The Virginia Home plans $128M campus in Hanover

The Virginia Home plans to build a $128 million, 70-acre campus in Hanover County, according to a Thursday announcement by the nonprofit, which serves adults with irreversible physical disabilities. The current facility in Richmond will be sold, a spokesperson said.

At its location overlooking Richmond’s Byrd Park, The Virginia Home houses 130 residents who have conditions like quadriplegia and muscular dystrophy. The new campus will serve 160 residents, increasing capacity by more than 20%.

“Since 1894, we’ve had one dream at The Virginia Home — to create a richer life for adult Virginians with irreversible physical disabilities,” Douglas Vaughan Jr., president and CEO of the nonprofit, said in a news release. “Now, our dreams quite literally need a bigger home.”

Located off Interstate 295, the new campus will offer residents outdoor space and could accommodate future expansions, which might include multi-person cottages for residents who are able to live more independently, according to The Virginia Home.

The new, one-story facility will be 196,000 square feet, an increase over the current 125,000-square-foot building. With construction expected to begin in July, the new facility could open to residents in the fall of 2027, according to a spokesperson for The Virginia Home.

All rooms at the new facility will feature outdoor views and natural light. They will be larger than rooms at the current facility (an increase from 164 square feet to 250 square feet). The facility will also offer smaller bathroom configurations with more individual storage, a change from the current congregate facilities. Residents will not need to navigate elevators or stairs.

“The new campus will not only allow us to welcome more individuals and families into our community, but it will also feature beautiful, modern design and technology that supports greater independence, dignity and comfort for everyone we serve,” Vaughan said in a statement.

Additionally, the new campus will allow The Virginia Home to launch a day program that will serve 55 to 60 participants, individuals who are on a waiting list for a residential opening or who do not require full-time care.