901 West Franklin Street Renovation
Located at the corner of Franklin and Shafer streets, the building originally served as a home between 1882 and 1892, and since being purchased by VCU, has been used for office space. The building primarily consists of brownstone and brick masonry exterior walls with a steep-sloped roof made of terracotta roof tiles. Later additions include brick masonry walls as well as mostly low-sloped rubber roofing and partial terracotta roofing.
There have not been any significant restorative efforts performed on this facility in recent history. Normal aging and degradation of building materials are contributing to moisture infiltration issues that need to be addressed. The renovation project includes tuckpointing (i.e., repairing the mortar joints between the bricks of the entire building), replacing the roof, and adding a fall protection system to the roof. Renovations began in October 2025 and are expected to take approximately one year to complete.
Project Status: Under construction
Location: 901 W. Franklin St.
Where it is on the Six-Year Capital Plan: First biennium (2024-2026)
Estimated Timeline: Construction is underway and expected to be completed by late 2026
Funding Source: VCU maintenance reserve funds
Primary Consultant: RRMM Architects (architect/engineer) and Woodland Construction (contractor)
It is important to note that undertaking a pre-planning study does not guarantee that a particular project will come to fruition. Issues such as funding availability or a shift in priorities can delay or even cancel a project from becoming a reality.
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