VA COLLEGE GUIDE
VCU’s
Master Plan
THE UNIVERSITY PREPARES FOR MORE EXPANSION,
IMPROVEMENTS TO CAMPUS
n a sweltering
summer day, a
guide leads a
group of incom-
ing Virginia Com-
monwealth Uni-
versity students
and their parents along the pedestrian
walkway on Shafer Street toward the
intersection of Franklin Street.
“You see this construction there?”
The guide gestures to metal fencing
blocking the pedestrian path that the
group must circumvent. “It’s really not
there during the year; they really only
do construction during the summer.”
What the students and parents
see as a construction project, Virginia
Commonwealth University planner Jeff
Eastman sees as the first visible steps of
the ONE VCU Master Plan (masterplan.
vcu.edu), or what the 116-page document
calls intersection improvements at the
“front doors” of the campus.
“It addresses the different ways that
people step onto and experience cam-
pus,”Eastman says. “We are working
with the city to make the streets more
pedestrian- and bike-friendly. And we
114 VA COLLEGE GUIDE
CollegeGuide_VCUMasterPlan_rp0919.indd 114
by Dina Weinstein
are doing that through design.”
Those design changes include curb
extensions, higher-visibility crosswalks
and greenery.
The master plan was announced in
March 2019 after five years of studies
that included environmental surveys
and focus groups, alignment with the
VCU and VCU Health System strategic
plans and with athletic department
plans for an off-campus athletic village
consolidating and upgrading facilities.  Medical College of Virginia merged to
It’s the first master plan to set forth
a unified vision for school properties.
Data were also gathered from surveys
on campus use, querying students about
the best places to relax as well as the
uncomfortable parts of campus. Grad-
uate students, faculty, staff and neigh-
bors of the Monroe Park campus as well
as medical residents and VCU Health
System staff responded to surveys or
attended community meetings. The
response showed a need for streetscape
improvements and more open spaces.
Priorities emerged based on six guid-
ing principles: placemaking, mobility
and safety, unifying the campus, stu-
dent success, program synergies, and
patient success. The plan also evaluated
off-site properties. VCU’s strategic plan
for 2018-25 homed in on four themes:
student success, national prominence,
urban and regional transformation,
and diversity driving excellence. “All of
the projects proposed were judged on
whether they support those principles,”
Eastman says. 
The plan comes 50 years after the
Richmond Professional Institute and
create Virginia Commonwealth Univer-
sity. Since RPI and MCV’s beginnings,
Eastman says, they have repurposed
hundreds of existing buildings. “Only
in recent decades has VCU built build-
ings specifically for higher education,”
he says. “But the buildings did not keep
pace with growth.”
Eastman notes that the master plan
addresses more than $200 million in
deferred maintenance needs. Twenty-six
ILLUSTRATION BY BOB SCOTT
new buildings are slated for construc-
tion, and eight building renovations
are planned. Construction continues
on a $93 million engineering research
building at Cary and Belvidere streets,
scheduled to open in 2020.
8/12/19 3:45 PM
 VA COLLEGE GUIDE

VCU’S MASTER PLAN

The building’s first floor is a maker

space. The second floor is devoted to
computer science, with large labs
where students can interact with
fellow students and professors. The
upper floors are designed with flexi-
ble huddle rooms where students can
get together to talk about engineering
problems. Biomedical engineering will
have an increased emphasis. There
will be a focus on interactions with
other disciplines such as business,
medicine and the arts, a key concept
of the master plan.
“It is all designed around experiential
learning and getting students’ hands on
projects,” says Barbara D. Boyan, dean of
VCU’s engineering college.

