Board of Visitors minutes :: June 10, 1960 :: University of Virginia Library

The President prefaced his recommendations for architects to be employed on new construction
at the University by reviewing the procedure for securing architects since the inauguration of the
building program following World War II. He presented in detail the procedures that had been
used in selecting architects for buildings now completed and for buildings currently under construction.
During the course of his review he noted that President Darden in 1957 had appointed
a Long-Range Planning Committee to prepare plans for the development of the University over the next
20 to 25 years. This Committee, the President stated, attempted to estimate enrollment projections
for the University and to determine what buildings would be needed to provide facilities for the
several schools. In addition, the Committee considered the whole problem of the selection of architects
and recommended to the President that wherever possible Virginia firms be employed to design
future buildings at the University and that an Architectural Advisory Committee be appointed by the
President to advise him in the selection of appropriate firms.

In the spring of 1959, President Darden appointed the first Architectural Advisory Committee.
This Committee made a number of recommendations to the President concerning the employment of architects
and President Darden selected the architects for the buildings either now under construction
or in the design stage.

Continuing his report, President Shannon stated that in the early spring of 1960 he had appointed
an Architectural Advisory Committee to advise in the selection of architects for new buildings for
which appropriations had been made by the 1960 General Assembly. Based on the report of that Committee,
the President recommended (1) Baskervill and Son of Richmond, Virginia, for the Field House,
(2) Rawlings and Wilson of Richmond, Virginia, for the Civil Engineering Addition, and (3) Oliver
and Smith of Norfolk, Virginia, for the Science Building at Clinch Valley College. The President
noted further that his recommendation for the Field House was based on the assumption that a mutually
agreeable working relationship could be arranged to bring in as associates on the Field House, the
firm of Anderson, Beckwith and Haible of Boston. Likewise, the President noted that his recommendation
of Oliver and Smith for the Science Building at Clinch Valley College was based on the assumption
that C. B. McElroy of Wise, Virginia, be associated as resident architect. He concluded by noting that
he had no recommendation concerning the Chemistry Building at this time but would be prepared in the
fall to recommend an architect for that project.

In order that there might be no delay, the President further recommended that, in the event one
or more of the firms selected could not undertake the project, he be authorized to secure the approval
of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and the Executive Committee of the Board for the designation of
an alternate architectural firm or firms

The President proposed and the Board adopted the following resolution

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia that
the President be and he is hereby authorized to employ the architectural firms listed for the following
projects (1) Field House - Baskervill and Son, Richmond, Virginia (provided that a mutually
agreeable working relationship can be arranged to bring in as associates the firm of Anderson, Beckwith
and Haible of Boston), (2) Civil Engineering Addition - Rawlings and Wilson, Richmond, Virginia, and
(3) Science Building at Clinch Valley College - Oliver and Smith, Norfolk, Virginia (provided that a
mutually agreeable arrangement can be made for associating C. B. McElroy of Wise, Virginia, as the
resident architect),

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, in the event the services of one or more of these firms cannot
be obtained, the President be and he is hereby authorized to submit an alternate firm or firms to the
Buildings and Grounds Committee and the Executive Committee which are hereby authorized to take final
action