A lack of students during the summer is giving the campus a chance to reload with numerous construction projects.
University spokesman Mark Owczarski said the many construction projects show growth in the university as a whole.
"What that says is that Virginia Tech really is growing and growing well," Owczarski said. "Really in the last five to ten years, as the campus has changed, there have been a lot of alumni over the years who don't recognize the place."
He said new projects are a sign that quality of education and quality of life on campus are being improved.
"People believe in Virginia Tech," Owczarski said. "And as a result of that it's growing."
Graduate Life Center
Using funding from the Class of 2009 and the Class of 1959, Virginia Tech's Graduate School is adding a new public gathering place on campus.
Graduate Life Center Plaza and Amphitheater will soon occupy the space between the GLC, Squires Student Center and the University Bookstore.
Graduate School Dean Karen DePauw said the project is meant to make the GLC a center for campus activities.
"It is a space for people to interact, be part of the community," DePauw said. "Everyone will be able to use the area. Graduate Life Center just identifies the area. It's for everybody."
DePauw herself came up with the idea for the project. She "envisioned a different use of that space" and felt that it was previously not well used.
Students, faculty, and others who would like to put their name on the new amphitheater may purchase pavers.
These stones will be engraved with a message and made a part of the amphitheater itself.
Lynn Eichhorn, executive director of University Planning, Design and Construction, said the project would begin in August. Construction costs are estimated at $300,000.
The grand opening of the space is scheduled for October.
Shultz Hall
Shultz Hall is already surrounded by construction crews.
Eichhorn said the project is not the beginning of the arts center, but improvements to infrastructure.
She said the work at Shultz involves replacement of the main sewer line. The work has been coordinated with the plans for the Center for the Arts, but is independent of that project.
The project is scheduled for completion in early August.
Henderson Hall
Patty Raun, theatre department head, said the building would be showcased to the community in late October.
"The grand opening is going to be around the last weekend in October," Raun said. "We're going to have a big alumni celebration, and university and community open house."
Eichhorn said the Henderson Hall renovation will be complete in mid-July and the Theatre Department will be completely moved in by July 20th. The department will have full use of the building to begin the fall semester.
Raun said the new location offers the department a chance to interact with Blacksburg and improve the quality of productions.
"We also look forward to having that location right on the seam of downtown, the bridge, in a way, between the university and the community so that when we do our theatre research we have perhaps a more physical, more welcoming front door for our explorations," Raun said.
She also said the building is more versatile than its current home.
"It's a more usable space than we have had in the Performing Arts Building," Raun said. "Our research will be more possible to accomplish."
New Hall West
Virginia Tech's newest residence hall will be completed in late July.
New Hall West, located on West Campus Drive, near the Career Services Building and Harper Hall, will be turned over to users on July 27.
While the building was begun prior to Tech developing plans for LEED certification, the new hall will have environmental upgrades over other dorms.
Eichhorn said the building uses low flow plumbing throughout the building and high quality windows and insulation.
However, no luxury is lost.
Eichhorn said it is distinguished from other residence halls by several factors.
Each resident will have their own bathroom, and each student room will have individual heating and air conditioning controls.
Eichhorn said high quality accent materials such as granite countertops are also a new feature of New Hall West.
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs personnel will occupy the first floor of the hall.
Occupancy will be 263, with a full student kitchen on the third floor and laundry in the basement.
Washington Street
One of Tech's major roads is also undergoing renovation this summer.
Washington Street will be closed periodically to demolish and remove outdated steam piping and replace it with larger diameter pipes.
The renovations are aimed at providing increased capacity to the life sciences portion of campus.