Construction Ahead
In 2019, VCU is scheduled to have at
least $900 million in construction proj-
ects underway across the city. Work
continues on a $349.2 million adult
outpatient facility at North 10th and
East Leigh streets, and on a $350 mil-
lion in-patient children’s hospital on
East Marshall Street.
Another key master plan com-
ponent for the medical campus is a
transdisciplinary neuroscience build-
ing, which may mean more research
opportunities for undergraduates.
Also, funds have been approved
for a $121 million STEM building.
Richmond BizSense reported in May
that the Virginia General Assembly
awarded $105 million to VCU for the
science, technology, engineering and
math building to be built on the cur-
rent site of the Franklin Street Gym.
Carolyn Conlon, director of commu-
nications for the VCU administration,
says other projects include a new arts
and innovation academic building at
on Linden Street in the heart of the
Monroe Park campus.
 “The interdisciplinary academic
and laboratory building will provide
more than 204,000 square feet of
modern classroom and lab space,”
Conlon says via email. It will house
classes and labs currently held in
VCU’s Temple Building and Oliver Hall,
“making it possible to decant, demol-
ish or renovate older campus buildings
and spaces,” according to Conlon.
Anchored in the Richmond Arts
District, the arts and innovation aca-
demic building will face the Institute
for Contemporary Art. Shawn Brixey,
former dean of the School of the Arts,
says the proposed building is in the
planning stage. “This is part of the cul-
ture of innovation,” says Brixey. “We
realize we are a true partner with engi-
Building Community
VCU has also started studies on other
master plan projects, including a stu-
dent commons and wellness facility
and public-private partnership proj-
ects for student housing that will add
up to 1,000 more beds. These dormi-
tories will have more of what Boyan
describes as “draw-open” spaces, where
activities are taking place and students
can congregate and build community.
“It is known that students who live
on campus do better academically,”
says Mary Patton Cox, a university
architect. “These changes directly ben-
efit students. It is a transitional time
in their lives. There is a huge need to
have a sense of belonging. They have
a need for it to be a nurturing place.
These are places where these students
COURTESY VCU

the southeast corner of Broad and Bel- neering, medicine and business. These grow into adulthood.”
videre streets and a new interdisciplin- would be spaces that would provide a In the master plan, Franklin Street,
ary academic and laboratory building high level of innovation and learning.” with its numerous older homes, is

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CollegeGuide_VCUMasterPlan_rp0919.indd 116 8/12/19 12:52 PM


