New alumni center, conference center, and hotel to be dedicated Oct. 28

Virginia Tech will formally dedicate its new Holtzman Alumni Center, Skelton Conference Center, and The Inn at Virginia Tech at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28. The celebration will be held in the complex’s Latham Ballroom.

The program will begin at 2 p.m. and will include tributes to major benefactors William B. Holtzman of Edinburg, Va., William E. Skelton of Blacksburg, and Margaret Skelton of Blacksburg. Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger will unveil plaques in their honor.

Located on 25 acres with panoramic views of the Alleghany Mountains and the New River Valley, the new 193,020-square-foot complex has three wings. A record quantity of Hokie Stone, 2,741 tons, or 82,236 individually cut stones, has been used for the four-story structure. The building’s natural materials blend well with the trees and rolling hills that surround it. No state funds were spent on construction.

Sheretz Franklin Crawford Shaffner Inc. of Roanoke designed the building, working with University Architect Scott Hurst. Robert D. Livingstone of Virginia Tech’s Department of Capital Design and Construction was project manager and worked with Branch & Associates Inc. of Roanoke to complete the construction.

Inside, design firms Clark Nexson of Virginia Beach and Design Continuum of Atlanta used stone, wood paneling with custom stain, and fabrics featuring Virginia Tech maroon and burnt orange to create a distinctive, warm, and welcoming décor.

The Holtzman Alumni Center, Skelton Conference Center, and The Inn at Virginia Tech exist today due to nearly a decade of inspired planning and hard work.

Construction began with the groundbreaking ceremony on April 26, 2003. The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center opened in July, 2005, and the alumni center opened in September. The full complex is now hosting conferences, alumni events, hotel guests, weddings, and other special events.