University of Arkansas to Renovate Athletics Facility

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., recently announced a 15-month renovation project for its HPER (Health, Physical Education, and Recreation) Building on campus, according to a university news release. The renovations will feature infrastructure and architectural updates, as well as an additional 13,000 square feet of fitness center space. The project will cost an estimated $24 million coming from general obligation bonds supported by facilities fees.

Updates will include new turf-functional training areas, updated fitness equipment, new multi-purpose spaces, and modernized locker rooms, the news release reports. Two students served on the renovation planning committee during the process to provide input and feedback on behalf of the university community.

"This will be an impactful improvement for our students and the university community,” said Kristin DeAngelo, interim executive director of University Recreation. “University Recreation is committed to the health and wellness of our campus, and it shows in this renovation. We are very thankful to the students who led the efforts to fund this project and are now able to see it come to fruition. As we embark upon these upgrades, we continue to focus on the ability to better serve the student body at the University of Arkansas.”

The university partnered with SmithGroup & Hufft for the project’s design, C.R. Crawford for construction, and UARK Facilities Management for construction services. The renovated facility is scheduled to open in fall 2025, according to the university website.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

Digital Edition