Pardon the Dirt and Dust: Summer Facilities Reminders

Facilities Operations continues work on several projects across campus this summer, including major construction, renovation, signage, and campus improvement initiatives.

New Theatre Project
With demolition of Marshall and Russell Halls nearly complete, the site at the corner of William St. and Sunken Road is ready for construction of the new theatre.

George Washington Hall Roof and Chiller Replacements
The roof on GW Hall will be replaced later this summer following orientation sessions, July 1 through August 19. Offices in the building may be open during this time, but events will be limited in Dodd Auditorium.  If upper floor closures are needed during specific dates, those will be shared with the building as needed.

Accessibility Improvement Project
New ramps are in progress for Ball Hall and Madison Hall and the interior renovations for Ball Hall will be completed this summer to bring the building back online for residents in the fall. Accessibility improvements include the addition of an elevator (to be completed in 2027) and room updates to the first floor to make several suites accessible. The Fairfax Lot is open temporarily for move-out and Commencement and will continue to be fenced and offline through the end of the project, as it’s used for equipment and materials for the renovations in Ball Hall. Bushnell Hall will be offline in 2026-27 for accessibility improvements.

UMW Apartments
Building meters will be installed this summer for the gas lines servicing the UMW Apartments. This project includes boring underground from the parking lot to each building. The parking lot at the UMW Apartments may be periodically closed during the summer project.

Campus Walk Upgrades
Small improvements and repairs to brickwork along Campus Walk have been made throughout the year, and recently added new benches were added as part of ongoing campus improvements. The new benches maintain a classic look while offering significantly greater durability and far less ongoing maintenance than the teak benches they are replacing.

Parking Lot Repaving and Painting Striping
Repaving and repainting striping will take place later this summer in several parking lots, including the William St. parking lot, UMW Apartments, Combs Loop, Fairfax Lot, Monroe Lot, Woodard Lot and Sunken Road Lot near the Alvey Deck. Look for parking announcements as each area is temporarily closed.

Double Drive and College Avenue Projects
Roadway improvements will begin later this summer, including repainting pedestrians walkways and improving signage and reminders for both pedestrians and drivers about the intersection with College Avenue. Additional parking signage for College Avenue will be installed in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. Look for updates from Parking Management as the new school year begins.

Wayfinding Signage Updates
New signs and additional updates will continue throughout the summer, with August 3-7 reserved for any corrections to previous work or new signs. If you have any questions about signage, please email Associate Director of Design Services Liz Kuvinka at ekuvinka@umw.edu and include info about the building or current signage content.

Please pardon the dirt and dust this summer as the Facilities Operations team prepares campus for the new school year. For any questions, contact AVP for Facilities Operations and Capital Outlay Brian Gorham at bgorham@umw.edu. To learn more or for additional information, visit the Facilities Operations website.