Longwood University’s New Music Education, Performance Venue Tops Out

Skanska celebrated the topping out of Whitehead Hall, Longwood University’s new music education and performance venue in Farmville, Virginia. The milestone marks significant construction progress on the 63,800-square-foot building, which will serve as a hub for Longwood’s music department.

The project includes the demolition of the existing Bristow Building and the construction of a new facility that will relocate the music department from Wygal Hall. In June, the future building was named Lettie Pate Whitehead Hall by Longwood’s Board of Visitors. The decision honors the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation and the legacy of Lettie Pate Whitehead, a businesswoman and philanthropist committed to championing the arts and higher education.

Located along the east side of central campus for convenient access by students, Whitehead Hall will feature: music instruction spaces and student learning facilities; flexible, multi-use rehearsal and performance spaces; offices; and other academic support spaces. Its centerpiece, a 500-seat concert hall with adjustable acoustics, will host student and faculty recitals, university events and other academic events.

To commemorate this achievement, representatives from Longwood University, Skanska and trade partners signed a beam which was hoisted to the top and permanently installed in the building. Construction highlights to date include:

• 2,300 cubic yards of concrete
• 28.2 tons of reinforcing steel
• 45,000 trade work hours
• $8M in SWaM spending

Designed by Calloway Johnson Moore & West – Lynchburg and David M. Schwarz Architects, the multi-story building will integrate the campus’ notable brick and stone façade and incorporate appropriate sustainable design features, practices and materials, equivalent to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-NC Silver designation.

Skanska previously completed Longwood University’s 72,000-square-foot Joan Perry Brock Center, which serves as a convocation and events center; developed the 84,000-square-foot Upchurch University Center, Longwood’s vibrant student center; and renovated the university’s tennis courts.

Construction began in August 2025 and is expected to be completed by the fall semester of 2028.