According to Jefferson Scholars Foundation President James Wright, plans for the new Jefferson Fellows Center have been submitted to the City of Charlottesville and are awaiting approval. The Foundation hopes to begin building this summer and complete construction in time for the 2009-10 school year, Wright said, adding that his foundation cannot begin the building process until the city provides a building permit.
The site of the proposed center -- which will provide prospective, highly desired graduate students with a "powerful incentive" to attend the University, according to Wright -- is currently occupied by the former residence of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. That building, which in the past has been called a historical landmark by some community leaders, was purchased by the foundation and deemed unfit for further use last year; plans to raze the house moved forward. In its place will stand the new Jefferson Fellows Center, which will come at an estimated cost of $8 million and will feature an environmentally conscious design.
Principal of VMDO Architects Robert W. Moje said there is no set date for getting city approval on the submitted plans.
"In the planning process, there is no defined schedule, no timeline to get the comments [from the city] back; the comments may or may not need a response," he said. "We are hoping that [the approval date] will be soon.
--compiled by Elizabeth Bird
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