VIRGINIA HOUSE RESIDENCE DEDICATION TODAY

Virginia House, the second building in Old Dominion University's new Quad Residence Halls, will open officially at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 19, with a ribbon cutting to include Alf J. Mapp, eminent scholar emeritus of English and noted Virginia historian, Old Dominion University President Roseann Runte, Senator Yvonne Miller and others.

The construction of the Quad Residence Halls marks a significant advancement in Old Dominion's shift toward a more residential campus.

Similar to neighboring Ireland House, which opened in October, Virginia House is a four-story, 65,000-square-foot building that features 204 beds in a suite-type setting.

Nestled between Webb University Center and the site of the new state-of-the-art recreation center in the heart of campus, the Quad Residence Halls will eventually house 900 students in four buildings, surrounded by grassy common areas and activity spaces.

Currently, the Virginia House holds upperclassmen who are members of university-recognized organizations, athletic teams, fraternities and sororities. Next year it will house freshman only.

The Virginia House, which will contain the Office of Student Housing on the ground floor, has a predominance of single rooms and also offers deluxe single rooms, which have walk-in closets or are larger than traditional single rooms. The upper floors feature kitchenettes, laundry rooms, study rooms and a student lounge. The entire building is wireless and also has hard-wired connections.

The remaining two buildings of the quad are scheduled for completion in August 2008. A fifth building, which will house components of University College in an effort to further integrate academic space with residential space, is also being considered.