Charter Hall, Longwood’s new 42,580-square-foot complex just steps from the main campus, is home to an array of departments focused on keeping university’s physical plant in good running order—from HVAC to environmental health and safety; from painters and carpenters to capital design and construction; from plumbers and planners to mechanics and project managers.
Bringing all of those departments together, and having the space to provide new services, will yield many benefits.
Every office, department and student living on campus will see benefits from the upgrades in Charter Hall.
Jared Tackett, director of capital design and construction Tweet This
“Every office, department and student living on campus will see benefits from the upgrades in Charter Hall,” said Jared Tackett, director of capital design and construction. Director of Facilities Scott Cheek agreed that the positive impact of the building will be far-reaching.
“Having the Facilities and Capital Design and Construction departments together under the same roof will enhance our ability to serve the Longwood community,” Cheek said. “The new stockroom will allow us to expand our product line, which in turn will increase our response time to students living in Longwood-managed housing, staff and faculty. And the emergency backup systems in the new building will make it possible for us to continue operations even if there is a power outage.”
Constructed with more than $23 million in funding from the state of Virginia, Charter Hall provides several additional new capabilities and enhancements, including
- a shop where problematic appliances such as washers, dryers and stoves can be hooked up, diagnosed and repaired
- an indoor bay for washing vehicles that uses water collected in the building’s rain-harvesting system, saving water and reducing the university’s water bill
- electric vehicle charging stations
- three vehicle lift systems, including a lift for Longwood’s buses
- separate power shut-down safety switches in each shop
Charter Hall comprises a one-story section designated for facilities shops, offices and stockroom storage and a two-story administrative section. “The building’s design draws inspiration from the brick warehouses that shape the fabric of the town of Farmville while still maintaining attributes of the architecture throughout Longwood’s campus,” said Tackett.
Now that Charter Hall is fully online, Longwood’s new music building is one step closer to becoming a reality. Some of the units now housed in Charter Hall were previously housed in Bristow Hall, which eventually will be demolished to make way for the new music building. A replacement for Wygal Hall, the new music building is scheduled to be complete in 2028.
Tour the facilities at the Charter Hall
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