The VHA highlights three of VMDO Architects' arenas at UVa

At the Venue Hospitality Association's National Collegiate Conference held in Charlottesville, Virginia on May 21-23, 2007, the organization highlighted three of VMDO Architects' projects for the University of Virginia: The John Paul Jones Arena, Scott Stadium, and Davenport Field.  Check out what they said about our work by clicking here.

New JPJ Arena Web Section Unveiled

We recently added a comprehensive new section to our website that provides a range of details about the John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia.

Please visit www.vmdo.com/special/arena for a tour.

Packed with tons of in-depth, revealing information, the VMDO JPJ Arena web section includes a portfolio of new construction images of both the interior and exterior, detailed facts and figures, and a listing of the JPJ Arena project team. Other features include updated arena news, words of praise, and a complete list of other arena-related web destinations.

We invite the public to share their thoughts on this spectacular new athletics facility here at our dedicated JPJ Arena discussion blog.

Basketball and Entertainment at the John Paul Jones Arena

Excitement and anticipation continue to build as the new John Paul Jones Multipurpose Arena's July 2006 opening day draws near. The seating is well under way with the majority of fixed seating installed and the first piece of the retractable seating completed. The LED fascia board is installed and working. The first components of the scoreboard have arrived and its assembly has started. Painting and final trim work is going on throughout the inside, while the plaza grading, paving, and landscaping is being completed outside.

Upcoming scheduled events include hometown favorite Dave Matthews Band, who will perform during a two-day engagment on Sept. 22 and 23. And for the first time ever in Charlottesville, WWE Monday Night Raw will broadcast live on the USA Network from the John Paul Jones Arena. Other events include a visit from Disney on Ice (Sept. 18 - 22) and the Ringling Bros. Circus (Dec. 6 - 10)  -- major entertainment acts that Charlottesville will continue to attract thanks to the 15,000-plus seat venue.

Meanwhile, the main attraction remains basketball, with the men's Hoos hosting their first game in the arena against the Arizona Wildcats in Nov. Both the men's and women's teams appear to be much improved with the return of most of their top players from this season and the addition of some very talented newcomers, all of whom are excited about being the first teams to compete in the new arena.

The Roanoke Times Details New Arena's Brick Facade

The Roanoke Times featured a story on the new John Paul Jones Multipurpose Arena at the University of Virginia on Dec. 11. The story is entitled "Building Its Name: Brick by Brick."

"For contemporary architects enlisted to design new structures for Mr. Jefferson's university, founded in 1819, a brick is not simply a brick. Frequently, the architects' supplier of choice for these seemingly mundane construction materials has been Old Virginia Brick of Salem.

Architect Joe Celentano of the VMDO architectural firm in Charlottesville has been project architect for UVa's John Paul Jones Arena. When completed, [in summer 2006,] the $130 million facility will replace University Hall as UVa's basketball arena. The new arena's structure will feature 500,000 face bricks, 75,000 pavers and 10,000 special brick shapes -- all manufactured as wood-moulded bricks by Old Virginia Brick."

Read the entire story.

Arena Update

With roughly a year to go before the new UVA John Paul Jones Multipurpose Arena is complete, progress continues at the construction site on the corner of Emmett Street and Massie Road. The steel roof trusses are in place and the roofing materials continue to be installed. The next phase involves the interior work, which is now falling into line. This includes finalizing purchases for furnishings, as well as the audio-visual packages.

Construction of the practice courts and auxiliary facilities—weight training rooms, coaches' offices, and expanded locker rooms—at the east end of the arena is now underway. Brickwork is complete on the arena's north side, and will continue to go up on the south side. Over the next three to six months, the rest of the masonry will be in place as well as the signature white precast concrete columns at the main west entrance. The 830-car parking garage is also largely complete, as is the central utility plant.

Other major activities include the construction of the North Grounds Connector. Site clearing along the route 29/250 bypass has begun already for the half-mile road.

The building, which will be the largest indoor sports and entertainment venue in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is expected to be complete in May 2006.