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New freshman village nears finish line at UNCW

May 20, 2020


University of North Carolina at Wilmington Housing Village Construction

Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions and Balfour Beatty Construction are on track to deliver Phase 1 of the New Student Village at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The first two buildings will be home to 1,038 freshmen at UNCW this August and will include a Port City Java coffee shop and Pelican Market, a convenience store.

The Balfour Beatty Developer/Contractor team nimbly adjusted to COVID-19 supply chain interruptions, potential labor impacts and additional job-site requirements for PPE and social distancing. With no delays, the project has reached the QC/QA (Quality Control/Quality Assurance) milestone and the team has commenced punch listing inspections.  Furniture deliveries are scheduled to begin in June, while the landscaping and exterior finishes are in process.

The second phase of the project, an additional 776 beds, is ahead of schedule and will be delivered in August 2021.

Aside from providing a significant upgrade to the on campus living experience, this project is the first built increment of a new campus master plan which aims to create a central “Chancellor’s Walk” with three intersecting pedestrian spines. The new residential quadrangle, developed by Balfour Beatty, will add 1800 additional first-and-second year students to campus as well as providing diverse outdoor recreational and community space. The “Hawk Walk” from the Village connects residents to new future dining hall, sports field complex, and the Chancellor’s Walk.  The project is a critical piece of the transformation of the UNCW Campus required to accommodate their growth while maintaining the character and charm of this unique setting.