George Mason University Breaks Ground on New Recreation Center

George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., recently announced the groundbreaking of the new Activities Community Wellness Building for its campus. The facility will measure in at 25,000 square feet and is scheduled to open in spring 2025. It will play home to student programs, events, and the school’s pep band, according to a news release.

Amenities will include a full-size NCAA basketball court, additional courts for basketball and volleyball, dedicated space for exercise and yoga classes, storage space, conference rooms, and office space. The university partnered with Hoar Construction for the project’s design and Powers Brown Architecture as architect, the news release reports.

“We are looking forward to beginning our first project with George Mason and kicking off construction on this exciting, innovative project,” said Hoar Project Executive Tom Amos. “This endeavor will provide a much-needed, dedicated space for George Mason’s intramural athletic clubs, pep band and student wellness, celebrating the university’s rebrand and new era of growth. We are proud to add this facility to our track record of higher education initiatives across the country and will remain dedicated to quality and safety for students, faculty and staff throughout the construction process.”

The construction process involves building a concrete tilt-up building with two tent structures on either side. The flexibility to remove the tents later and build a more permanent facility will shorten the overall construction timeline and reduce project costs, the news release reports.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.