1. Excellence in Planning for an Established Campus
Category:
VCU 2020: 2004 Master Site Plan
ProjeCt name:
InstItutIon: Virginia Commonwealth University
CIty: Richmond
state: Virginia
Country: USA
tyPe of InstItutIon: Research University
year founded: 1968
CamPus PoPulatIon (students, faculty, staff): 49,404
(year): 2004
master Plan ComPletIon date
(for a district plan): N/A
study area sIze

2. 1 Problem and sCoPe of ProjeCt
Virginia Commonwealth University desired a
campus master plan that would capture three
outcomes: enhance the student experience,
provide infrastructure for a significant national
research institution, and balance the needs of
two campuses. The plan was driven by enroll-
ment stresses—in recent years, VCU’s Monroe
Park and MCV campuses absorbed approxi-
mately one-third of the growth of Virginia’s
college-age population—and phenomenal
growth in research funding. The University’s
location in the heart of downtown Richmond,
Va., exacerbates these pressures. Its campuses
are tightly constrained on two footprints,
including one that is bounded by five historic
districts. Because there is virtually no land on
which expand, development is focused on infill
and targeted acquisition in “areas of future
consideration.” VCU engaged the community
to enhance opportunities for all citizens, being
sensitive to overlaying campus planning with
urban planning.
Monroe Park CaMPus IllUstRAtIVe PlAN
VCU Buildings Virginia Biotechnology Research Park Buildings
VCU Buildings: New Construction Virginia Biotechnology Research Park Buildings: New Construction
Non VCU Buildings Area of Future Consideration

3. Enrollment pressures were a master plan driver. VCU absorbed approxi-
mately one-third of the growth of Virginia’s college-age population.
MCV CaMPus IllUstRAtIVe PlAN
A new School of Nursing rises against the Richmond, Va., skyline. VCU is
VCU Buildings Virginia Biotechnology Research Park Buildings
tightly constrained on two footprints, including one that is bounded by
VCU Buildings: New Construction Virginia Biotechnology Research Park Buildings: New Construction
five historic districts.
Non VCU Buildings Area of Future Consideration

4. 2 Integrated PlannIng ProCesses
With President Eugene Trani’s arrival in 1990,
Virginia Commonwealth University experienced
an era of emphasis on campus planning. Dr. Trani
also reached out to partner in Richmond’s revital-
ization. (VCU is the Richmond metropolitan area’s
largest employer, one of the largest holders of
downtown real estate, and contributes significantly
to economic development.) VCU embraced its
urban environment and challenges in a 1996 plan
to transform VCU and Virginia’s capitol city. VCU
2020 builds on the ‘96 plan to organize and further
develop the school’s physical environment to help
it mature as an institution, support enrollment
growth, contribute to its reputation as a national
research institution, and its role as leading “citi-
zen.” VCU 2020 adopted themes to evaluate issues
systemically, thus supporting its Strategic Vision.
These included the impact of growth on : 1)
student enrollment; 2) student profile; 3) on-cam-
pus housing; 4) funded research; and the study of
5) academic spaces on the health sciences campus;
VCU evaluated planning issues systemically and sought involvement of neighborhood organizations, particularly with regards to historic districts.
6) coordination of major initiatives; 7) “collegiate
community” – student engagement; 8) Monroe
Park as a center of activity; 9) strategic growth
issues. Themes were coordinated with the Health
System Strategic and Master Plan, Richmond’s
master plan, and the Virginia BioTechnology
Research Park Master Plan.

