With the addition of the new Visitor’s Center and the DeMoss Hall rooftop patio, Liberty University’s recent campus expansion has been evident. Additionally, the university has broken ground on a number of other projects, including a new baseball stadium, the Jerry Falwell Library, a Vines Center practice facility for basketball teams and new dorms on South Campus.
J.F. Library — The library will include new technology and a food court. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
During an interview with the hosts of the Get Up and Go show Nov. 26, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. expressed satisfaction and excitement for the upcoming projects.
Andrew Claudio, a radio host for the campus radio station, 90.9 The Light, divided the campus into four regions for discussion purposes during the interview — North, South, East and Main. The interview began with questions about projects on North Campus.
The major project in that area is the upcoming baseball stadium, which will feature many new amenities.
“I think we’re on schedule to get the baseball stadium finished by the next season,” Falwell said. “One of the reasons we’re building a new stadium instead of renovating the existing one is so that the team will be able to play this coming season and won’t move into the new stadium until it’s ready. If construction is not on schedule to finish by this upcoming season, the team will continue playing at Worthington Field.”
Vines Center facilities — The basketball teams will practice here. Photo credit: Sarah Nguyen (left), Ruth Bibby (right)
The men’s soccer team will hold its games and practices in Osborne Stadium in the spring. The women’s team played at the East Campus intramural fields this fall while construction was being completed on the track that circles the field.
Aside from the improvements being made to the athletic complexes, construction will soon begin on residential dormitories.
Students are already aware of the dorm changes that will take place over Christmas break and have been given the option to move to the Annex for three semesters, according to Falwell.
“There are four dorms in the way of the first tower that will go up,” Falwell said. “We’ve worked hard with that group — the ones that want to stay with their hall mates and roommates will be able to if they move to the Annex.”
According to Falwell, one of the new residence halls will have as many beds as the entire circle section of Main Campus currently has. Because a total of four new dormitory towers will be constructed on Main Campus, Liberty will have the ability to expand the student population.
Osborne Stadium — Soccer and Lacrosse will move back to Osborne Stadium. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
“What most people don’t know yet is that I’d like to move all 2,800 students from the East Campus dorms to Main Campus and make East Campus an area of Liberty-owned off-campus housing for upperclassmen,” Falwell said. “If we could get the 5,000 commuter students in housing projects close-by, it would alleviate a majority of the traffic congestion on campus, and campus buses would be able to run more frequently than they do from here to the Cornerstone complexes.”
Academically, the “last piece of the puzzle,” according to Falwell, is the new School of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. Administration has broken ground on Liberty Mountain and will begin construction shortly. Those projects are expected to be completed before fall 2014.
Dorms — One new dorm is expected to replace the Circle in number of students. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby (left), Photo Provided (right)
Construction on the new Jerry Falwell Library is continuing at a steady pace, but it is not expected to be completed for another year.
“It appears that the library is coming along ahead of schedule,” Falwell said. “Interior finishes will take some time, but progress is continuing without any hitches.”
Additionally, there are early plans to expand the Vines Center to accommodate more seating for convocations, concerts and other events, according to Falwell. Because of the recent purchase of Sears in the River Ridge Mall, the plan is for the city to build a new civic center there.
“In the interim, some offices will move over there, while the buildings behind DeMoss are torn down,” Falwell said. “Once the center is done, expansions can then be made on the Vines Center, such as adding an upper deck and increasing the seating. Then the Vines Center would be used solely for convocation.”
Although some plans are uncertain, Falwell and Liberty administration are working to make sure these improvements will better help the campus in “training Champions.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out,” Falwell said.