January 14, 2014 (Norfolk, Virginia) – Virginia State University recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of their new Multipurpose Center. Designed by Clark Nexsen with assistance from AECOM, the 167,800 square-foot center will be the first of its kind in the Petersburg/South Central Virginia vicinity. The facility will seat about 5,100 for sporting events and 6,100 for concerts and stage events. The full service kitchen will accommodate a 900 person banquet. It will also include spectator suites, offices for the athletics department, classrooms and offices for the mass communications department, a fitness/wellness center, and practice facilities for the varsity basketball and volleyball athletes.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, VSU President Keith T. Miller said, “The Multipurpose Center holds promise to revitalize the village of Ettrick, and be a catalyst to transform Ettrick into a true college town. The facility will serve both the University and our neighbors, with events such as high school graduations, concerts and the ability to host a variety of large-scale athletic events.”

The facility will serve as a cultural hub for Petersburg/ South Central Virginia and as a catalyst in revitalizing the Village of Ettrick community. The center is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification for sustainability and energy efficiency. S.B. Ballard Construction Company is the Construction Manager. VSU anticipates 22 months of construction with an anticipated completion in October of 2015.

About Clark Nexsen
Clark Nexsen is an award-winning integrated design firm providing architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design services to a broad range of sectors. The firm is committed to providing design excellence to clients throughout the U.S. and overseas. In 2013, Architect magazine ranked Clark Nexsen 11th in the Top 50 firms in the nation and Building Design+Construction magazine ranked Clark Nexsen in the Engineering/Architect Giants Top 20. The firm is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, with 450+ employees in ten additional office locations in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Washington, D.C. For more information on the firm, visit www.clarknexsen.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

For more information, contact Cat Brutvan at 919-576-2100 or cbrutvan@clarknexsen.com.