Texas University Starts Work on New Recreation Center

Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA) recently announced that construction has begun on a new Student Recreation Center, according to a university news release. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the project in November 2022, and completion is scheduled for spring 2024. The space will measure in at 22,322 square feet.

The Student Recreation Center will include three major spaces: a gym, a weight room, and a set of locker rooms. The gym will feature a regulation-size basketball court and two 84-foot recreational basketball courts overlaid as cross courts, the news release reports. The fitness and weight room will measure in at about 3,400 square feet and 1.5 stories high, and will stand adjacent to the gymnasium.

“Our recreation center will be designed to enhance the student experience, improve recruitment, retention and magnify the brand of the university in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” said Darnell Smith, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports. “As our students pursue their lofty academic goals, we seek to provide an equal opportunity for them to pursue their health and wellness goals with the new facility.”

The Student Recreation Center will serve the campus at large and play home to university programs including strength and conditioning, ROTC drills and exercises, kinesiology classes, convocations, staff council meetings, campus town halls, and more, the news release reports. The university will also host camps, events, and clinics for the larger San Antonio community, according to the press release.

“The recreation center is the culmination of several years of institutional effort to strengthen student life and recreation on campus. It is arguably the most student-driven and student-led construction project in the university’s history,” said Student Government Association President Jacob Goldstein. “An audacious future for recreational and athletic offerings for students is just around the corner.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.