viewed as a better location for residenc-
es, while Grace Street is envisioned as
a commercial “Main Street.” The devel-
opment of a block-and-a-half-long col-
lege green will straddle Main Street,
surrounded by academic buildings
and fronted by an expanded student
commons and wellness facility on the
south end and Cabell Library on the
north end.
“The student commons are a high
priority because its purpose is like a
living room,” says Cox. “Student organi-
zations can have space there. We want
places where students want to go to,
not just pass through, where they can
develop their socialization skills and
go from adolescence to adulthood.”
On the Road
Planners also looked at how people
arrive and get around on campus to
develop initiatives that seek to encour-
CollegeGuide_VCUMasterPlan_rp0919.indd 117
Street, says the VCU planners were
receptive to his concerns about larger
buildings dwarfing the low-rise neigh-
borhood. Legions says adding dorms is
a good idea because short-term student
renters in homes near campus do not
always adhere to neighborly standards
of the long-term residents.
“I would like to see these streets-
capes not stop [abruptly] where VCU
starts,” says Legions. “If VCU is on the
other side of the street, if they are going
to plant trees, the green space should
be for everyone and extended to the
neighborhood. Also, in the commercial
spaces, they should rent to mom- and
pop-business. It creates a better buzz.
It will also benefit Richmonders and
should aim to bring in an influx of Rich-
monders to support those business. It
should be a lively additional shopping
center, like Carytown. They should allow
those entrepreneurs to use those park-
ing decks for their
age walking and biking customers.”
and to enhance safety Clockwise from left: VCU students University plan-
walk by the recently renovated ners say they were
for cyclists and pedes- library; a rendering of Broad and
trians. Belvidere streets, with a new arts careful to work with
and innovation academic building the city and the sur-
Conlon says anoth- across from the ICA; the view from
er significant benefit the other side of Broad and Belvidere rounding communi-
of the plan for the ties. Eastman says
community and region the master plan aims
is VCU’s partnership with GRTC Tran- to maintain the urban character of the
sit system, in which the school paid campus while enhancing facilities
GRTC $1.5 million and in return staff and infrastructure as well as elevat-
and students ride free. “For VCU, it ing the experience for staff, students
gives students and employees an effi- and patients.
cient way to travel between campuses, As projects continue to develop,
provides greater access to businesses there is a commitment to adhere to the
and resources in all parts of the city, plan, while incorporating flexibility to
and has the potential to reduce parking refine details as the buildouts happen.
demand on campus and in surrounding Meredith L. Weiss, vice president for
neighborhoods,“ Conlon says via email.   administration, calls the master plan a
The planning process involved vision for VCU of how the institution
nearly 200 community meetings. will educate students.
Jerome Legions, president of the “Any project by itself is exciting,”
Carver Community Civic Improvement Weiss says. “Together it’s transforma-
League, a community north of Broad tional.”
RICHMONDMAG.COM 117
8/12/19 12:52 PM
 VA COLLEGE GUIDE
TO BE CONTINUED...
Adult programs and professional schools for furthering education
ADULT EDUCATION
(Richmond Region Only)
Averett University
Cost: Bachelor’s, $480 per credit hour. Master’s
$55 to $655 per credit hour. Evening classes for
accelerated undergraduate or graduate degrees
in business, education and criminal justice.
Online classes available. 420 W. Main Street,
Danville, 434-791-5600 or averett.edu.
Bluefield College
Cost: $365 per credit hour. Bachelor’s degree
programs for seven majors online. Graduate
degrees for licensed teachers who are currently
employed. Cost: $460 per credit. 276-326-
3682 or bluefield.edu.
Catholic Distance University
Cost: $165 per credit for continuing-
education courses; $305 per credit hour for
undergraduates; $450 per credit for graduates.
Distance-learning courses for AA in Catholic
studies, BA in theology and graduate degrees
theology. 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 700,
Arlington, 888-254-4238, ext. 700, or cdu.edu.
Community College Workforce Alliance
Cost: Call for details. Workplace training
courses in the greater Richmond region as a
partnership between John Tyler Community
College and Reynolds Community College.
1651 E. Parham Road. Contact Mac McGinty at
804-523-2292 or ccwatraining.org.
John Tyler Community College
Cost: $160 per credit hour; call for program
details. Online associate’s degrees in a variety
of disciplines. Teacher recertification programs
available. 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway,
804-796-4000; Midlothian campus, 800
Charter Colony Parkway, Chester 804-594-
1400 or jtcc.edu.
Lifelong Learning Institute
Cost: Call for details. Academic and fitness
classes for ages 50 and older. 13801 Westfield
Road, 804-378-2527 or llichesterfield.org.
Mary Baldwin College in Richmond
