The Penn State Board of Trustees, in its meeting Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, approved final plans for the Adler Athletic Complex Renovation and Addition and authorized the University to expend funds to accomplish this project in the amount of $24.5 million.
The Steven A. Adler Athletic Complex was constructed in 1972 and consisted of a gymnasium and locker rooms, with additional locker rooms, racquetball courts, a swimming pool, and a multipurpose room added in 1978. At that time, Penn State Altoona enrollment was approximately 2,000 students, with about 300 housed on campus in two residence halls. Today, enrollment has doubled to approximately 4,000 students, with over 900 living on campus in four residence halls. In addition, there are over 1,000 students residing in off-campus housing that is in close proximity to campus. Without any significant renovations since the 1970s, the Adler Athletic Complex now is insufficient to meet the needs of all of the desired student, campus, and community activities that take place in this space.
The primary uses of a renovated and expanded Adler Athletic Complex will be to support Penn State Altoona’s NCAA Division III athletic programs; intramurals and recreation programs; kinesiology classes; ROTC; fitness area; weight training area; additional team locker rooms; coaches and officials locker rooms; trainer’s area; coaches offices; athletics administrative suite; faculty offices; the Distinguished Speaker Series; major student events (i.e. concerts); and community events.
The focus of the expansion will be the addition of a new gymnasium area with sufficient space for intercollegiate sports and bleacher seating for 2,200 people. Floor seating will allow for a maximum of 2,500 people. Another building addition will house a new fitness and weight training area, as well as a new expanded lobby for better circulation and a new office suite for athletics administration and faculty. Finally, a third addition will house faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratory space for a new kinesiology degree program.
“The addition of the varsity locker rooms and other team space will allow our college to support the teams at a higher level, including hosting tournaments and recruiting highly-skilled athletes,” states Director of Athletics Brent Baird. “The additional training room will allow for a higher quality of services for student-athlete care, including rehab activities, and injury evaluation.”
The renovation project will allow Penn State Altoona to offer the highly sought-after kinesiology major. The kinesiology wing will include six classrooms, four research laboratories, and seven offices designated for the offering of two kinesiology majors: movement science and exercise science. Given the anticipated construction schedule, Penn State Altoona could start accepting kinesiology majors as early as fall 2017.
“I am thrilled that our Adler Athletic Complex addition and renovation is finally coming to fruition. We have been working diligently for over a decade to get this project approved. Our students deserve to have top notch facilities and this project will provide much needed recreation, exercise, and hangout space for them,” states Penn State Altoona Chancellor and Dean Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry. “I am particularly proud of our student leaders who have been banking a portion of their student facilities fee for the past several years to ensure that this project will happen. Many of the students who have supported this project have graduated or will graduate in the next two years and will not be here to enjoy the benefits of the addition and renovation; however, they believed in the importance of paying it forward so that future students would benefit. I think that their support and investment is truly remarkable and a testament to their character. I thank them for their foresight and selflessness.”
