Campus construction continues: Progress persists on five major projects

As Liberty University’s student body continues to grow and change, so does the physical campus.  

The planning process for each building is a complex one, with most projects working
together to fulfill a master plan that Liberty’s administration has put together.  

“We have a rolling 3-year projection, and it has to be somewhat reactionary and somewhat proactive,” Dan Deter, senior vice president of planning and construction, said. “We sit down with the board of trustees and review the list, and we basically say, ‘For the next three years, this is what we’re going to do with the projects.’” 

The master plan addresses each area of campus, such as housing, academics  and athletics.  

“We try to make sure we’re addressing the needs of everything on campus,” Deter said. “We try to spread the projects around so that we’re not focusing only on athletics or only on academics.”  

This year, there are five major construction projects taking place on campus.  

The first is the new Commons IV residence hall, which will be nine stories tall and add 654 student beds as well as two resident director apartments to campus. The building will have a 2-story connector to the north side of the existing Commons III residence hall. Commons IV is currently projected to be ready for students for the Fall 2024 semester.

With another dormitory being added and a rising number of students living on campus, Deter saw the need for more parking, especially on North Campus. To address this, a 7-story parking garage is currently being built near Green Hall and the LaHaye Ice Center, which will hold 1,500 cars and feature charging stations for electric vehicles. 

Construction on the garage began in Spring 2023 and is currently expected to be complete by Labor Day weekend.  

The Hydaway Outdoor Center is also undergoing renovation as Hydaway Lake is being expanded from six surface-acres to 31 surface-acres. The lake is expected to be full by Memorial Day, bringing expanded opportunities to students such as swimming, fishing, kayaking and more. The lake will also help serve student athletes from Intramural Sports, Club Sports and NCAA Division I athletic teams.  

Liberty’s men’s golf and baseball teams will also see upgrades to their facilities. Five thousand square feet are being added to the home-side dugouts of the baseball stadium, offering three extra pitching lanes. Liberty’s golf practice facility is preparing for a new training course, which will include an 18-hole practice course, expanding upon their current facility’s driving range.  

“A lot of people ask me what my favorite project on campus is, and I can’t answer that,”
Deter said. “Every project is my favorite.”  

Deter recognized that while construction is necessary for the university to grow, it can also be an annoyance to students and staff.  

“I always like to thank people, because we are an evil; we’re a necessary evil,” Deter said. “We put up fences, we make noise, we make dust. (I’d) like to say thank you to the staff and the students and everybody (who) works with us. Their patience is appreciated.” 

For more information on campus construction, visit this website.  

The statistics from this article were found in an LU News article titled “Progress continues on major campus building projects.”

Smith is the news editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X