University honors Skanska for history of work on campus by naming lobby of new arena for the firm
DURHAM, NC – Skanska, a leading global development and construction firm, announces the successful completion of the Joan Perry Brock Center at Longwood University. The 72,000-square-foot, 3,020-seat arena and convocation center will be home to Longwood’s basketball teams as well as a gathering space for campus academic and cultural events. The exterior design of the arena fits in seamlessly with the Jeffersonian architecture of the historic corridor of campus, and size-wise feels like a natural neighbor to the buildings on Brock Commons.
In recognition of the continuous and impactful partnership in creating extraordinary spaces on Longwood’s campus, the University named the lobby of the Joan Perry Brock Center in honor of Skanska.
"This achievement marks another milestone in Skanska’s longstanding partnership with Longwood University and reaffirms our commitment to excellence in construction and campus development,” said Mark Balling, executive vice president responsible for Skanska’s North Carolina and Virginia building operations. “The naming of the lobby in Skanska’s honor serves as a testament to the trust and confidence placed in our team and we look forward to future collaborations to bring more innovative projects to light.”
Skanska also built the 84,000-square-foot Upchurch University Center, which serves as a vibrant student center at the core of Longwood’s campus, and constructed the university’s 10 new tennis courts, which are home to the university’s tennis teams.
“Our partnership with Skanska has been transformative,” said Longwood University President W. Taylor Reveley IV. “The spaces they have constructed on campus are at the center of the residential academic experience, and are well-loved by students, staff, and visitors.”
The arena officially opened to the entire Longwood and Prince Edward communities on August 25 with a ribbon cutting in front of the building’s grand, white façade.
Current notable projects underway in the North Carolina/Virginia region include: UNC Hospitals’ 335,000-square-foot Surgical Tower; the renovation and expansion of the University of Virginia’s historic Alderman Library; the 287,850-square-foot Central Forensics Lab for the Commonwealth of Virginia; North Carolina State’s 145,000-square-foot Integrated Sciences Building; Virginia Tech’s 102,000-square-foot undergraduate Science Laboratory Building; and the geothermal central energy plant for Wake Technical Community College’s Eastern Wake 4.0 campus.
Operating from a regional headquarters in Durham, Skanska USA has completed nearly $2.9 billion worth of work in North Carolina and Virginia over the past 10 years and currently has more than $640 million of projects in progress in the two states.