IM building on the horizon; Funds needed
Marieke van der Vaart
Issue date: 3/11/10 Section: News
A few million dollars is all that separates students from playing tennis indoors and sipping smoothies in the Roche Sports Complex.
A track-tennis building would be the first of three major building projects Hillsdale College will undertake when funding goals have been reached, Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said. The building would create new space for track, tennis and intramural sports of all kinds to be played year-round.
The college is also seeking money for renovations to the Jesse Phillips Arena.
After receiving funding, the college could complete the tennis-track building within as little as seven months, Péwé said.
The only thing standing between the plans and a ground-breaking ceremony is a little more than $2 million and an ideal location, Péwé said.
The college has already raised some money from donors, but is hoping to receive a large lead gift. At that stage, Péwé said, a location would have to be picked - a process that's more complicated than it sounds.
Initially, the administration hoped to build the space where the baseball field is.
Due to a creek that used to run through the baseball field, Péwé said 35 percent of its "footprint" would have to be removed before building could have occurred. The cost of draining and building a structure there, not to mention moving the baseball field, would be prohibitive.
Director of Athletics Don Brubacher said construction would ideally begin immediately after the basketball season finished next year, with an opening planned for fall 2011.
Phase two of the construction plan would involve a renovation of the arena, Brubacher said. Eventually, the sports complex would have four hardwood courts, two layers of gym-like workout spaces and features like a 40-foot climbing wall and smoothie bar.
"The arena renovation is real exciting component," Péwé said. "It gives you all the programming and then some."
A track-tennis building would be the first of three major building projects Hillsdale College will undertake when funding goals have been reached, Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said. The building would create new space for track, tennis and intramural sports of all kinds to be played year-round.
The college is also seeking money for renovations to the Jesse Phillips Arena.
After receiving funding, the college could complete the tennis-track building within as little as seven months, Péwé said.
The only thing standing between the plans and a ground-breaking ceremony is a little more than $2 million and an ideal location, Péwé said.
The college has already raised some money from donors, but is hoping to receive a large lead gift. At that stage, Péwé said, a location would have to be picked - a process that's more complicated than it sounds.
Initially, the administration hoped to build the space where the baseball field is.
Due to a creek that used to run through the baseball field, Péwé said 35 percent of its "footprint" would have to be removed before building could have occurred. The cost of draining and building a structure there, not to mention moving the baseball field, would be prohibitive.
Director of Athletics Don Brubacher said construction would ideally begin immediately after the basketball season finished next year, with an opening planned for fall 2011.
Phase two of the construction plan would involve a renovation of the arena, Brubacher said. Eventually, the sports complex would have four hardwood courts, two layers of gym-like workout spaces and features like a 40-foot climbing wall and smoothie bar.
"The arena renovation is real exciting component," Péwé said. "It gives you all the programming and then some."
Be the first to comment on this story