By Lindsey Coulter

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry: At a Glance

• Project: New School of Dentistry facility for Virginia Commonwealth University
• Size: 312,000 square feet, five stories
• Design Firms: Kahler Slater, Hanbury
• Purpose: Advance dental education, clinical care, and access across Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic
• Timeline: Construction to begin May 2027; completion by late 2029
• Location: VCU’s health sciences campus in Richmond, Va.
• Features: U-shaped layout, dental clinics, green spaces, student courtyard, community garden, cafĂ©, and multipurpose classrooms

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Commonwealth University is set to break new ground in dental education with the design of a 312,000-square-foot School of Dentistry, created in collaboration with architecture firms Kahler Slater and Hanbury.

As the only dental school in Virginia, VCU plays a critical role in shaping oral healthcare across the commonwealth. The new five-story facility will enhance clinical practice and educational innovation, accommodating more than 100,000 patient visits annually. It also reinforces VCU’s role as the largest provider of dental care to Medicaid recipients in the state.

Located on the current Larrick Student Center site, the building will sit at the heart of VCU’s health sciences campus, linking academic, clinical and community services. Key features include a U-shaped layout integrating academic offices, clinics for predoctoral and graduate programs, and advanced educational labs. The design includes green spaces such as a student courtyard, a community garden and a main-floor café, open to the wider university. Five multipurpose classrooms will serve both academic and community uses.

“This new facility is more than just a building—it’s a landmark investment in the future of dental education, clinical training and patient care in Virginia,” said Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry, in a statement.

The new building is designed to foster collaboration and break down traditional departmental boundaries, establishing a dynamic connection between clinical education, specialized patient care, and educational laboratories while offering flexible spaces that support interaction and seamlessly connect dentistry with VCU Health and the other VCU Health Sciences schools.

“We’re proud to be part of the team transforming dental education and access to care across the Mid-Atlantic,” said Larry Schnuck, FAIA, dental education designer at Kahler Slater, in a statement. “Kahler Slater and Hanbury’s design team is crafting a facility that will elevate VCU’s ability to provide excellent patient care, strengthen faculty and student recruitment, and expand enrollment.”

The design aims to create a welcoming and inspiring space that connects students, faculty and the community.

“The VCU dental school is a unique opportunity to bring together students, faculty, dentists, and citizens from across Virginia in a facility dedicated to the highest level of dental training, education, and care,” said David Keith, design principal and CEO of Hanbury. “We have thoughtfully designed a place that is both inviting and inspiring, connecting curious minds with skilled caregivers and serving a vital role in our community.”

The project represents a significant step in VCU’s mission to improve access to oral health care and train the next generation of providers. The new facility will support continued innovation in clinical care and learning, help meet workforce challenges and enhance the university’s ability to attract top talent.

“Because VCU is the only dental school in Virginia, it is important that our facilities support our faculty, students and staff so we can continue to meet the needs of communities across the commonwealth,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health, in a statement.

The schematic design will be used to request construction funds in Virginia’s next biennial budget, which will be considered by the General Assembly in early 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2027, with completion anticipated by the end of 2029.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) in West Lafayette has one mission — to serve Purdue University. Starting in January, PRF’s efforts to serve the university became visible for all to see when construction began on a new private apartment complex for the campus.

PRF made its announcement about construction beginning on Jan. 9 with newly formed joint venture Balfour Beatty Campus solutions and Walsh Investors. Hanbury based out of Norfolk, Va., is the architect on the project, and construction is a joint venture between Chicago-based Walsh Construction and Smoot Construction, based out of Indianapolis. The complex is projected for completion by August 2019.

“The Walsh Construction and Smoot Construction Joint Venture is excited to be part of this innovative project, and Walsh is extremely pleased to continue to expand our growing relationship with Purdue University,” said Sean Walsh, president of Walsh Construction, in a recent statement.

The 835-bed apartment complex will be the first facility in a $1 billion development called Discovery Park District, located on the west side of the Purdue University campus, and will be called Aspire at Discovery Park. The apartment complex will be located on five-acres on the south side of State Street. While the apartment complex is private, the cost to rent will be comparable to a residence hall, and the residents of this facility will be 90 to 100 percent student-occupied.

The four-story, three-building, 387,000-square-foot complex will include studio, two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartment styles. In addition to the apartments, the complex will have 18,000 square feet reserved for community and retail space in the building.

“It is certainly a milestone to break ground on the first of many developments in the Discovery Park District,” said Jeff Kanable, director of the Discovery Park District (formerly called the Purdue Innovation District), in a recent statement. “In just a few years, this area will feature modern living, learning, shopping and dining for Purdue students and the surrounding community.”

The Discovery Park District is a partnership development between the Purdue Research Foundation and Browning Investments and is designed to “provide a pre-eminent environment for educational, economic, cultural, community and real estate development,” according to Kanable.

The 450-acre district will eventually feature 7 million square feet of interior building space, including a hotel with conference center, restaurants, retail and office and business spaces. In addition, the district will include parks, research facilities and industrial space. The entirety of the project is planned to take place over a 15- to 20-year period, with the Purdue Apartments being the first step in this long-term goal.

In addition to serving the Purdue students, all of the developments in and around Purdue University and West Lafayette are carefully planned to support and complement each other and “advance Tippecanoe County as a destination to live in and visit,” according to John Dennis, mayor of West Lafayette.

“The Balfour Beatty team is excited to be the first major construction in the transformation of the west side of the Purdue University campus,” said Bob Shepko, president of Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, in a statement. “Aspire at Discovery Park will be situated in an ideal location for residents to take advantage of all that this new development will offer.”

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