Construction will soon commence on a $240 million William & Mary student housing project in Virginia. The William & Mary University intends to build its on-campus student housing through a public-private partnership (P3). Therefore, the University has partnered with Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions. This global company specializes in asset/property management, and providing real estate services for higher education, which focus on public-private partnerships.
According to the University’s officials, the new William & Mary student housing project supports the Vision 2026 plan for the campus. Their goal is to incorporate a housing and dining master plan, which will position the University to attain future strategic needs Renovations at the University will be carried out over a ten year duration. Upon completion, the project will replace 80% of on-campus residential property and completely transform it to improve residential experience. The university will be in charge of managing the new housing community.
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Number of units for the William & Mary student housing project
The developers will complete the William & Mary student housing project in several phases. Phase I will provide 935 new student housing units at West Woods on the west campus. Additionally, the initial phase will also include 269 units at a new facility next to the Lemon and Hardy Halls along Jamestown Road.
All residence halls will feature modern living units and community spaces, which will be conditioned through geothermal heating and air conditioning. As a result, the University is working on converting the fossil-fuel-dependent systems at Lemon and Hardy Halls into geothermal energy. This also aligns with the University’s goal of creating a carbon-neutral campus by 2030.
Besides residential units, the William & Mary student project will also provide a new 50,000 GSF dining facility. This dining hall facility located at the West Woods site will serve as the signature eatery on the campus. Therefore, patrons will enjoy a serene dining experience at the facility which is nestled within the wooded site. The developers expect the project to commence construction this month, with its completion date set for 2025.
The development team involved in the William & Mary student housing project includes Balfour Beatty’s Buildings division and Kjellstrom+Lee. While VDMO Architects was responsible for the project’s design. The architect also worked in collaboration with CMTA and William & Mary leadership on the design.
