 James Madison University is a backbone to Harrisonburg's culture and economy. They have purchased and revitalized old buildings. Their students help keep local businesses busy throughout the year and they employ a lot of people. JMU's growth will continue to help Harrisonburg grow.
The University is redesigning current facilities as well as creating new in order to enhance the experience of students and community members while they are on campus. JMU states that these projects add to the academic mission, student life, and engagement with the surrounding community.
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This is part of an on going blog series on JMU's development, to see the other developments, click here.
James Madison’s enrollment is increasing exponentially. Consequently, expanding the amount of campus housing is a necessity. In early 2018, ground was broken to make way for a new residence hall. The new residence hall, neighboring Convo Lot F, is being built for a 500 bed capacity. Due to its off-campus location, a land bridge will be built over Driver Drive, to adjoin the Skyline section of campus to the new residence hall to allow its residents to feel connected to the JMU community. The total cost of the project is $47.8 million dollars and is anticipated to house new residents in Fall of 2019. WM Jordan was awarded the contract for the project. Source In 1958, James Madison issued its first business degrees to its graduates; however, it wasn’t until 1972 that the JMU School of Business was officially established. By the early 80’s, JMU had anchored national accreditation for the business degree and in the early 90’s Zane Showker Hall was built, the central hub for the business department and its courses. In 2016, Bloomberg Businessweek ranked JMU’s College of Business 18th in the nation. The University has been and continues to graduate the leaders of tomorrow. These leaders are taking initiative to enhance the current program to preserve and expand its legacy. Showker Hall was designed for a capacity of 2,400 students back in the 1990’s. Over the past 30 years, the University business program has been increasing and is currently enrolling more than 5,000 students. The space is no longer able to effectively accommodate student enrollment, causing faculty to find spaces throughout the building for their courses and students. In 2016, a public announcement was made to expand the vision of innovation and excellence of JMU’s College of Business. The new vision is to create a facility that will utilize a “new” Showker Hall as well as develop a complex that will accommodate not only the increase of Business enrollment, but reflect the modern technological advances to continue its reputation of producing unrivaled business leaders. The 210,000 square foot Learning Complex will include: new classrooms, advanced technologies for research and cyberprojects, labs, dining facility, meeting halls, and many more features. The construction is planned to begin this upcoming Fall for a grand opening in the Fall of 2020. By the Fall of 2021, all construction should be complete for the College of Business. The fundraising goal for the College of Business is $15 million dollars. As of August 2018, over two-thirds of the goal has been met. This is part of an on going blog series on JMU's development, to see the other developments, click here. Source and more information: https://www.jmu.edu/cob2020/ https://www.jmu.edu/news/2017/11/15-mm-cob-learning-complex.shtml Those who have been in the current JMU Convocation Center, know firsthand how outdated various aspects of the facilities are. The multipurpose arena first opened in 1982 with a capacity of 6,426 individuals. The arena is not only the site for men’s and women’s basketball, but also hosts concerts, JMU’s commencement along with local high school commencements, and conventions. Updates have occurred since its opening in ‘82, including: a new graphic design on the floor (2013); new scoreboards (2007); and new bleachers (2012); however, even with all of the recent updates, the facility itself is not fully capable of enhancing its crowds experience with luxuries and comfort. The new Convocation Center is part of a larger plan referred to as “The Madison Plan”. The Madison Plan encompasses multiple different projects around James Madison University with a projected completion by 2026 to modernize the campus amenities. Along with increasing the seating arena to 8,600 people, a four-sided jumbotron, wraparound ribbon board, private suites, and student lounge will all be added features to the Convo. The total cost of this project is $88 million. Currently, the University has a fundraising goal of $12 million which must be met before the project can proceed. Due to the contingency of finances, there is no formal timeline established yet. This is part of an on going blog series on JMU's development, to see the other developments, click here. |
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