Arts and Innovation Academic Building
A place where the arts and other disciplines intersect to imagine and solve the world’s toughest problems.
Whether among disciplines, with partners in the community or across the globe, collaboration is the driving force of next-generation teaching, learning and discovery at VCU. Positioned on the southeast corner of Broad and Belvidere streets, across from the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU and steps away from Fortune 500 companies and local startups, VCU's new arts building will provide a launch pad for critical digital and creative economy initiatives both on campus and in the city.
The new building will optimize VCU’s arts innovation programs by bringing them together under one roof -- consolidating several programs within VCU’s nationally recognized School of the Arts, ranked fourth in the country among graduate programs. It will feature flexible classroom spaces, interdisciplinary performance venues and makerspaces for rapidly growing partnerships across arts, business, humanities and sciences, medicine and engineering. Here our students will learn to harness and prepare for a world of new and emerging industries.
The project is tentatively to be named the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation, subject to legal requirements and any necessary approval by the VCU Board of Visitors, the commonwealth’s Department of General Services, or other state agencies. CoStar Group’s investment adds to the company’s long-standing history of investment in educational opportunities in the city of Richmond and the commonwealth of Virginia.
Project status: Working drawing phase
Location: The southeast corner of Broad and Belvidere streets, across from the ICA at VCU
Where it is on the Six-Year Capital Plan: This project was listed in the 2022-2028 Six-Year Capital Plan
Estimated timeline: Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in winter 2023.
Funding Source: $232.4 million will be funded by the state as well as an $18 million commitment from CoStar Group
Estimated cost: Currently estimated at $253 million
Primary Consultants: William Rawn Associates (architect), Glavé & Holmes Architecture (consulting architect), Hourigan (construction manager)
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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If you have questions or feedback about this project or the ONE VCU Master Plan