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Building a better
Virginia
Virginia
has seen its share of the economic downturn in the past
several years but that hasn’t stopped some major
commercial construction projects from proceeding around
the state. Working with the Associated General Contractors
of Virginia, we have identified several key projects
that are having a major impact on businesses and economic
development in the region.
BLACKSBURG:
LANE STADIUM EXPANSION
Virginia Tech football has a long-standing tradition
of greatness with nine straight bowl appearances, three
conference championships, and top-20 status in the national
polls. Season ticket sales continue to break records,
selling out all home games for the past three years.
Therefore, the school decided it was time to improve
the Hokies beloved Lane Stadium, launching a $36-million
expansion project in the south end zone. Recently completed,
this project has added more than 11,000 seats to the
stadium, bringing the total seating capacity to well
over 65,000.
The
expansion has added two areas called the Zone Club and
Touchdown Terrace. The Zone Club features 880 chair-back
seats with approximately one third located under the
south end zone upper deck. Touchdown Terrace features
321 chair-back seats in the upper deck located in a
separate section. These spacious chair-back seats are
identical to Zone Club seats and are located in the
front of the upper deck, just beneath the crosswalk.
Fans seated in either section have exclusive access
to two 5,000 square-foot South End Zone Stadium Clubs.
For more information call the VTAF office directly at
(540) 231-6618.
General Contractor: Beers/Skanska
DULLES:
AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
Just south of the main terminal at Dulles Airport The
Smithsonian Institution’s new National Air and
Space Museum is taking shape. The new museum is being
built to display and preserve its vast collection of
historic aviation and space artifacts. When completed,
the new facility will house more than 200 aircraft and
135 spacecraft, including the Space Shuttle Enterprise,
and SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft, the Dash
80 prototype of the Boeing 707, the B-29 Superfortress
Enola Gay and the B-17 Flying Fortress, named Swoose.
The 760,057 square-foot building will be situated on
176 acres of land near the intersection of Routes 28
and 50 in Herndon. The final design calls for exhibit
hangers, storage, classrooms, archives, a large-format
theatre, restaurants, gift shops and an observation
tower from which visitors can view air traffic from
Dulles Airport.
The
expansive facility will allow visitors to walk among
artifacts on the floor and view hanging aircraft from
elevated skyways. Many of these original items will
be on display for the first time in a museum setting.
And the public will also be able to observe skilled
specialists in the restoration hanger as they work on
the preservation of historic aircraft that tell the
history of aviation and space flight.
Planning for the facility began in the early 1980s.
In 1998, the Smithsonian and Metropolitan Washington
Airports Authority signed a long-term lease for the
property on which the center is being built. Construction
began April 2001 and the planned opening date is December
2003, in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of
the Wright brother’s first powered flight. In honor
of its major donor, the new facility will be named the
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
General Contractor: Hensel Phelps Construction
GOOCHLAND
COUNTY:
CAPITAL ONE’S
WEST CREEK CAMPUS
Just west of Richmond, on 3,500 sprawling acres, lies
the West Creek Business Park, one of the East Coast’s
largest master-planned business parks. The county has
high hopes that West Creek will be a leading landmark
destination for office, high-tech, research and development,
distribution, retail and hotel sites. And Capital One,
a Virginia-based financial services company, is carving
out about 300 acres in West Creek to develop one of
three planned campuses in the area. The other two office
campuses are in Henrico County and Chesterfield. When
the overall $700 million expansion including Capital
One’s new headquarters building in McLean was announced
in October 2000, it was the largest expansion ever recorded
in Virginia history.
At
the present time Capital One has completed two 160,000
square-foot facilities as part of Phase One. The office
buildings are connected by a common structure that serves
as a dining and collaborative area for the employees.
The two structures were completed earlier this year,
with the first structure being occupied in January and
the second one occupied in May. Plans are currently
underway for Phase Two, which includes additional office
buildings and amenities, including a training and conference
center.
The West Creek Business Park is attracting other businesses
to the Goochland County area. Presently, the Farm Bureau
of Virginia and Performance Foods each have their corporate
headquarters located in West Creek.
General Contractor: Whiting-Turner Construction Co.
RICHMOND:
MAIN STREET STATION
RENOVATION
In heart of downtown Richmond, a major renovation is
taking place in the old Main Street train station. The
French Renaissance-style station opened in 1901 and
served as the transportation focal point of Richmond
until Amtrak closed it in 1975 after being badly damaged
in the James River floods of 1969 and 1972. A developer
bought the station in 1983 with plans to turn it into
a mall, which opened in 1985. The mall was not successful,
however, and closed the same year. In 1990, the Virginia
Department of Health opened offices in the station and
the city of Richmond recently reached an agreement with
the state to purchase Main Street Station and restore
it to its former stature as a commuter train station
and transportation hub.
Every
detail of the original 19th century-style building is
being faithfully and painstakingly reproduced to its
original glory. Special craftsmen are being employed
to restore the exterior terra cotta tile trim. Existing
windows, light fixtures and hand-carved wooden doors
are being carefully restored to their original appearance.
And a new 500-foot passenger platform is being constructed
on the East side of the building to accommodate the
Amtrak rail lines that serve Richmond. Originally, the
train traveled straight through the building, but existing
office space prevents such access today.
The $60 million renovation encompasses the first two
floors of the building, with the upper three floors
remaining as tenant office space.
General Contractor: Daniel & Co. Inc.
VIRGINIA BEACH:
THE TOWN CENTER
The Town Center of Virginia Beach is located at the
core of the City’s emerging Central Business District.
Spanning over 17 city blocks, The Town Center will provide
a mix of multi-level upscale retail, deluxe residential,
Class A office, a performing arts center, an array of
cafes and restaurants, along with luxurious hotels.
Pedestrian-friendly
landscapes with surrounding residential developments
ensure easy access and conveniences for shoppers, workers,
and patrons of The Town Center.
The
tree-lined commercial streets will be laced with a variety
of urban features interwoven with open green spaces
and beautiful fountains, all providing an attractive
setting in which to live, work, and play.
Over 70 percent of the available office and retail space
for Block Four of Phase I of The Town Center of Virginia
Beach has been leased. Construction is underway on the
first of 14 city blocks, and it is expected to be available
for occupancy in late 2002.
The
backbone infrastructure and the internal roads will
be completed as part of Phase I. This phase will also
include a 1,300-space parking garage that will offer
free parking to tenants and visitors of The Town Center.
On top of the garage will be a 225,000-square-foot office
tower. Signed tenants for the office tower include Armada/Hoffler;
Williams, Mullen, Clark & Dobbins; the city of Virginia
Beach; Faggert & Frieden; Cherry, Bekaert &
Holland; and Troutman Sanders Mays and Valentine. Also
signed for Block Four is a 189-room hotel.
Additionally,
the city of Virginia Beach’s Department of Economic
Development will occupy one floor in the tower building.
According to Donald Maxwell, director of the Department
of Economic Development, “The Town Center’s
strategic location and complimentary mixed-uses make
it one of the most significant projects in the history
of Virginia Beach.”
Additional
blocks will come on line in early 2003 with a variety
of uses including restaurants, retail, apartments and
office space. Several new restaurants are coming to
The Town Center as well as world-renowned entertainment
facilities and a nationally known comedy club.
General Contractor: Armada/Hoffler
Return to Virginia Business - October 2002
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