The continuing construction of the newest dorm on campus, Culbert Hall, and the renovation of Warham Hall, including its three faculty apartments, are the largest undertakings on campus in preparation for the 2024–25 school year, the first under new Head of School Jody Reilly Soja.

The construction of Culbert Hall was made possible by a $15 million gift to the school from Trustee Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan ’87 and her husband, Patrick J. Scanlan, $7 million of which is directed toward the new residence hall. The school’s 14th dorm is named after Sheila Culbert, the seventh head of school who retired this year after leading the school since 2008. The new dorm will house 27 students and two faculty families. Two additional new faculty homes on campus are nearing completion and the Head of School’s home also is undergoing some renovation.

Some of Sheila’s hand-picked wildlife photography will decorate the interior of Culbert Hall, said Director of the Physical Plant Lance Hall. Preparation for the construction of the new dorm began in the summer of 2023 when the former Business Office was razed.  Culbert Hall sits right behind Warham Hall; the buildings are connected by a fire door to allow for egress, but they are separate dorms.

The new dorm is 100 percent accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and built to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standard, the highest rating. The building will have energy-efficient fixtures and appliances, light-saving techniques in terms of automatic shutoffs and dimmers, and low-energy water fixtures. During construction, before the brickwork was completed, the building was wrapped in a material designed to increase energy efficiency. The bricks and slate roof are of the same color scheme as the rest of the buildings on campus and fit in with the Georgian style of architecture. The slate roof is a 100-year roof.    

On the technology side, the big project this summer is an overhaul of the sound and video systems in Hubbard Performance Hall and upgraded equipment in the video lab in the Richmond Art Center.