Cost: $460 per credit hour. Bachelor’s degrees in
more than 15 majors. Teacher licensure. Master’s
in teaching, education. Certificate programs in
business management, health care administration,
entrepreneurship, human resource management,
leadership studies and long-term care. 2810 N.
Parham Road, Suite 303 and 360, 804-282-9111
or marybaldwin.edu/ilearn/richmond.
Old Dominion University, ODUOnline
Cost: $356 per undergraduate credit hour;
$547 per graduate credit hour. One hundred-
plus online degrees and certificates in business,
education, engineering, health/social sciences,
nursing and technology. Transfer agreements
with Reynolds and John Tyler. 800-968-2638
or online.odu.edu.
126 VA COLLEGE GUIDE
VACollegeGuide_lists_0919.indd 126
Reynolds Community College
Cost: $166.60 per credit; visit website for
program details. 1651 E. Parham Road;
downtown campus, 700 E. Jackson St.;
Goochland campus, 1851 Dickinson Road,
804-371-3000 or reynolds.edu.
Strayer University
Cost: $1,480 for undergraduates; $2,455 for
graduates. Associate to master’s degrees in
business, information technology and more.
11501 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, 804-527-
1000; 2820 Waterford Lake Drive, Suite 100,
Midlothian, 804-763-6300 or strayer.edu.
Union Presbyterian Seminary
Cost: $470/semester hour. Graduate programs
in biblical and theological studies, ministry and
Christian education. 3401 Brook Road, 804-
278-4221 or upsem.edu.
University of Phoenix
Cost: $398 per credit hour. Undergraduate,
graduate and doctoral programs including
business, social and behavioral science,
education, health sciences, technology, and
nursing. 9750 W. Broad St., Glen Allen, 804-
281-3900 or phoenix.edu.
University of Richmond, Robins School
of Business
Cost: Call for details. Executive Education,
offering a variety of noncredit professional
development programs to nurture leadership
talent. MBA program, part-time, fully accredited
graduate program designed for working
professionals. 800-700-1662 or robins.
richmond.edu.
University of Richmond, School of Professional
and Continuing Studies
Cost: Degree program tuition starts at $495/
semester hour. Other course fees vary by
program. Evening and weekend undergraduate
and master’s degrees in education, liberal arts,
information systems, HRM and more. Plus a
variety of professional development and training
programs including a new coding bootcamp.
Also offers the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
804-289-8133 or spcs.richmond.edu.
University of Virginia Richmond Center
Cost: Undergrad $442. Graduate, $541.
Bachelor’s degree completion programs,
graduate certificate programs, custom
education programs. 2810 N. Parham Road,
Suite 300, 804-662-7464 or scps.virginia.edu.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Cost: Varies by program. More than 135
graduate and professional degree and
certificate programs offered on campus and
online; call 804-828-6916 or visit graduate.
admissions.vcu.edu for full list and application
information. VCU Continuing and Professional
Education offers noncredit, credit and CEU
opportunities. 804-828-1322 or ocpe.vcu.edu.
Virginia State University
Cost: $405 per credit hour. The Bachelor of
Individualized Studies degree draws on courses
from the university’s five undergraduate
schools. Master of Interdisciplinary Studies also
offered. 1 Hayden St., Petersburg, 804-524-
5000 or vsu.edu.
Virginia Tech Richmond Center
Cost: Undergraduate, $475.75. Graduate,
$818.50. Graduate degrees, professional
development programs, continuing-education
and certificate programs, including leadership
management development, education and
public administration. 2810 N. Parham Road,
Suite 300, 804-662-7288 or richmond.vt.edu.
Virginia Union University
Cost: Call for details. Evening business courses,
theology courses and teacher licensure
programs. 1500 N. Lombardy St., 804-257-
5600 or vuu.edu.
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Cost: $15 to $230. A longstanding community
arts center that offers more than 700 youth
and adult art classes in 11 media each year.
Popular programs include: clay, glass,
fiber, woodworking and photography. A
30,000-square-foot gallery showcases four
major exhibitions per year. 804-353-0094
or visarts.org.
VMFA Studio School
Cost: $60 to $230. Call for details. Classes
for ages 16 and older in creative writing,
drawing, printmaking, painting, pottery, design,
photography and yoga. 2915 Grove Ave., 804-
367-0816 or vmfa.museum.
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
(Richmond Region Only)
Bryant & Stratton College
Cost: $584, diploma or associate degree.
$594, bachelor’s degree. Degree programs in
business, design, health care, hospitality, legal
services and technology. On-site child care
center. 8141 Hull Street Road, 804-745-2444 or
bryantstratton.edu.
South University
Cost: Call for details. Programs in health
care, nursing, criminal justice, business,
public relations, professional counseling and
psychology, theology, pharmacy, and more.
2151 Old Brick Road, Glen Allen, 804-727-6800
or southuniversity.edu.
Last updated August 2019. To suggest an update to this
listing, please contact Special Projects Editor Nicole Cohen
at 804-355-0111 or nicolec@richmag.com.
8/9/19 12:21 PM