VHB has been a trusted advisor to Old Dominion University (ODU) for more than two decades, keeping students as the focus in every endeavor. We recently partnered with ODU on three capital projects that will serve a crucial role in meeting campus-wide goals to expand STEM-H programs, improve student access to health and wellness services, and advance resiliency efforts on the coastal Virginia campus.
"Partnering with ODU over the decades to help develop and bring to life several iterations of their campus master plans and stormwater management plans, makes projects like these all the more special," said J.D. Hines, PE, ENV SP, I-64 Water Resource Growth Sector Leader. "We're watching the University continually raise the bar and step up to meet the needs of not just students and staff, but the community as whole, by prioritizing sustainability, resiliency, health sciences, and student wellness."
The new $74.9M, 128,000-square-foot Ellmer College of Health Sciences was completed in the fall of 2023 and was dedicated at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. Aligning with ODU’s initiative to broaden participation in STEM-H, this on campus addition serves as a hub for health-related disciplines and community healthcare services, housing the schools of Dental Hygiene, Rehabilitation Science, and Medical Diagnostics and Translational Sciences.
The new Ellmer College of Health Sciences also extends ODU’s role in providing healthcare for the community through its outpatient clinic, ambulatory services, dental services, physical/occupational therapy, and a new therapy garden. As the newest building since the merger of ODU and the Eastern Virginia Medical School in July, these valuable community services will improve public health across the Hampton Roads region and the Commonwealth of Virginia. After supporting topographic survey services and utilities in earlier stages of the project, VHB was brought on again to provide site/civil engineering and stormwater management as part of the Cannon Design team.
The Student Recreation & Well-Being Center celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony in April. The original building, called the Student Recreation Center, was expanded to include the Office of Counseling Services, Student Health Services, and the Health Promotion Office. VHB supported this 17,500-square-foot expansion through integrated survey, site/civil engineering, water resources, environmental, and traffic/transportation services.
The new building provides comprehensive mental and physical health support for students, including expanded mental health services, primary care, immunizations, and sexual health services. The project is part of a larger development plan with two nearby developments: Owen's House, the first residence hall on campus designed to host living-learning communities, and the 48th Street Reconstruction project.
Located two blocks from the Elizabeth River, 48th Street, a key connection to campus for student housing and apartment communities, has faced increasing barriers to connectivity and safety due to flooding and pavement issues. The newly completed reconstruction incorporates a new permeable paver system designed by VHB to address these challenges and meet stormwater management goals. VHB’s involvement in this project was informed by a stormwater master planning partnership that has spanned over three Campus Master Plans, three changes in administration and two regulatory authorities, and two changes in stormwater management regulations. Today, VHB is advancing resilient planning at ODU through the development of a stormwater management model to understand actual floodplain limits, impacts of sea level rise on the campus, and compliance with Executive Order 45.
To learn more about VHB’s long-term partnerships with higher education institutions, contact John Stronach.
