The VCU STEM building features a plant-growing room among other laboratory and classroom facilities. (Photos courtesy of VCU)
A chemistry major and a physics major walk into a lab and come up with the next big thing.
That’s the plan VCU has for its newly constructed science and engineering academic building at 817 W. Franklin St., where the university hopes to see student innovation blossom in the expanded laboratory space the facility brings to campus.
The university held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for the $125 million, 168,000-square-foot, six-story STEM building, which brings added lab, classroom and office space to the university’s College of Humanities and Sciences.
Built on the site of the former Franklin Street Gym, the building is primed to be an epicenter of student activity – VCU estimates that more than 10,000 students will take up to 70 courses in the building every semester, starting in the coming fall semester. Most VCU students will take at least one class in the building on the road to graduation. The kinesiology and health sciences will be fully housed in the building.
The $125 million VCU STEM building was built on the site of the former Franklin Street Gym at at 817 W. Franklin St.
“Imagine a biology student teaming up with a math major to work through data from an experiment which will lead to the development of a theoretical mathematical model. … Or a physics student and chemistry student who work together for an energy solution that later involves hands-on learning in one of our faculty labs. That will happen here,” Humanities and Sciences Interim Dean Catherine Ingrassia said in remarks during the ribbon-cutting event.
The STEM building has 32 teaching labs and touts a plant-growing room and crime-scene lab, as well as two 250-seat classrooms, a 75-person classroom and 100-seat classroom, and math and science tutoring spaces among other facilities. Courses taught in the building will be in subjects such as biology, forensic science, math, psychology, physics and kinesiology.
VCU’s new STEM building is a 168,000-square-foot, six-story academic building that brings expanded lab space to the university.
VCU announced the project in 2019, and construction has been underway since 2020.
The building’s overall price tag includes construction costs and equipment. The project was fully funded by the state.
Ballinger and Quinn Evans architects designed the building. Hourigan was the project’s general contractor.
Construction is largely complete, save for punch-list items. Academic departments are expected to move into the building by Aug. 15, when the building will be considered officially opened, according to Sally Hunnicutt, faculty and academic affairs associate dean.
VCU President Michael Rao, VCU Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos and Hunnicutt also shared remarks at the building’s ribbon cutting.
The VCU STEM building features a plant-growing room among other laboratory and classroom facilities. (Photos courtesy of VCU)
A chemistry major and a physics major walk into a lab and come up with the next big thing.
That’s the plan VCU has for its newly constructed science and engineering academic building at 817 W. Franklin St., where the university hopes to see student innovation blossom in the expanded laboratory space the facility brings to campus.
The university held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for the $125 million, 168,000-square-foot, six-story STEM building, which brings added lab, classroom and office space to the university’s College of Humanities and Sciences.
Built on the site of the former Franklin Street Gym, the building is primed to be an epicenter of student activity – VCU estimates that more than 10,000 students will take up to 70 courses in the building every semester, starting in the coming fall semester. Most VCU students will take at least one class in the building on the road to graduation. The kinesiology and health sciences will be fully housed in the building.
The $125 million VCU STEM building was built on the site of the former Franklin Street Gym at at 817 W. Franklin St.
“Imagine a biology student teaming up with a math major to work through data from an experiment which will lead to the development of a theoretical mathematical model. … Or a physics student and chemistry student who work together for an energy solution that later involves hands-on learning in one of our faculty labs. That will happen here,” Humanities and Sciences Interim Dean Catherine Ingrassia said in remarks during the ribbon-cutting event.
The STEM building has 32 teaching labs and touts a plant-growing room and crime-scene lab, as well as two 250-seat classrooms, a 75-person classroom and 100-seat classroom, and math and science tutoring spaces among other facilities. Courses taught in the building will be in subjects such as biology, forensic science, math, psychology, physics and kinesiology.
VCU’s new STEM building is a 168,000-square-foot, six-story academic building that brings expanded lab space to the university.
VCU announced the project in 2019, and construction has been underway since 2020.
The building’s overall price tag includes construction costs and equipment. The project was fully funded by the state.
Ballinger and Quinn Evans architects designed the building. Hourigan was the project’s general contractor.
Construction is largely complete, save for punch-list items. Academic departments are expected to move into the building by Aug. 15, when the building will be considered officially opened, according to Sally Hunnicutt, faculty and academic affairs associate dean.
VCU President Michael Rao, VCU Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos and Hunnicutt also shared remarks at the building’s ribbon cutting.
Congrats to the project team, VCU, Hourigan, Ballinger and Quinn Evans! It wasn’t easy replacing Franklin Street Gym, but this new building looks amazing and is another gem for the City of Richmond.
The exterior veneer of the building looks gorgeous! The picture above doesn’t do the building justice. Too bad it’s surrounded by taller buildings, which sort of hide it and limit its exposure. A job well done by VCU, Ballinger and Quinn Evans, Hourigan, and the mason Masonomics!