On June 19, Virginia Tech announced that it will be building a major research center in Ballston, Va.
The building and the project itself is currently being led by Jim Bohland, executive director of the national capital region. The national capital region is a division of Tech that assists with the programs and other research challenges located in Northern Virginia.
Numerous well-established Tech research centers, already located throughout the D.C. area, will transfer their locations to the new Ballston facility. The site will offer high performance information technology systems that address national security issues.
Designing the center, in this location specifically hopes to enable Tech to further its research selection in a region that offers great opportunity for partnerships with corporate research entities and close proximity to government agencies and other public and private-sector organizations.
"Virginia Tech exists to serve the people of Virginia; we have locations all across the state, so to be located right in the hub, particularly with the research, will help so much in becoming and strengthening being a leader in research projects," said university spokesman Mark Owczarski,
The building will be situated in the 800 and 900 block of North Glebe Road. It will consist of seven floors and will contain 144,000 square-feet of working space.
The research center was designed by Cooper Carry to meet the Silver U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Building Rating Systems. Sections of the building that are not going to be occupied by Virginia Tech will be available for commercial business lease.
The interior of the building that will be vacated by Virginia Tech will consist of computational laboratories, offices, and conference space to accommodate executive programs, training programs, and workshops.
Although the research that will be performed will range from a broad spectrum of programs, the primary focus will be on technology, and computational technologies, including networking systems.
The total cost of the project, building expense, equipment, and all else, is being completely funded by the Virginia Tech Foundation. Jim Bohland, executive director of Tech's National Capital Region expects a cost of around $80 million.
Expenses will not be being paid for by tuition, Virginia or any other entity. The foundation exists solely to support Virginia Tech; the foundation will build this center, and simply allow Tech to use it.
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Ballston is a metro stop, not a town. So it's actually going to be in Arlington, VA - at the Ballston metro stop.
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Ballston is more than a metro stop. It's an area of Arlington. Arlington is often referred to as Ballston, Clarendon, Courthouse, Rosslyn... depends where you're are. They're neighborhoods. However, this article shouldn't refer to it as Ballston, Va.
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It's an "urban village" in Arlington, VA. The neighborhoods you refer to are some of the many urban villages created in Arlington to promote smart transportation alternatives- walking and biking- to restaurants, grocery stores, and shopping!
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