ODU Is Building the Biggest Project in Its History, and It's Where Engineers and Artists Will Share a Roof

Old Dominion University just locked in $250 million for a single building, the largest capital investment the school has ever made. And it isn't another lecture hall.

The new Engineering and Arts Building will put robotics labs and an 800-seat performance hall under the same roof in Norfolk, bringing together two colleges that have always operated on separate sides of campus. It's timed to open as ODU turns 100, and it says a lot about where the university, and the city around it, is headed.

Where the money came from

Full funding for the project came through Virginia's new biennial budget, passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Abigail Spanberger. ODU announced the news in July, calling the building the largest capital investment in the university's history.

President Brian O. Hemphill described it as a building meant to stand as a gateway to the university's future, and a tool for growing Virginia's workforce in both technical and creative fields.

What's actually going inside

The three-story building will cover more than 140,000 square feet (141,458 gross square feet, to be exact). ODU has laid out the interior in distinct zones, and a few details stand out.

On the engineering side, expect research labs, high-bay spaces for heavy equipment, advanced maker spaces, robotics labs and a motion-capture lab. The university says the building will add specialized lab space for maritime engineering, cybersecurity and digital media, all areas that matter in a region built around the Navy, the port and the defense industry.

On the arts side, the centerpiece is an 800-seat performance hall designed for large ensemble performances. There will also be design studios, galleries and exhibition space for students in music, theater, dance, art and film.

The idea is that these two worlds actually mix. Think engineering students building the tech behind a stage production, or digital media students working in the same motion-capture lab as researchers.

Why it's more than a campus story

ODU has been clear that this building is meant to be used by the community, not just students. The performance hall and public galleries are designed to be open to neighbors and regional partners, and the site plan includes landscaped outdoor gathering spaces on the west side of the building.

For Norfolk residents, that means another place to catch a performance or a show close to home, in a part of the city that already has the Barry Art Museum, Chartway Arena and the S.B. Ballard Stadium nearby.

When it's happening

Groundbreaking is planned for fall 2027, with completion slated for late 2030. That timing is intentional: ODU was founded in 1930, and this will serve as its centennial building.

The design team includes VMDO Architects, Ballinger and Diamond Schmitt, with W.M. Jordan Company handling construction management.

It's part of a much bigger wave at ODU

This isn't the only construction happening on campus. ODU currently has several major projects moving at once:

A $184 million, five-story Biological Sciences Building is under construction in the science quad and is slated for completion in early 2028.

The Barry Art Museum is adding a $25 million, three-story wing that will double its gallery space.

A $24 million renovation at Bud Metheny Ballpark is adding more than 2,000 chairback seats, suites and new training facilities.

Add it all up and ODU is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into its Norfolk campus over the next several years.

What this means if you're thinking about living nearby

Big, long-term university investments tend to ripple outward. They bring faculty and researchers to the area, create construction and campus jobs, and add the kind of cultural amenities that make a neighborhood more appealing to live in.

The neighborhoods surrounding ODU, including Larchmont, Edgewater, Highland Park and Lamberts Point, already draw a mix of faculty, grad students, young professionals and families who like being close to campus, the Lafayette River and downtown Norfolk. A new performance venue and a steady stream of research activity just down the street only add to that appeal.

If you've been considering a move closer to the heart of Norfolk, the next few years around ODU are worth watching.

Thinking about buying or selling near ODU or anywhere in Norfolk? W|P Collective Homes at Keller Williams Town Center knows these neighborhoods street by street. Reach out to our team to talk through your options and find the right fit for your next move in Hampton Roads.