Virginia State University in Petersburg has completed a $6 million renovation of the school's former post office building and converted it to a Center for Academic Innovation.
The university says the facility will serve as a hub for academic innovation and collaboration among Virginia State faculty. It will have modern instructional technology and furnishings and provide faculty with a dedicated space to create more inclusive classrooms, explore new teaching strategies, experiment with emerging technologies, and partner with students to generate new knowledge.
The first floor has two classrooms, reception spaces, and faculty offices that open onto three outdoor terraces with brick pavers and seating for informal gatherings.
The second floor features a faculty commons area with multiple media collaboration areas, break areas, a refreshment galley, and an open faculty lounge equipped with extra-large format TV monitors.
A 2,168-square-foot addition provides upgraded restrooms on both floors and ADA-compliant access to the second floor via an elevator and a code-compliant stairwell.
The structure that now houses the center was built in 1928, making it one of the oldest buildings on the Virginia State campus. The building originally served as a laundry and was repurposed as a post office in 1978.
