Established in 2021 and administrated by the McIntire School of Commerce, the Center is a pan-University organization working in service of students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners across Grounds. The mission of the Center is to enhance the quality of the built environment and our understanding of its influence on all aspects of our lives through discovery and debate relating to the art and science of real estate.
The vision of the Center is to be a globally preeminent academic real estate center recognized for supporting the University’s real estate academic programs and serving as the pan-University hub for real estate activity across Grounds; creating extracurricular programs that prioritize students; enhancing their preparation to lead, learn, and serve; enabling and sharing research that enriches lives and improves market functionality and policy-making; and cultivating a vibrant community of students, researchers, alumni, and industry partners who gather regularly for applied and shared learning.
In 2023, the University's Board of Visitors recognized the naming of the White Ruffin Byron Center for Real Estate, an evolution of the UVA Center for Real Estate and the Built Environment. This significant renaming honors our leading donors, Robert M. White Jr. (McIntire ’87), the Ruffin Foundation, and Robert Byron (A&S ’73, Law ’76), in recognition of their steadfast commitment and generous support and the exceptional opportunities it will provide the UVA community and beyond.