Planning is underway for the acquired Lloyd Building on the Corner, according to a Campus Climate and Culture report released by University President Teresa Sullivan earlier this month.
Titled “Status Report to the Ad-Hoc Group on University Culture and Climate,” the report — published Jan. 12 — announces new University measures to combat issues with sexual assault, including a developing project in the Lloyd Building.
The University acquired the building in the summer of 2015 and plans to use the space as a center for student activities and social events, particularly in the evenings when other University facilities may be unavailable.
University Deputy Spokesperson Matt Charles said the University is leasing the building, located at 1515 University Ave., to serve as a recreational space for students.
“The University of Virginia is leasing the building… to provide students with a recreational location near the Grounds that will include a possible lounge area, limited food service and meeting rooms, in addition to performance and rehearsal space,” Charles said in an email statement.
Christina Morell, associate vice president for student affairs, said the Lloyd Building will be used to promote healthy community connections and help students pursue opportunities that interest them. The building will also serve as a connection between Grounds and the Corner.
“This is an opportunity for the University to have a presence on The Corner to support community-gathering that is inclusive for all students, and to support the student experience,” Morell said in an email statement.
The project is a collaboration between the inaugural class of students from the Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership — a student fellowship program — and representatives from Student Affairs, the Provost’s Office, Office of the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Office of the Architect and Facilities Management.
Lewis Fellow and third-year College student Mediha Salkic is one of five fellows chosen to work comprehensively on the project through the school year.
“We expect the Lloyd Building to serve a multipurpose function towards the enrichment of student lives in keeping with the student body's core values and the University's mission,” Salkic said in an email statement.
Salkic said she envisions the building as meeting student needs in creative and unprecedented ways.
“We hope that this will truly be a unique student space on The Corner, one that is easily accessible, adaptable, and modern in design alongside meeting the needs of the [student] body,” she said.
Salkic said proposals for the space’s use originally came from five project groups during the Meriwether Lewis Institute’s summer program. Five fellows — one from each of the five groups — were selected to further work on the Lloyd Building.
“I represent a group which proposed the idea of comprehensive student wellness as a central theme for the building,” Salkic said. “While ideas from various constituents have been integrated in the building's plan, I have worked towards ensuring the element of diversity in particular is incorporated in the way the building is designed and operates.”
Third-year Engineering student and Lewis Fellow Harry Elkins also said the space will accommodate a diversity of student activities.
“The Lloyd Building will have a variety of uses possibly including but not limited to… social space, performance space, cafe, mindfulness space, practice space (for acapella groups and things like that), study space, career services and potentially others,” Elkins said in an email statement.
The space is expected to open in time for the fall semester, Charles said.
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