Monthly Archives: December 2022

Buildings and Grounds Committee debate lack of brick in proposed Karsh Institute of Democracy

Future Darden Hotel gets two names

The Buildings and Grounds Committee of the University of Virginia’s governing body met last week and considered several items of business. The first was to approve the suggested name of the new hotel that is under construction at the Darden School of Business. Or rather, two names. 

“The proposed formal name is Frank M. Sands Sr. Hotel at Darden and Conference Center for Lifelong Learning,” said Alice Raucher, the University of Virginia Architect. “There will also be a proposed marketing name which is the Forum Hotel which will be used in partnership with Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants which has been selected as the hotel operator.” 

Sands died in 2021 and had made a $66 million gift to Darden in May 2019, the largest in school history to date. His son, Frank Sands Jr., is on the Darden School Foundation’s Board of Trustees and is currently vice chair. 

Read more

Perrone Robotics to launch shuttle service at UVA’s North Fork

A Crozet company has entered into a contract with the University of Virginia Foundation to provide an autonomous shuttle service around the North Fork discovery park in Albemarle County. 

“The shuttle will begin by running during fixed operating schedules, transporting employees of companies located in North Fork and visitors between its nine Class-A office and laboratory buildings,” reads a press release from Perrone Robotics that was sent out on December 8. 

The shuttles will use Perrone Robotics’ TONY AV technology which has previously been used for an autonomous shuttle around Crozet in collaboration with Jaunt.  TONY stands for “To Navigate You.”

Read more