Key Darden School Master Plan Projects Move Forward

Strategic projects of the refreshed master plan of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business took important steps forward in recent weeks, adding momentum to the School’s long-term commitment to enhancing faculty excellence and the student experience.

On 1 March, the UVA Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee approved the schematic design of the Darden student housing project. When completed, the project will add approximately 218 units and 350 beds across two new buildings. Units will primarily be one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with studios and three-bedroom apartments.

Additionally, the Buildings and Grounds Committee approved the addition of several Darden master plan projects to the UVA Major Capital Plan. Specific projects include planning and design for the renovation of the Faculty Office Building, Faculty Research Building and the Darden Global Innovation Nexus.

The planning and design of these projects will bring more focus to the form and function of these master plan upgrades and, importantly, position Darden to include them strategically in the Faculty Forward milestone of the School’s capital campaign.

Dean Scott Beardsley said he expects work on the Faculty Office Building could begin in the next calendar year. The student housing project currently has a projected anticipated construction start later in 2024.

“The Faculty Office Building and student-housing projects are crucial components of our master plan and Powered by Purpose capital campaign. We are now in the second milestone of that campaign, Faculty Forward,” Beardsley said. “These projects represent our commitment to supporting, enabling and sustaining the best faculty in the world, as well as providing student housing that further delivers the world-class student experience that Darden is known for, and that more closely integrates our students with the School in a welcoming and thriving setting.”

Beardsley added that the student housing project — along with the continued success of The Forum Hotel — provides a financial contribution that Darden will be able to invest in strategic priorities and initiatives that support the School’s mission. As part of their record-breaking gift in October 2023, David M. LaCross (MBA ’78) and his wife, Kathleen O. LaCross, provided the lead gift and seed funding for a new residential college at Darden.

Darden’s current master plan was initially developed in 2017 by the firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects. The UVA Board of Visitors approved Darden’s refreshed master plan in September 2022, which includes the faculty building upgrades, a centrally located academic innovation hub connecting existing buildings, student housing development and other Darden Grounds enhancements.

“Our master plan is truly an investment in the long-term success of the Darden School community,” Beardsley said.

Last year, Darden celebrated the opening of The Forum Hotel, operated by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which has elevated the School’s ability to host events while providing a gathering place for students, faculty, guests and the community, and generates revenue that benefits Darden. The adjacent Arboretum & LaCross Botanical Gardens connect the School and the hotel, providing stunning outdoor spaces for UVA’s North Grounds and the entire Charlottesville community.