West Virginia’s move to the Big 12 Conference in 2011 brought increased athletic competition for their students-athletes and the need to upgrade and enhance many of the university’s athletic facilities. The Climbing Higher Campaign was launched by WVU athletics to: 1) enhance fans game-day experience, and 2) create facilities that will help recruit and retain student-athletes in order to compete for championships.
One of the projects at the heart of the effort is the Athletic Performance Center. The new Olympic sports training facility has been created from an existing structure within the WVU’s Coliseum Sports Complex campus. The concept was to create a centralized hub for studentathletes’ training and nutrition needs in a “community” setting.
With the WVU swimming and diving teams moving to a new off-campus facility in 2019, the former 60,000-square-foot natatorium was left largely vacant. What remained was a competition pool, diving well, dated locker areas and spectator seating. Large, blank block walls fronted the space with no openings for daylight, leaving the space cold and uninviting. WVU athletics envisioned that the space could be transformed into a vibrant sports hub bustling with activity.
The APC offers the Olympic sports teams at WVU an atmosphere showcasing the pride of being a Mountaineer with bold graphics and AV systems accenting the large, open spaces. The main weight room is a two-story space that opens with a large glazing wall offering daylight and views to WVU’s basketball venue. A major design influence involved controlling the flow of users to ensure safety and security while promoting a community environment. The lobby filters users through either the modern nutrition area or into well-appointed locker rooms, where access to the weight room can be controlled by staff.
ARCHITECT OF RECORD
Omni Associates
Fairmont, W.V.
PROJECT VENDORS
Locker/Shower - Shower/Toilet Partitions | |
Fitness Center - Entertainment Systems | BrightTree Studios |
Locker/Shower - Flooring | Ceramic Technics LTD |
Fitness Center - Strength Equipment | Hammer Strength |
Training Facilities - Hydrotherapy Tanks | HydroWorx |
Fitness Center - Strength Equipment | Life Fitness |
Fitness Center - Flooring, Fitness Center | PLAE |
Indoor Sports Surfaces - Multipurpose | PLAE |
Locker/Shower - Lockers | Salsbury Industries |
Pools - Chemical Control Systems | Accu-Tab Chlorination System |
Locker/Shower - Saunas/Whirlpools | Am-Finn Sauna & Steam |
Locker/Shower - Shower/Toilet Partitions | |
Pools - Chemical Control Systems | BECS Technology Inc. |
Pools - Heaters | Coates Heater Co. |
Training Facilities - Hydrotherapy Tanks | Grimm Scientific Industries |
Locker/Shower - Lockers | Hollman Inc. |
Locker/Shower - Flooring | Interface, Ceramic Technics LTD, Crossville |
Pools - Deck/Basin Surface | MOSA, BUCHTAL, Ceramic Technics LTD |
Pools - Sanitization Systems | Neptune Benson/Evoqua Water Technologies |
Pools - Filtration Systems | Pentair |
Pools - Lighting | Pentair |
Indoor Sports Surfaces - Multipurpose | REGUPOL |
Pools - Ladders/Grab Bars |