5. 3 ImPlementatIon
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As a public institution, VCU has sought
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creative solutions to access debt issued
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by the Commonwealth of Virginia, solicit
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private funds, maximize public/private
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partnerships, and utilize enrollment growth
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income to implement projects worth $800
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million. This strategy allowed development
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of signature programs, innovative housing
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solutions, and enhancement of the campus
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edge through facilities that attract the public
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and business community.
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W. MAIN STREET
CHERRY STREET
BELVIDERE STREET
LINDEN STREET
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W. CARY STREET
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Monroe Park CaMPus IMPleMeNtAted PROjeCts ANd INItIAtIVes N
MONROE CAMPUS IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
14. JAMES BRANCH CABELL LIBRARY RENOVATION
1. AREA OF FUTURE CONSIDERATION
1 Area Of Future 9 Hibbs Building Renovation 17 Recreation sports swimming Pool
VCU Implemented Projects and FACILITY InitiativesSCHOOL OF BUSINESS CLASSROOM RENOVATION Consideration
15.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
16. OLIVER HALL RENOVATION
3. AREA OF FUTURE CONSIDERATION
VCU IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
17. RECREATION SPORTS SWIMMING POOL
4. BIO MEDICAL ENGINEERING - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
2 10 scott 18 Recreation sports Outdoor Facilities
Administrative Information technology Facility BUILDINGS AND FUTUREHouse Renovation
18. RECREATION SPORTS OUTDOOR FACILITIES
5. RHOADES HALL RENOVATION - STUDENT HOUSING
VCU OWNED/OCCUPIED
19. BIO CHIP FACILITY
VCU Owned/Occupied Buildings and Future
6. FRANKLIN TERRACE - SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
PROPOSED STRUCTURES PER MASTERPLAN
20. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ADDITION PHASE 2
7. SCHAFER COURT PLAYHOUSE RENOVATION
3 11 Pollack Building Renovation 19 Bio Chip Facility
Area Of Future Consideration
21. NEW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
8. GINTER HOUSE RENOVATION
Proposed structures per Masterplan 22. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING / SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FUTURE EXPANSION
9. HIBBS BUILDING RENOVATION
23. STUDENT HOUSING, 400 BEDS
10. SCOTT HOUSE RENOVATION
4 12 Music Center Renovation 20 school Of engineering Addition Phase 2
Bio Medical engineering - school Of Medicine
24. ANDERSON GALLERY RELOCATION
11. POLLACK BUILDING RENOVATION
25. BELTING BUILDING RENOVATION
12. MUSIC CENTER RENOVATION
13. GENERAL CLASSROOMS / FACULTY OFFICES
5 13 General Classrooms / Faculty Offices 21 New school Of Business
Rhoades Hall Renovation - student Housing
6 14 james Branch Cabell library Renovation 22 school Of engineering / school Of Business Future expansion
Franklin terrace - school Of the Arts
7 15 school Of Business Classroom Renovation 23 student Housing, 400 Beds
schafer Court Playhouse Renovation
8 16 Oliver Hall Renovation 24 Anderson Gallery Relocation
Ginter House Renovation
25 Belting Building Renovation

6. monroe Park ImPlementatIon
An example is transformation of an under-
developed 10.6-acre tract of land into a
thriving campus community on the Monroe
Park Campus. This created an opportunity
to capitalize on programmatic and physical
synergies between the Schools of Engineering
and Business, supported by quality campus
housing, which reinforces academic endeavors.
Public debt was utilized for instructional
and infrastructure development, private and
corporate donations for public venues and
enhanced material quality; and fee revenues to
support housing, food service and parking debt.
A 10.6-acre expansion (above) into an under-developed area of the city created an opportunity to
capitalize on synergies between the Schools of Engineering and Business in this new building (below).

7. mCV CamPus ImPlementatIon
On the MCV Campus, VCU capitalized on
Virginia’s priorities to implement projects. For
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example, Virginia’s need for more physicians
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underlies access to $70 million in public debt
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for construction of a new School of Medicine,
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now in planning. This signature facility and
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will be built on the site of a WPA-era clinic,
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requiring close coordination with civic and
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preservation interests.
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VCU Implemented Projects
and Initiatives 15
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VCU Owned/Occupied 16
Buildings and Future Proposed
17
structures per Masterplan
Virginia Biotechnology
Research Park Buildings
MCV CaMPus IMPleMeNtAted PROjeCts ANd INItIAtIVes
N
MCV CAMPUS IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
10 New Vcuhs Bed tower Complete
1 New 8th street Parking deck Complete
1. NEW 8TH STREET PARKING DECK COMPLETE
11 land Acquisition Complete
2 New Residential life Commons Under Construction
2. NEW RESIDENTIAL LIFE COMMONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
3. NEW SCHOOL OF NURSING COMPLETE
VCU IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
4. SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY ADDITION UNDER CONSTRUCTION
12 sanger Hall Research Renovation BUILDINGS AND FUTURE Construction
Under
3 New school Of Nursing Complete
5. WOODS/LYONS RENOVATION COMPLETE
6. MCGUIRE HALL RENOVATION COMPLETE VCU OWNED/OCCUPIED
7. RICHMOND ACADEMY OF MEDICINE ACQUISITION COMPLETE
13 Hunton Hall Renovation STRUCTURES PER MASTERPLAN
PROPOSED
Complete
4 school of dentistry Addition Under Construction
8. TOMPKINS-MCCAW RENOVATION COMPLETE
9. BLACKWELL-SMITH RENOVATION IN PLANNING
VIRGINIA BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PARK BUILDINGS
10. NEW VCUHS BED TOWER COMPLETE
14 New school of Medicine In Planning
5 Woods/lyons Renovation Complete
11. LAND ACQUISITION COMPLETE
12. SANGER HALL RESEARCH RENOVATION UNDER CONSTRUCTION
13. HUNTON HALL RENOVATION COMPLETE
15 Medical sciences Building II Under Construction
6 Mcguire Hall Renovation Complete
14. NEW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN PLANNING
15. MEDICAL SCIENCES BUILDING II UNDER CONSTRUCTION
16 Randolph Minor Hall Renovation
16. RANDOLPH MINOR HALL RENOVATION COMPLETE
Complete
7 Richmond Academy of Medicine Acquisition ACQUISITION
17. LAND Complete COMPLETE
17 land Acquisition Complete
8 tompkins-Mccaw Renovation Complete
9 Blackwell-smith Renovation In Planning
A signature new School of Medicine, currently in design, is a highlight of
the MCV campus plan.

