Daily Digs: $12.3M University Athletic Center, Boston's White Stadium Renovation, and More!

The usually quiet Millikin University campus atmosphere has been more lively this summer as construction work on the upcoming $12.3 million David J. Rathje and Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center is underway.  

Bulldozers and excavators are hard at work on the new 17,655-square-foot facility, located south of Frank M. Lindsay Field and west of Griswold Physical Education Center.  

The Rathje Athletic Center is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025 with BLDD, a Decatur firm, as the project's architectural partner. [Milikin.edu]

A proposal for major renovations to White Stadium in Franklin Park was approved by the Boston Planning Department on Thursday.

"This is a major milestone for a project that is decades overdue, finally giving BPS student athletes and community a beautiful new home at White Stadium” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu in a news release.

"This project will renovate, rebuild, and reimagine White Stadium for Boston Public Schools athletics through a unique community oriented public-private partnership with Boston Unity Soccer Partners," the planning department said in its announcement.

Back in May, Avery Esdaile, senior athletic director for Boston Public Schools, showed NewsCenter 5 around the blighted parts of the facility. [WCVB]

Milwaukee (Wis.) Area Technical College (MATC) is excited to announce it is exploring the lease of a new shared-use athletic training facility in Deer District near the college’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus. The announcement follows approval of the project concept by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board at its July board meeting. 

The college envisions a facility that would primarily serve MATC’s fitness and health programs, and athletics, including women’s basketball, men’s basketball and women’s volleyball. The shared-use facility, which would be co-developed and co-owned by the Milwaukee Bucks and J. Jeffers & Company, could also allow for community engagement and rentals for camps, educational programs and events.

Our student-athletes and the MATC community deserve a new facility to serve our athletics programs and aid in our ability to attract and retain students,” said MATC President Anthony Cruz, Ed.D. “Community colleges across the country are growing their offerings to enhance the student experience. We are fortunate to collaborate with two quality, well-known local partners to potentially bring a best-in-class facility to our students and community.”

If plans advance, construction could begin as early as the second quarter in 2025. The facility would include a 15,000-square-foot double-court gymnasium that seats up to 1,000, a fitness center, locker rooms, concessions, meeting rooms and other amenities for a total of just over 26,000 square feet. In addition, J. Jeffers & Company will build and manage 220 housing units above the proposed athletic facility. [MATC]