NEOMED Education and Wellness Center, Northeast Ohio Medical University

Rootstown, OH
Construction Cost: $75 million
Area / Square Feet: 177,000
Occupancy Date: August 2014

This new three-story facility has redefined the image of the Northeast Ohio Medical University. A model of integration of wellness, healthcare, community and educational opportunities, the NEW Center has quickly become the nucleus of the campus and has created interaction with the Rootstown Township and surrounding area.

The Sequoia Wellness Center encompasses 24,000 of the facility’s overall 177,000 square feet. This medically based wellness center features state-of-the-art fitness equipment and wellness experts who can create a customized fitness plan for students, faculty and township residents. Amenities include lap and warm-water pools, a fitness floor with cardio and strength equipment, free weights, group exercise rooms, a gymnasium and a climbing wall. After a challenging workout, users can relax in the whirlpool, sauna or steam room before heading off to the executive locker room. The 34,000-square-foot conference center can be utilized by any outside group that would like to take advantage of this facility, which also includes a comprehensive diagnostics area with many medical specialties that did not exist in the area prior to its opening.

The amazing openness and luminosity of the main atrium space was accomplished by the use of custom-designed steel trusses that span more than 86 feet, allowing the space to be filled with natural light.