Theological Seminary in Alexandria to Build New Entrance

Virginia Theological Seminary is preparing to construct a new main campus entrance on Seminary Road as part of improvements that also include building a new chapel to replace one that burned in 2010.

The new entrance is part of the seminary’s campus improvements that include a “Worship and Welcome Quad.” The new Immanuel Chapel will be built near where the former chapel stood, and the seminary has completed a “Chapel for the Ages” capital campaign to raise $13 million for the construction.

The old chapel will be transformed into an outdoor sacred space.

Heather Zdancewicz, vice president of administration and finance for the seminary, said campus officials hope to begin utility work for the new entrance and chapel by July 1. The school is located at 3737 Seminary Rd.

“As part of the overall project in building a new chapel, we will move the entrance westward from its current location by approximately 50 feet,” Zdancewicz told Patch. “It will still be east of Fort Williams Parkway."

The intersection of the campus entrance and Seminary Road will remain without a traffic light, she said.

Campus officials decided to create a new entrance to both improve the sight line looking eastward down Seminary Road when leaving the campus and to increase the turning radius for tractor-trailers that visit the campus, Zdancewicz said.

The architect in charge of the new chapel and entrance construction is Robert A.M. Sterns of New York City, who is working with Alexandria landscape architect Michael Vergason.

The new entrance will form a “T” shape, with the eastern side leading to the campus welcome center and new chapel and the west leading to the campus access road.

Founded in 1823, Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the 11 accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church.

Read more:

• New Seminary Chapel Moves Forward
• Council Approves New Seminary Chapel