Brent House
Brent House, which has been closed and offline since the police station move in 2023, was removed in summer 2025 as part of the initial plan for the new theatre at the corner of William St. and Sunken Road. The nearly 100-year-old structure had been damaged from water intrusion, with major foundation and roof issues that made it too costly to repair. The demolition of Brent House opens the pathway to extend Campus Walk to the new theatre. Following the demolition, the site has been marked off with fencing and erosion control measures until the theatre project construction starts.
On Monday, June 30, the Brent House Parking Lot, Russell and Marshall Lots and the Marshall hill roadway will be closed for the demolition of Brent House. Site preparation activities and fencing begin June 30, and the initial stage will take place in July and August, with the site expanding to Marshall and Russell Halls at a later date in anticipation of theatre construction commencing in 2026.
The closure of the Marshall hill and the Marshall and Russell Lots will remain in effect indefinitely to facilitate the future demolition of Marshall and Russell Halls and site preparation for the future theatre construction. Residential student parking is available in the Alvey Deck and adjacent Sunken Road lots, as well as some spaces in the William St. lot at Sunken Road.
Parking for faculty and staff will remain available in all other designated faculty and staff lots.
Because of the closure of roadway at the Marshall hill, please be alert for traffic pattern and pedestrian path changes from the Sunken Road entrance at the Marshall/Russell lots and the Double Drive entrance. Vehicles entering from Double Drive can circle around the Bell Tower or turn at the George Washington lot.
For a list view of parking locations please see the Lot Designation Page on the Parking Management website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What demolition and construction will happen at the Brent House site?
Once Brent House has been removed the site will be graded for the upcoming construction on the new theatre. Campus Walk will be extended to the corner of campus, via an accessible and scenic path, which once complete with the theatre construction will be open to the public to enjoy walking through campus. During construction, the area will only be open to construction traffic.
How long will the project take?
The initial stage of demolition will take several weeks, with sitework through the semester. Then next phase of the multiyear project begins at Marshall and Russell Halls as those buildings will also be removed.
Site preparation activities and fencing begin June 30, and the initial stage will take place in July and August, with the site expanding to Marshall and Russell Halls at a later date in anticipation of theatre construction commencing in 2026. The demolition of Brent House is scheduled to be completed by August 20, 2025.
Can I use the Double Drive through the Marshall hill during construction?
No, the road at Marshall hill will be closed to thru traffic as construction starts. The parking lot at Randolph Hall remains open at the start of the project, but may have some impact or delays for construction traffic.
Are the Marshall and Russell parking lots open during construction?
On Monday, June 30, 2025, the Brent House Parking Lot, Russell and Marshall Lots and the Marshall hill roadway will be closed for the demolition of Brent House.
The Marshall and Russell parking lots will be closed to faculty, staff, students and the general public for the duration of the construction project, as it will be the primary lot for construction activities.
Any special uses of the lots, such as move-in parking, will be announced.
How will the project impact traffic?
The corner of campus at William St. and Sunken Road will have some construction traffic as trucks and equipment access the site. Vehicles will be staged in the Marshall and Russell lots, along with the William St. lot, as needed to reduce the time parked on Sunken Road. Both Sunken Road and Marshall hill road at Double Drive will be used as construction access points.
What are the construction hours for the new theatre project?
Weekday work will take place during general business hours, with the contractor arriving on site at 7 a.m. and typically wrapping up by 5 p.m. We’ll follow the city noise ordinance and note any special events on campus or in the neighborhoods which may be impacted by particular work, depending on the stage of the project.
Noise, dust and disruptions will be mitigated, but should also be expected.
For more information on theatre construction, visit the new theatre project page.
What’s happening with the trees around the construction site for the new theatre?
We are working with the Department of Forestry on tree removal for the site, with regular updates to Tree Fredericksburg. While we will be removing several trees at one time, it will ready the site through grading for the extension of Campus Walk.
Several tree species will be saved for reuse. We are working with local vendors on options for using the wood from trees for upcoming projects on campus and in the Fredericksburg region.
We also have a full landscaping plan for the new theatre, creating a backdrop for the building and a gathering area at that corner of campus. Additional native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses will complete the project.
What’s in place for stormwater management?
We have erosion and sediment controls to prevent unobstructed flow of waters into the city’s stormwater system, along with measures to capture construction debris on site. We are working closely with the city on details for the project.
What’s being saved from Brent House?
UMW’s Department of Historic Preservation has reviewed the property and identified key elements to be preserved by the University. Several elements will be housed in Advancement & Alumni Engagement as part of their collection. Alumni also have an opportunity to reserve a brick from the Office of Alumni Engagement: alumni.umw.edu/bricks
When the police moved from the building, significant items were also relocated or saved.