every building doesn't need to consider it as much if they're in that district, because they participate in that district wide treatment. Does that answer your question? Certainly. 

AUDIENCE: Yeah. Thank you very much for a wonderful presentation. Oh, thank you. Yeah, my question is, after this impressive array of buildings is completed-- and I know that the users have been consulted. You pointed that out very carefully in the design process-- will there be a post-construction evaluation? Will there be attempts to find out how people are using the buildings and how much they like them? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Yeah. No, that's a great question, Reuben. So, I'd like to say, I'm not responsible for all this. A, I work with a huge as an army, that I'm just a spokesperson here. However, the Board of Visitors and the administration decide the direction of the University. And I have to bring these projects to the Board of Visitors at-- we get them, we ask them to approve the project itself. And that's a arduous process of evaluating and cost estimating, et cetera. 

So just to get it on the major capital plan, I bring a site for concept site design guidelines. I bring schematic design for review to get feedback. I bring schematic design for then approval. They then don't see it until after the building is completed, and we complete post-occupancy evaluations at least a year after the building has been opened, depending on the building, may be a little bit longer, just to really let the users get acclimated. 

And so we do a deep dive with the users to see what we got right and what we got wrong. And it's not only to inform our leadership, but it's to inform us in our future planning for lessons learned. So yes, that's a very important part of the whole cycle. Oh, sorry. 

AUDIENCE: This is both a literal and figurative question and a follow up where to her question. Given all the roofs you've put up, where are the solar panels and where are the batteries going to be? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: And where are the what? 

AUDIENCE: Batteries going to be stored? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: I don't think I can answer the battery question. I can find that out for you. But I can tell you that every building we now design is made with solar ready roofs. And so, the School of Data Science is covered with solar panels that contributes to its energy uses. We also review with our sustainability team and facilities management, where throughout Grounds we can put solar panels. 

So Newcomb Hall and other buildings like that, all around Grounds. We tend to shy away from them around very historic buildings and clearly not in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. I can find out about the batteries. I don't know the answer to that. Sorry. 

AUDIENCE: Very quick question. First years don't have cars. Second year students usually do. Is there parking in the new residential areas? 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Yeah. So not in the new buildings we're doing. And we're hoping when we were designing, we have a location. There are no parking spaces in the new buildings we're designing on Emmet Street for the students. And I think the administration is moving towards not allowing second years to bring cars on grounds. Do you know anything more? No. That's my understanding. I don't know-- yeah. 

So I will say, though, that the North Grounds Garage will have some capacity for those students who need cars for work or other health conditions. So there will always be exceptions to that. But we are discouraging. I've heard that there's going to be a discouragement of students second years bringing cars to grounds. 

AUDIENCE: Yes. Thank you. I'm sorry, I'm not going to stand. I had a stent put in on Tuesday, but I wasn't going to miss this session. This was a stunning, stunning presentation. I drive by all this and I'm so excited to know what all of it is. And I drive by those crazy student housings that are going up with all that traffic. 

30 years in the drama department as costume designer, the one question that I would have, and might be something to consider in future presentations as you're trying to bring more money in to finish the creative arts program, a building-- I wasn't quite clear as you were going through, whether drama would be performed there given that we do have the Calbreathe and all those shops. I assume all the shop work of costumes and scenery will be done at the drama building and imported in. 

My one question would be, in trying to stand in the place of a potential donor, are there dressing rooms? Are there stage spaces to get the work done? The renovation that was done at the Paramount Downtown, has prevented many artists from coming, because there's no enough backstage space to meet their equity contract. 

The same thing would happen if there was a guest company that was coming into this space, which looks stunning, but those are some things that, of course, have been on my mind after being doing this for 50 years. But I just brought-- because I'm so anxious. We've waited for 30 years of my working there to get money to have more happen in the arts, and I'm thrilled that it's moving in that direction. And thank you for this fabulous presentation. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Thank you. I appreciate that. So I'm happy to share. If you would like to come to our office. Happy to share some specific drawings. You, of course know, Jody Kielbasa, who's the champion of that program. We have brilliant sub-consultants that are working with Diamond Schmidt, like, Next Stage Design, Kirkegaard, as acousticians. I mean, this is going to be a class A facility. So yes, all those things have been taken into consideration. 

But it's also important that I share that we had many, many studies that led up to this over the years, because it was very important to us that we did not take business away from other local establishments. So we worked with the Paramount, we worked with MLK Theater, we worked with Charlottesville Symphony and Opera, et cetera, et cetera. We can still have full time usage here and not really affect their bread and butter, their performances. This is filling a need gap that we do not have here in Charlottesville. 

AUDIENCE: Just a question. I hear in the arts people who want to give money. I don't have any money to give, but I'm happy to do whatever I can. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Well, please share that. And Jodi is a great spokesman for this, because we were very particular. We did not want to take business away from those local communities. And also Old Cabell Hall, we were very considerate of what happens at Old Cabell Hall. Old Cabell Hall can now revert back to the spoken word, et cetera. So I know everyone's-- I'm standing between cocktails, I can also stay for a cocktail or wine. 

AUDIENCE: So the question is about bicycles and bicycling around campus. And I think of the campuses first. I think your plans fans are great. Do you look at the campuses of Stanford, or Western, or University of British Columbia, where they don't have as many [AUDIO OUT] roads coming into the University of British Columbia. Some of the city streets have been made into bicycle primary lanes, and the cars moved away from them. Is there a comprehensive plan for getting people, including the professors, and not just the kids, on their bicycles to come to work. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Well, that's a challenging question. We obviously don't control the surrounding arteries in the city and the county, but we do participate with our colleagues in comprehensive bicycle infrastructure. We have a challenging topography as well, and historic walls, and historic roads that can't all be altered. So it's never going to be Stanford. But whenever we do do new construction, like what you just see along Ivy Road and Emmet Street, there are dedicated bike lanes. 

We're hopeful one of our projects that we're moving forward with, there's the hope that we will be able to connect Copley Road over to Millmont and Arlington, to unlock the-- I think of North Grounds as one large cul-de-sac. You go in, you can't come out. So that would unlock a little bit of that infrastructure. So the idea that that would have dedicated bike lanes, sidewalks, and be an active bus route. So yes, it's something we think about all the time. We try to plan where we can. And we're doing as much as we can at the moment. 

PRESENTER: OK. Well, please join me in thanking, Alice. 

ALICE J. RAUCHER: Thank you. 

[APPLAUSE]