Forging ahead with plans for its third campus, the University of Mary Washington (UMW) expects to break ground for the Dahlgren Campus by early spring 2010. UMW plans to welcome students in fall 2011 to the first building at the campus located adjacent to the Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren.
According to Richard V. Hurley, UMW Executive Vice President, the UMW Dahlgren Campus will serve as an anchor for development of educational and research partnerships between NSF Dahlgren, the business community and state higher education institutions.
A number of state higher education institutions currently offer graduate courses on the naval base. The first building at the Dahlgren Campus will centralize these existing programs in a space tailored for technologically-supported education, and it will facilitate an increased number of offerings.
UMW has acquired nearly 27 acres along U.S. 301 north of State Route 206 near the base. By locating the campus just outside NSF Dahlgren, academic programs will be available not only to those with access to the base, but also to the region’s citizens.
Eight academic partners have teamed up with UMW: five other state universities—Old Dominion, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, George Mason and the University of Virginia—plus the Naval Postgraduate School and Germanna and Rappahannock community colleges. Graduate and undergraduate programs in science, engineering, technology, mathematics and others will be available, as demand dictates. Non-credit programs and services also will be delivered on an as-needed basis.
The two-story, 40,000-square-foot academic building will feature classrooms of various sizes, computer laboratories, a media center, offices and a 3,300-square-foot conference space with a catering kitchen. The $20.4 million structure’s design will be flexible, with large, central open spaces containing group and quiet study areas, collaboration areas, lounges and breakout rooms. There also will be space available to lease for public and private events.
The building will have environmentally friendly features, such as a “green” roof and geothermal heating and cooling. UMW plans to incorporate low-impact development of the site and to seek a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver building rating.
A second building and additional parking are proposed as part of a second phase.
Location: On U.S. 301, north of State Route 206, across from Commerce Drive Business Park.
Architect: Burt, Hill
Construction Manager: Kjellstrom + Lee Construction
