The Virginia Department of Transportation has awarded seven highway contracts, worth about $5.5 million, for construction and maintenance projects in central and Southside Virginia.

• Lee Hy Paving Corp. of Glen Allen received two contracts totaling about $2 million for paving work in Charles City, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties.

CHARLOTTESVILLE—The University of Virginia is poised to take on an estimated $250 million in debt to finance a long list of construction projects. The finance committee of the university’s board of visitors voted unanimously Thursday to issue up to $300 million worth of bonds in April to help pay for the projects. Final approval of the measure is expected today.

Even with February’s rare burst of activity, housing construction is down a whopping 47.3 percent from a year ago.

The Virginia Army National Guard will break ground tomorrow for a what could eventually be a $55 million training-center complex here. The project’s $25 million first phase includes construction of headquarters and education buildings for the 183rd Regional Training Institute, the state Guard’s primary training unit, at the post near Blackstone, the Guard said.

Living near the county line has insulated the residents of a western Henrico County neighborhood from the hustle and bustle of nearby Short Pump. But it may also bring them closer to an unwanted mountaintop view.