During Fall Break, we will complete the landscaping improvements adjacent to Custis Hall, weather permitting. We’ll add shrubbery and small caliper trees along the raised wall that will provide a natural border, similar to other areas of campus. The chains remain for now as a measure of attempting to reduce impact to the new landscaping as it is installed. Once restored, the area will be reopened as a greenspace on campus. We appreciate the feedback from students on this project, particularly through frequent conversations with SGA about use of the space as you navigate campus.

Ball Circle and the green space between Randolph and Mason Halls are also on the project list for Fall Break as we add compost from our leaf collection last year. This can be a dusty process, so it’s best completed when the space is empty.

Additional tree work will be completed throughout campus, but the big project happens at the new theatre site at the corner of William St. and Sunken Rd.The site preparation for the new academic home of UMW’s Department of Theatre and Dance includes removing two buildings and many trees from the site. Marshall and Russell Halls have been scheduled for demolition, beginning in November. It will take 90-120 days to complete this phase of the project. The road at Marshall Hill remains closed and will not reopen as the theatre is added to this corner of campus.

As we remove trees around the theatre site, we will repurpose them as mulch for campus, as feasible. In addition, about a third of the trees will be repurposed and reused around campus and in the regional community, creating artistic, functional and educational installations. For example, oak, maple and black walnut trees may be milled and cured for use in the theatre lobby, interior-use benches or tables. Smaller trees, such as dogwood, magnolia and holly, could be shared with local woodworkers to create artisan pieces. Any unused wood may be sold to the wood-purchasing market with proceeds to support our UMW Campus Tree Fund.

We’ve partnered with the Virginia Department of Forestry for assistance with tree measurements and cataloging in advance of this phase of the project, along with contractors to complete the work. We also have on-campus leaders in this area, as Director of Landscape and Grounds Holly Chichester-Morby and her team have worked for many years to earn and maintain Tree Campus status.

New Locker Rooms Coming to the Battleground Athletic Complex
In addition, we are breaking ground for locker rooms at the Battleground Athletic Complex. The locker rooms will be located between the Shell Trail and Facilities Plant. Look for some temporary detours as waterlines are installed and the modular units are moved into place. We look forward to celebrating the start of this project with a groundbreaking around Homecoming.

Facilities Renovations
Work continues at Ball Hall for accessibility improvements including the addition of an elevator and room updates to the first floor to make several suites accessible. As materials are delivered to the site, we will be utilizing the Fairfax Parking Lot for this project. We’ll announce any significant closures to this area. Work also continues at Simpson Library to rebuild the brickwork on the façade of the building. We appreciate your patience during the noisy parts of this project, and note that the library remains open during schedule business hours.

Brickwork and Chalking Policy Reminder
Throughout the semester, we’ve repaired or replaced broken bricks along Campus Walk that may pose a safety issue. Thank you for working around these projects. As a reminder, chalking is not permitted on brick surfaces on campus, as it can be difficult to clean and detrimental to the bricks. Please review the Posting and Chalking Policy for more information.

Utility Projects
A steam pipeline repair project is tentatively on the schedule based on materials availability for Jefferson Square during Fall Break, resulting in a temporary outage of steam and hot water to Combs, Jefferson, and Bushnell Halls. As it’s scheduled, more information will be shared with residents of those buildings. Cold water is still available for restrooms during this time, and full water service should be restored by the restart of classes on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Contact Info
We appreciate you working around these areas as the projects take place. For more information, visit the Campus Construction website. For any questions, contact Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Capital Outlay Brian Gorham at bgorham@umw.edu.F