Innovation Campus Backed By Virginia Tech Board Of Visitors

Virginia Tech's board of visitors has given official approval to the future Innovation Campus in Alexandria. The campus was part of the incentives that resulted in Amazon's decision to locate a second headquarters in Crystal City.

The board approved the resolution at a special meeting Monday in Richmond, according to a news release from the school. Members reviewed reports on the project detailing the state's higher education package, enrollment, faculty start-up costs and more.

The board also looked at memorandums of understanding between Amazon and the state and those between Virginia Tech and the City of Alexandria, the developer (Stonebridge Associates Inc.) and the owner (BRE/DP Alexandria LLC) of the proposed campus location. The campus will be at 480 Swann Avenue in the Potomac Yard area, according to Washington Business Journal.

"Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria, which will be located less than two miles from Amazon’s future headquarters at National Landing, is a historic investment that will transform Virginia’s high-tech economy,” said the board's Vice Rector Horacio Valeiras in a statement. "This new campus will provide a pipeline of talent to industry and is a natural extension of the university’s commitment to drive economic development throughout the state."

Plans to expand in Northern Virginia were part of Virginia Tech's long-term plan. The decision to add a new campus was expedited with Amazon's headquarters decision.

The 1 million-square-foot campus will train high-tech talent for Amazon and other companies at the master's and doctoral levels. Programs will focus on computer science and software engineering with specializations in areas like technology and policy, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

SEE ALSO:

• Innovation Campus, Other Amazon HQ Impacts Coming To Alexandria
• Amazon HQ2 Decision Spurs Major Change To Potomac Yard Metro
• Homeless Shelter To Amazon's Bezos: Don't Forget Alexandria

The Oakville Triangle area of Alexandria, Va. where Virginia Tech will construct a 1 million square-foot technology focused campus in Alexandria, Va., to build one of it's two new headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. The project was cited as a key reason Amazon selected Virginia for a new headquarters. (Cliff Owen/Associated Press)