The largest college dormitory in Virginia, the Gladding Residence Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University houses 1,524 freshmen students in traditional and semi-suite style double rooms. In keeping with the quest to improve the residential experience at VCU, this 356,000-square-foot residence hall – with 12 floors and four neighborhoods – also houses Residential Life and Housing offices, a Housing Leadership Center, exercise center and building support space. It even features a 40,000-square-foot landscaped courtyard. This new center replaces two four-story residence halls: Gladding I, built in 1979, and Gladding II, built in 1982, which were razed before construction began. General contractor was W.M. Jordan, of Richmond and Newport News, Virginia, and drywall contractor was Agent Wall Systems of Norfolk, Virginia. The residence center achieved LEED Silver certification.