The University's top funding wish was granted last Monday when the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $9 million of its $48.1 billion budget to the University in order to construct a new studio art building that will be located near Carr's Hill.
The assembly also provided the University with $400,000 for the renovation of the current studio art building, Fayerweather Hall.
This will provide all of the funds that the University needs for the project, said Leonard W. Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
It was "fairly surprising" that the legislature decided to delegate funds to the studio art building, because it was not proposed by Gov. James S. Gilmore III, said Del. Mitch Van Yahres (D-Charlottesville).
In fact, the University's "wish list" included many more building proposals that were not funded by the assembly. The assembly approved funding for one new building project at each state school.
"There are a lot of older buildings at U.Va." like Rouss or Cocke Hall that could have been slated for renovation, said Collette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget.
But because the University chose to place the studio art project at the top of its list of priorities, that project was able to get through both the appropriations committee and the Assembly as a whole.
"The building itself is important because it will launch" the planned arts community near Culbreth Theatre. The area will eventually be home to new facilities for music and other arts, said Sheehy.
University planners have been working on designing the arts community for several years, she said.
They chose to emphasize studio art first because although "Fayerweather Hall is not in danger of falling apart, it is in dire need of repair and renovation," Sandridge said.
In addition to structural and mechanical flaws, Fayerweather was originally constructed in 1895 as a gymnasium. When it was renovated in the 1930s, planners turned the building into studio art classrooms and studio space because of its high ceilings, which flood the room with light, but it has not been adapted to the changing technological needs particular to a department like studio art.
Fayerweather also has become too small for the growing department, and has forced the department to turn down students interested in studying art at the University because there is not sufficient space to accomodate all of them, Sheehy said.
Although the building has not been designed yet, she said it will be more technologically specialized and more modern than Fayerweather.
Designing and planning a new building "usually requires about a year," she added.
Sheehy said she anticipates construction will begin on the new building in two years, and be finished in four.
"It'll be a little while yet," Sheehy said.
When the new building is finished, the current inhabitants of Fayerweather will move into it, and the renovation of Fayerweather will begin.
In addition to renovating the building itself, the University also plans to demolish the small metal "butler building" that currently adjoins Fayerweather.
Although they originally planned to renovate Fayerweather first, officials decided to wait because they did not want to try to work around the building's current occupants and students and cause disruptions during the academic year.
When completed, Fayerweather will house the art history department.
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