WILLIAMSBURG, VA -Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, a leading developer and operator of infrastructure projects for the college and university market, announced it has reached financial close on a public-private partnership (P3) project to deliver new on-campus student housing at William & Mary.
Construction on the over-$240 million project is scheduled to commence in July in anticipation of an opening in Fall 2025. The project construction team includes both Balfour Beatty Buildings division and Kjellstrom+Lee, based out of Richmond, Virginia.
“We are delighted to work with William & Mary on this exciting renewal of on-campus housing,” said Amy Aponte, vice president, Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions and William & Mary alumnus ’94, ’96. “William & Mary’s leadership has been clear-eyed about the needs of their students and their goals for a more sustainable future. We hope these new communities embody the authentic William & Mary experience and that they house not only students, but also the rich diversity of thought, traditions, culture and best of what is to come for this esteemed university.”
The project supports William & Mary’s Vision 2026 plan, which features a housing and dining master plan to position the university to meet future strategic needs. Over the course of ten years, William & Mary will renovate or replace 80% of its housing system in a complete transformation of the on-campus residential experience.
This first phase will deliver new housing for 935 students at West Woods on the west campus, as well as housing for 269 students in a new facility adjacent to Lemon and Hardy Halls along Jamestown Road. The new residence halls, configured into modern living units and community spaces, will be conditioned using geothermal heating and air conditioning, in support of William & Mary’s Climate Action Roadmap, which calls for a carbon-neutral campus by 2030. As part of the project, fossil-fuel-dependent systems in Lemon and Hardy Halls will also be transitioned to geothermal energy.
On the West Woods site, a new ~50,000 GSF dining facility will become the signature eatery on campus, offering patrons a serene dining experience nestled in the wooded site.
“Balfour Beatty is the perfect partner for this complete revitalization of the campus experience,” said Jackie Ferree, William & Mary’s interim chief operating officer. “Together we can accomplish something that neither of us could do on our own, and that promises to benefit generations of William & Mary students.”
Ginger Ambler ’88, Ph.D. ’06, vice president for Student Affairs, agreed. “This project reflects our steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of students today and of generations to come,” she said. “At each step, Balfour Beatty has understood the importance of keeping students at the center of this ambitious project, designing beautiful, innovative spaces that allow them to thrive in community with one another. We are thrilled to be in partnership with them.”
The project was designed by VDMO Architects in collaboration with CMTA and William & Mary leadership. Provident Resources Group (Williamsburg Properties LLC), is the project’s residential facility owner through an issuance of project-based, tax-exempt debt financing. Upon completion, the housing community will be managed by the university.