Slip-deck parking, new UFAs proposed in campus plan

Grab your hard hats because new academic building construction, University Forest Apartment improvements and slip-deck parking were proposed as part of an upcoming campus plan. 

Kevin Peterson, principal of architectural firm Ayers Saint Gross, and David Hale, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, presented the University of Richmond Campus Plan draft on Thursday, March 20. 

“Look at the plan as providing direction and levels of priorities, but not as a to-do list,” said Hale. 

Based on a series of guiding principles, the URCP identified open space on campus for new construction and renewal of existing buildings. 

A larger goal of the URCP is to free up space in academic buildings by moving administrative offices to a new building on the outskirts of campus near the Campus Drive entrance. 

“The building would really enable you to relocate many of these functions to keep them close, good access to parking, but free up those spaces in the core for academic use,” Peterson said. 

In addition to freeing up current academic spaces, the plan also proposed expansion of the Gottwald Center for the Sciences and E. Claiborne Robins School of Business. 

“Looking at Gottwald and the challenge of renovating science, I think what we’re going to need is some form of strange space to enable that project to happen,” Peterson said. 

One option is to build the expansion on the parking lot in between Heilman Dining Center and Gottwald, which would be in close proximity to the existing building and bridge the gap between Gottwald and Modlin Center for the Arts, where the second option is proposed. 

Sophomore Emery Elkinson mentioned her environmental concern for the Gottwald construction. 

“As an environmental studies student, I spend a lot of time learning about the importance of trees on campus,” she said. “And with the proposed expansion of Gottwald, I’m very concerned about the location within the woods.” 

One key goal is enhancing sustainability and stewardship. Peterson and Hale did not mention the construction’s impact on the woods near Gottwald but they did propose improvements in renewable energy and electrification. 

The team would like to expand electric vehicle charging ports around campus. They also identified potential geothermal fields under athletic recreational fields and the Westhampton Green. The geothermal fields would produce renewable energy on campus. 

Another vision is to tear down current UFA’s and construct new apartments, modeled off of the Gateway Village Apartments, with single bedrooms, while maintaining the apartment-style living. 

“This frees up sites throughout the campus where these UFA’s are scattered right now,” Peterson said. “So those become sites for parking, academics, open space and recreation amenities, and uses your land better.” 

Hale recognizes that tearing down UFA’s presents problems for upperclassmen. One idea is to start building in the fall when many students are abroad to decrease the impact. 

The URCP also proposed to build on the open space and pedestrian network of the campus. 

“One of the recommendations of the plan is to make some strategic investments and modifications to the vehicular network, to limit where cars are coming through, where pedestrians are crossing,” Peterson said. 

The idea is to convert roads like Keller Road and Westhampton Way to walkways and reconstruct spaces near Tyler-Haynes Commons and other drop-off areas for accessible parking. 

“I think that those are really important to preserve and making sure that campus is accessible,” said Elkinson. 

The road-walkway conversion and new buildings would take away 310 parking spaces but slip deck parking and UFA rebuilding would add 380-540 parking spaces, making a total of 50-210 new net spaces. 

The plan proposed two slip decks behind the Queally Center for Admissions and near Robins Stadium. 

Slip deck parking would double spaces stacked in one spot. 

“You can either drive in and drive out on the top, or you drive down and drive out on the bottom,” Hale said. 

The loss of parking spaces in the core of campus could be made up with a shuttle service, said Hale and Preston. In feedback sessions and committee meetings, students explained the need for a continuous shuttle service that made stops at academic buildings and residence halls.

“I think that, with the loop system, it allows for there to still be accessible parking spots without there being excessive parking spots for students who don’t need them,” Elkinson said. 

The redevelopment of the UFA’s would also free up more space for parking. 

In a session after the presentation, the UR community was able to provide feedback on the proposed plan.

Most of the community that attended the session said the construction of new academic and administrative buildings, parking, UFA renovation and improvements in accessibility were essential. 

But other renovations, such as developing a new neighborhood of fraternity lodges and adding another business school entrance were considered unnecessary. 

The URCP is still developing and students can provide feedback at future information sessions and online. 

Contact news editor Ava Jenks at ava.humphries@richmond.edu