Following an in-depth feasibility study, Gannon University embarked on a major addition and renovation to its outdated and inefficient recreation facility. The ultimate goal of the project was to develop a modern wellness destination to serve as a recruitment tool for the university while better accommodating the needs of students, staff, alumni and community members. The resulting facility not only meets these goals, but transforms a whole city block.
The most notable element of the upgraded health-and-wellness facility is the new fieldhouse, which boasts an 80-yard indoor synthetic turf athletic field. Divisible into three separate spaces, the fieldhouse presents the opportunity for the university’s athletic teams to conduct year-round practices. It also opens the door for increased intramural and club sports programs.
A new main entry was included in the addition, with an open control desk, an expansion to the recreation and cardio spaces, a strength training area, a wrestling and cheerleading room, a café, lounges, offices, conference spaces and an area for table games.
The project also included extensive renovations. The locker rooms, group exercise studios, storage areas and circulation spaces were all upgraded, and a new Human Performance Laboratory was added. Utilized by the institution’s health science majors, the educational space includes motion analysis and human performance and testing laboratories where students and faculty can collaborate on learning and research projects.
Wilmington College Center for Sport Sciences