8. 4 results
VCU is a concrete example of ‘university
as an urban regenerator and good neighbor’
in a diverse urban context. Its identity
and sense of place is in its ‘urbanness,’ its
preserved historic resources that reflect
surrounding neighborhoods of high archi-
tectural and urban quality, its patience in
assembling land parcels opportunistically to
create thoughtful infill, and its ability to tie
the complex web together with streetscapes,
paving and graphic information to commu-
nicate this complex circumstance. Success
can be measured in a burgeoning student
body, an enhanced student experience, and
VCU’s identity is in its “urbanness.”
the creation of campus entries that cause the
institution’s boundaries to be a seam, not a
barrier. Two significant outcomes are contin-
ued expansion on Broad Street, populating
it with activity and retail, and a partnership
with Richmond to renovate Monroe Park as
the academic campus heart. This formerly
neglected yet prominent civic space will
provide a campus green and public space for
use by students and citizens. Key partner-
ships, integrated planning and engagement
Master plan success can be measured in an enhanced student experience, represented
with the host community were critical to
by new housing, Monroe Park residences (above) and Brandt Hall, a highrise (right).
creating responses and opportunities. VCU
is a textbook case that planners cannot talk
to enough people, and that you have to
move quickly.

9. A partnership with the City of Richmond to renovate Monroe Park as the academic heart of campus, will invigorate this formerly neglected, yet prominent, civic space and provide a campus green for students and citizens.
FUtURe AtHletIC exPANsION
stUdeNt HOUsING FUtURe VIRGINIA BIOteCHNOlOGy
ReseARCH PARk stRUCtURes
PARkING FACIlIty
INFORMAtION
sCHOOl OF NURsING
COMMONs
ClAssROOMs
ClAssROOMs
ReCReAtION sPORts
sWIMMING POOl
sANGeR HAll
lIFe sCIeNCes II
HUNtON HAll
MedICAl sCIeNCes BUIldING (MsB) II
Future projects, Monroe Park Campus. Future projects, MCV.

10. 5 fIVe most ImPortant Issues that drove decision-making
HIstorIC resourCe Issues
The Monroe Park campus occupies or abuts
several historic districts. They are diverse
socioeconomic districts. While providing a
rich architectural context, their status also
presents constraints, as well as challenges
to preserve, renovate or adapt. VCU 2020
embraces its historic resources as part of
its unique campus fabric, working with
appropriate historic resource commissions
and neighborhoods when making decisions
about their future. Much attention was
paid to the appropriateness of the design
response while incorporating and adapting
historic properties. VCU’s partnership with
Richmond to renovate historic Monroe
Park serves civic and campus objectives
VCU 2020 embraces its historic resources as part of its unique campus fabric, noted by this Franklin Street response, blended old with new.
and represents a successful outcome.
Shafer Court Dining Center honors the neighboring Cathedral and a A new addition to the former Grove Avenue Baptist Church is sympathetic to
row of historic row houses. the building’s historic roots, now housing VCU’s James W. Black Music Center.

11. mIxed uses
Buildings that “multi-task” and districts that
accommodate academic needs along with basic
necessities such as housing and dining make
VCU a unique urban experience, far different
from a pastoral campus setting. This rich
texture creates dynamism—and it is efficient
when land is tight. For example, a Foundation
Arts program on the top of one parking garage,
a bookstore and visitor center on the first floor
of a second, and a former church now student
center and dining, create vitality. Ground level
retail in new residence halls not only serves
residents, but draws community. Shared aca-
demic spaces capitalize on synergies.
Bookstores, restaurants, art galleries add vitality to VCU’s streets.