The meticulous task of installing new capitals on a historic building required precision and innovation. Workers had to carefully maneuver each of the 16 capitals, each crafted from a 9,000-pound block of Carrara marble, utilizing a specially designed track system to ensure the building’s stability remained intact.
“We had to swap out the capitals without destabilizing the building, and that one definitely kept me up some nights,” shared a project lead. “But honestly, it went really smoothly. It was very well engineered.”
Spanning four years, the renovation project reached its completion in the autumn of 2016.
Reflecting on the project, Sullivan expressed her satisfaction, stating, “I was really just elated. We had a big outdoor meal for all the people who had worked on it, kind of like a picnic, just to thank them. And I told them this was beyond my dreams for what this building could look like. I knew how hard they had worked and all the problems they had to overcome. But they did a terrific job. The result was really spectacular.”
Scott Beardsley, the University’s current president, also expressed his appreciation for the work done. “I have been very fortunate to live in the shadow of the Rotunda, quite literally, during the time we were honored to live in Pavilion I,” Beardsley remarked. “It is an architectural and historic treasure, but I think what truly makes the Rotunda special is its place in the academic life at UVA. The renovation preserved the centerpiece of the Academical Village and opened more spaces for students and our community. It has always been and will always be the heart of the University.”
Upon retiring from her role as president of UVA in 2018, Sullivan was bestowed the honorary title of president emerita.
She considers the Rotunda renovation as one of her administration’s crowning achievements.
Images for this story were taken by photographers Anna Wesolowska, Dan Addison, Sanjay Suchak and Lathan Goumas.
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