The College of the Holy Cross: Hart Center Expansion

The College of the Holy Cross

IMAGES COURTESY OF SASAKI

The phased expansion of the Hart Athletic Center at the top of Mount Saint James on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, was completed in December 2017. Eight distinct implementation phases allowed the college to maintain use of the building throughout construction.

The visible and transparent complex will provide a comprehensive complement of facilities, including strength and conditioning, sport medicine, and practice venues, aimed at improving performance, increasing awareness, and supporting all of the Crusaders’ Division 1 programs.

The college’s primary goal for the project was to elevate facilities for all programs to help recruiting and improve the development opportunities for student athletes.

The new 143,000-square-foot addition includes a 60-foot-high indoor turf practice facility, an auxiliary practice gymnasium, suites for basketball and administration offices, a dynamic strength and conditioning center, various meeting rooms, a new main entrance lobby, and new locker rooms, to ensure that all programs have dedicated team rooms.

The renovations will provide additional offices, a rowing studio, a new sport medicine suite, expanded accommodations for equipment handling, and a new locker room for the women’s ice hockey program, which is also now competing in Division 1.

The design, by Sasaki, completely transforms the original 1975 building, giving it a greater presence on campus and a renewed pride in the storied history of Holy Cross athletics.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management June 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Wold Completes Geothermal Projects at Two Minnesota Schools

    Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has completed two geothermal expansion projects for Mounds View Public Schools in Shoreview, Minn., according to a news release. The work at Highview Middle School and Irondale High School serves the district’s long-term goal of reducing energy costs and dependency on non-renewable fuel sources, as well as improving building performance.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.