Breaking Ground
A renovation and expansion of the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium (above) kicks off this month. The $86 million privately funded project will increase the stadium's capacity from 35,000 to 40,000 and include a new press box, suites and club seats. Renovations to the west concourse will include updates to the concessions stands and restrooms. Heery International, based in Atlanta, is lead architect on the project, which is expected to wrap up in August 2015.
In-Shape Health Club has broken ground on a new facility in Yuba City, Calif. The company's newest location will span 31,000 square feet and include an indoor pool with a sauna and steam room, an outdoor aquatic center with lounge area, racquetball courts, and exercise equipment and spaces. The $4 million project should be completed by late spring.
(Rendering Courtesy of Agoura Hills)
Construction of the new Agoura Hills (Calif.) Recreation Center (right) is under way. Built on a seven-acre site, the $10 million project will include a 5,500-square-foot event center, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, and a new walking trail. Existing buildings on the site will be renovated to provide areas for teens, seniors, administrative offices and other uses. Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects of Ventura, Calif., designed the project, which is expected to take a year to complete.
The second phase of construction at Almont Park in Mattapan, Mass., begins this month. Following the renovation of a tot lot and addition of new picnic tables and fencing included in the first phase, this $1.7 million project will include installation of a new synthetic turf field, new tennis courts, sports lighting, outdoor exercise equipment and walkways. The work is expected to be completed by July 2014, leaving just one final phase, which will include new basketball courts, a cricket pitch, a renovated walking track and baseball diamond, and additional improvements to pathways.
First Pitch
A $1.5 million fundraising campaign to renovate New Mexico State University's Rentfrow Gymnasium is under way. The gym will be expanded to meet the increased demands of the university's Department of Human Performance, Recreation and Dance, which has tripled enrollment over the past six years... The YMCA of Central New Mexico has purchased land for a new complex in Rio Rancho. Construction is dependent on fundraising for the project, expected to cost $8 million to $8.5 million, but officials hope to see the project completed within the next five years... The Board of Education has voted to move forward with construction of a new athletic complex at Mahwah (N.J.) High School. The 26,000-square-foot indoor facility will feature turf fields, a five-lane track, coaches meeting rooms, public restrooms and a new concession stand... Colgate University's Board of Trustees has approved the proposed construction of a new athletic facility, opening the door to the design phase for the project. The facility will be the home of the schools' hockey team, as well as house locker rooms for the soccer and lacrosse teams.
Grand Openings
(Photo by Peter Wilk/Wilk Marketing Communications)
A new 17,800-square-foot squash facility is now open at Middlebury College. The Squash Center is part of a new 110,000-square-foot field house designed by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge of Cambridge, Mass., that is replacing The Bubble, an air-supported structure that was nearing the end of its lifespan and no longer meeting the university's space needs. The new squash facility expands the number of courts from five to nine, and features improved lighting and ventilation, as well as better spectator amenities.
Jacksonville University's Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex has officially opened, the first completed project in an $85 million building campaign. The new facility features a 7,000-square-foot practice pavilion and office space for the coaching staff, as well as a team locker room, lounge and study area. The pavilion offers three retractable batting cages and lighting for extended usage.
The University of Louisville's new student recreation center is now open. The 128,000-square-foot facility spans three stories and includes a six-court gymnasium, a multisport athletic court, racquetball courts and a jogging track. In addition, the new $37.5 million facility offers spaces for fitness and wellness, including a 14,000-square-foot glass-enclosed weight room and a lighted synthetic turf recreation field. Geothermal heating and cooling contribute to an expected LEED gold certification for the center, designed by Lexington, Ky.-based Omni Architects and Cannon Design of St. Louis.
After 13 years of planning, the National Trail Parks and Recreation District's NTPRD Chiller ice arena is now open in Springfield, Ohio. The $8.5 million project is the city's first indoor skating venue and the last piece of a larger $17 million campaign that included construction of Carleton Davidson Stadium, the Splash Zone Aquatic Center and improvements to various Clark County parks. The facility features a 41,000-square-foot ice sheet, bleacher seating for 300 and a mezzanine area with additional seating. The ice arena will be managed by The Chiller LLC, an affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets that manages ice rinks in five other Ohio locations.
The Haldane Central School District's new athletic field (pictured) is now open in Cold Springs, N.Y. The new $1.45 million synthetic turf field, track and grandstand will serve the district's football, lacrosse, soccer and track teams, as well as be open for community use. BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers of Patchogue, N.Y., led the project, including branding of the track and a retaining wall with the school's colors and a pattern consistent with the campus architecture.
