Project Profile

Eggleston Hall Lounge Renovations

Location

Blacksburg, VA

Year Completed

2026

Square Footage

~1,900 sq. ft.

Scope

1,900 sq. ft. of student lounge space renovated inside a 1930s Virginia Tech residence hall.

The Story

Taylor Hollow Construction’s Eggleston Hall renovation renewed 1,900 square feet of student lounge space at Virginia Tech. These are the shared rooms where students study, meet, and unwind. Our goal was simple: comfortable, durable spaces that fit a building with this much character.

A 1930s Residence Hall in the Heart of Campus

Eggleston Hall has housed Virginia Tech students since 1935. Crews built it in stages during the Great Depression as a Public Works Administration project. Today, its three wings sit on the Drillfield at the center of campus. After nine decades of student life, that history shows in the walls and floors.

What We Found Under the Floors and Behind the Walls

The work started with what was underneath. In the teal lounge, our crew pulled up the old carpet and found more than 60 years of built-up adhesive. We had to remove every bit of it before the new tile could go down.

Next, the walls brought their own challenge. They are plaster over metal lath, a sturdy system that is hard to cut, patch, and finish. Opening them also exposed brick, clay tile, and original piping. Old buildings rarely match what you expect, so our team adjusted as conditions became clear. That kept the project on track for completion ahead of the fall semester.

The Finished Lounges

Today, the lounges pair [new / repaired] plaster walls with acoustical ceiling tiles in a pressed-tin pattern. The tiles give the rooms a classic look. They also help keep busy shared spaces quieter. In the maroon lounge, the original hardwood floors got a full refinish. We wrapped up the project in August 2026.

It reflects the same care Taylor Hollow brings to every addition and renovation and historic project.

Project Highlights

1,900 sq. ft. of student lounge space renovated

Inside a 1930s residence hall on Virginia Tech’s Drillfield

More than 60 years of built-up carpet adhesive fully removed

Plaster walls over original metal lath

Acoustical ceiling tiles in a pressed-tin pattern

Completed August 2026 [ahead of fall move-in]

The Build

The Eggleston Hall renovation covered roughly 1,900 square feet of lounge space. First, the crew stripped more than six decades of carpet adhesive down to a clean, sound subfloor. Next came the walls. Wall work meant installing plaster over metal lath, which takes more time and skill than drywall. Crews have to cut the lath, secure it, and blend it into the existing surface. Finally, acoustical ceiling tiles with a pressed-tin pattern went in overhead. They give the rooms a period-appropriate look and absorb sound in spaces built for groups.

Want to see what else we build? Browse more completed projects on our Our Work page.

Building: Eggleston Hall (built 1935-1940)
Space: Student lounges
Area: ~1,900 sq. ft.
Owner: Virginia Tech [confirm]
THC Role: [General contractor / subcontractor, confirm]
Walls: Plaster on metal lath
Ceiling: Acoustical tiles, pressed-tin pattern
Completed: August 2026