Making Sense of the Campus Master Plan

On Tuesday, June 4, the University unveiled its new Campus Master Plan through an email sent to students, parents, staff and community members. Signed by University President, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., the email included a letter and a detailed video explaining the upcoming changes. The Campus Master Plan, set to unfold over the next 10 years, aims to strengthen connectivity, enhance learning, and enrich the quality of life on Villanova’s campus.

To help community members better understand the Campus Master Plan, the University has broken down the developments into three key areas: Core Projects, Landscape Projects and Opportunity Projects. 

The Core Projects area of the plan focuses on the academic, dining, athletic and community buildings essential to student life on campus. According to the plan, these buildings will undergo various transformations over the years, including renovations, updates, upgrades, additions and total reconstructions. 

Core Projects include: 

New Welcome Center and Bookstore
Tolentine Hall renovation and addition
Falvey Library’s transformation to a student-focused support system
Dougherty and Donahue Hall renovations 
Mendel Science Center updates 
Chemical Engineering building updates
White Hall updates
John Barry Hall updates
Jake Nevin Field House upgrades
Villanova Pool upgrades
Villanova Stadium upgrades
Possible new monastery and renovations to the existing monastery 

The second area of the plan, Landscape Projects, will focus on improving traffic and flow around campus. The spaces listed in this plan area will be enhanced and reconstructed to improve the campus for students and faculty.

Landscape Projects include: 

South Campus 
Gateways
Ithan avenue 
West Campus 
Finneran Pavilion
Villanova Theater

The third area of improvement is classified as Opportunity projects. Many of these projects will be made possible by the University’s recent addition of the Cabrini campus. As explained in the video, many facilities mentioned in this area will be developed on the Cabrini campus or at other off-campus locations.

Opportunity Projects include: 

West Campus Recreation Center
St. Mary’s Hall renovation 
Addition to West Campus housing 
West Campus Dining Hub 
Indoor practice facility off-campus 

While most of these changes will take place in the coming years, several have already begun. Currently, construction is being finished on the College of Engineering building. Previously known as CEER, Drosdick Hall will be open in fall of 2024 for students and faculty to use. Additionally, renovations to St. Rita Hall, Falvey Library at Vic Maggitti Hall and Vasey Hall are in the works. 

The announcement of Villanova’s Campus Master Plan signals a forward-thinking approach to university development, promising significant enhancements that will shape the future of the institution. With projects already underway and more on the horizon, the University’s commitment to its mission is clear: to continuously improve and adapt to meet the evolving needs of its students, faculty, and community.