My 50-year reunion

[Wood Hall]

Just got a notice in the mail advising me to save May 29-31 of 2026 for my 50-year class reunion. Where does the time go?

I do believe we had more pure fun at UR than students do today. The only think I wish was different is, too bad we did not have the University Forest apartments when I was an undergrad. Cloisters was nice but living in an apartment on campus, instead of four miles away, would have been outstanding.

 

[SFspidur]

The UFAs are well past their intended lifespan and the university has been wanting to replace them with some higher density apartments similar to Gateway Village. It’s included in the upcoming campus master plan but not sure if there is a specific timeline yet.

 

[urfan1]

Just got a notice in the mail advising me to save May 29-31 of 2026 for my 50-year class reunion. Where does the time go?

I do believe we had more pure fun at UR than students do today. The only think I wish was different is, too bad we did not have the University Forest apartments when I was an undergrad. Cloisters was nice but living in an apartment on campus, instead of four miles away, would have been outstanding.

Wood. I had mine last year, hopr you can make it, an enjoyable event.

 

[Wood Hall]

The UFAs are well past their intended lifespan and the university has been wanting to replace them with some higher density apartments similar to Gateway Village. It’s included in the upcoming campus master plan but not sure if there is a specific timeline yet.

I thought they just were razed and rebuilt several years ago?

 

[SFspidur]

They got significant renovations including opening up the living areas a bit and turning the downstairs closets into half baths, but that was roughly a decade ago already.

 

[urfan1]

They got significant renovations including opening up the living areas a bit and turning the downstairs closets into half baths, but that was roughly a decade ago already.

Time flys when you're having fun!

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Just got a notice in the mail advising me to save May 29-31 of 2026 for my 50-year class reunion. Where does the time go?

I do believe we had more pure fun at UR than students do today. The only think I wish was different is, too bad we did not have the University Forest apartments when I was an undergrad. Cloisters was nice but living in an apartment on campus, instead of four miles away, would have been outstanding.

Wood just got mine also. 50 is a big deal and intend to be there Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Yes I am a Southern Boy thru and thru. I think the last one I was at was either 30 or 35. I remember before the golf tournament, running into the B School and seeing Dr Cosse who remembered who I went to work for out of college. Now talk about being impressed.

 

[Anachnid]

Y’all old!😳

 

[SFspidur]

Time flys when you're having fun!

Indeed!

For a little more background, there were I believe 21 blocks of UFAs. The 2011 campus master plan envisioned tearing down 13 of them and building higher density upperclass housing plus an administration building at the River Road entrance.

Gateway Village partially fulfilled that vision, and 5 UFA blocks were torn down as part of that and the reconfiguration of River Road through that part of campus. Most (or maybe all?) of the remaining UFA blocks were renovated between 2014 and 2017.

The new campus master plan that should be approved shortly envisions tearing down all of the rest of UFAs, building that previously proposed admin building at the River Road entrance corner, and building ~6 new Gateway Village-style buildings to replace the lost UFA capacity. The increased density will open up some land for new uses and will enable students to have single bedrooms but still be in apartment-style living. Less conducive to partying though.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Y’all old!😳

I resemble that remark!

 

[72Spider]

Just got a notice in the mail advising me to save May 29-31 of 2026 for my 50-year class reunion. Where does the time go?

I do believe we had more pure fun at UR than students do today. The only think I wish was different is, too bad we did not have the University Forest apartments when I was an undergrad. Cloisters was nice but living in an apartment on campus, instead of four miles away, would have been outstanding.

Welcome to the Boatwright Society and the Golden Diploma that you will receive!

 

[urfan1]

Y’all old!😳

You got that right, but I wear it proudly.

 

[Wood Hall]

Y’all old!😳

Yes, and happy to have earned that distinction. Some of my classmates didn't.

Isn't Queally Hall an administration building? That newer part of campus is still a mystery to me, I still prefer to drive down Snake Road off Three Chopt and enter off College Drive or the old main entrance by the former bus stop.

 

[SFspidur]

Queally Center is admissions, financial aid, and career services.

I think they want to move some of the other administrative stuff out of like Maryland Hall to be able to focus the campus core on academic and student aspects. Think Continuing Studies was maybe supposed to move out there at one point, not sure if that's still part of the plan.

 

[urfan1]

Queally Center is admissions, financial aid, and career services.

I think they want to move some of the other administrative stuff out of like Maryland Hall to be able to focus the campus core on academic and student aspects. Think Continuing Studies was maybe supposed to move out there at one point, not sure if that's still part of the plan.

Isn't Continuing Studies in the Special Programs Building behind Queally

 

[SFspidur]

Isn't Continuing Studies in the Special Programs Building behind Queally

Appears so, I’m not very familiar with it.

 

[urfan1]

Appears so, I’m not very familiar with it.

My vague memory of the building is that it was originall used for reseach projects, don't know if that is correct.

 

[SFspidur]

Yes, it was built in the '60s as the home for the Virginia Institute for Scientific Research, a research effort by the Virginia Academy of Science. I'm not exactly sure the relationship between it and UR, but obviously the building didn't follow traditional campus architecture (the hexagonal shapes on the building facade were reportedly a nod to the chemical structure of benzene rings).

As I recall, there was a significant fire/explosion in one of the labs there in the '70s, and the VISR was relocated elsewhere. Campus police and parking services were there in my time in the '90s and I believe are still in there sharing space with SPCS. (I think police and maybe parking were actually in the Poli Sci/Military Sci building when I first got there, but they and the post office got booted out when that building got expanded and turned into Weinstein Hall.)

The student health center was also in the Special Programs Building until the new Well-Being Center opened a few years ago.

 

[CarolinaSpider]

I was a townie so Pine Lot was my most common location. My best buds since freshmen year are headed
here for a boys weekend of golf, cards and good eats.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Enjoy the 50 year reunion! What a wonderful milestone that is.

I actually liked the UFAs. Offered a different way of living than just dorms that made it feel like having a house on campus, sort of, because it had 2 floors. If anything, would like to see them renovate the UFAs then tear it down and build more Gateways. I lived in both UFA and Gateway. Both were nice for different reasons. Would be nice to offer both options to students. You’re right, a lot of frat parties were held in UFAs, so that’ll obviously change to somewhere else.

 

[Gallipoli]

Isn't Continuing Studies in the Special Programs Building behind Queally

Yes it is. They renovated the inside of the Special Programs Building and the SCPS. It is very nice on the inside.

 

[KE Spider]

Yes, it was built in the '60s as the home for the Virginia Institute for Scientific Research, a research effort by the Virginia Academy of Science. I'm not exactly sure the relationship between it and UR, but obviously the building didn't follow traditional campus architecture (the hexagonal shapes on the building facade were reportedly a nod to the chemical structure of benzene rings).

As I recall, there was a significant fire/explosion in one of the labs there in the '70s, and the VISR was relocated elsewhere. Campus police and parking services were there in my time in the '90s and I believe are still in there sharing space with SPCS. (I think police and maybe parking were actually in the Poli Sci/Military Sci building when I first got there, but they and the post office got booted out when that building got expanded and turned into Weinstein Hall.)

The student health center was also in the Special Programs Building until the new Well-Being Center opened a few years ago.

Correct as I recall on all counts. Off of River Road it was a dead end at the building in the early 70s, separated from the rest of the campus, and scant coverage by the campus police. Am told by reliable sources that some youthful exuberance took place there in that era. 😇

 

[Anachnid]

I recall walking on a path from behind the chapel, into the woods and across a stream to get to the building. Wasn’t the campus dump nearby…The rumored location of where enterprising students could find the original memographs of exams?