Renovations will begin on the George Roche Sports Complex on April 8, kicking off phase two of Hillsdale College’s three-stage plan to expand recreation opportunities for students on campus.
The first phase was completed with the opening of the Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center, while the final phase of the college’s three-part plan is the construction of a 45,000 square foot indoor turf field to better accommodate intramural teams and facilitate recreational activities in the winter.
Stage two renovations will close Jesse Phillips Arena to students from April 8 until the beginning of the fall semester.
“We won’t be able to let anyone in. We have to be ready for volleyball season in the fall,” Chief Administration Officer Rich Péwé said. “We’ll have to shift some classes, and we’ll all have to work together, but it’ll be better.”
The renovations will remove the existing track and replace the area with a basketball arena, a hardwood court for intramural games, and an additional hardwood court to accommodate any overflow.
“The arena will actually look like an arena, which will help from a recruitment and competition standpoint. A neat environment also makes people want to go and cheer on their teams,” Péwé said.
The intramural area will also be able to accommodate two volleyball courts. The center of the arena will contain a two-story 17,000 square foot fitness center for students.
“We’re envisioning the fitness center as a central social area for students,” Péwé said. “Academics are hard. We want students to have a good outlet.”
This fitness area, which is set to open in October, will include a rock-climbing wall, a smoothie and snack bar, a seating area, a fitness room with 66 machines, including 12 treadmills and 12 spinning bikes. It will also house a meeting room for teams to watch game tapes.
The upper level will consist of three dance studios with removable walls that will allow the space to open up to a single large room. The second floor will also house a room for spinning classes, containing 24 spinning bikes.
The renovations will also see the construction of six new coach offices, as well as new locker rooms for the women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball teams.
“The end result is that the building will serve students and staff in a better way,” Sports Information Director Brad Monastiere said.
The old dance studio will be developed into a Hall of Fame room for all sports, and the machines contained in the squash courts in the lower level of the complex will be moved up to the new fitness center, freeing up the downstairs courts for use.
“We’re encouraging more fitness as an institution, and part of that is encouraging clubs,” Péwé said. “Of course, once you open the door, then they want to get together, and we just didn’t have the space.”
The cost of the renovation will be $5.5 million. The college has currently raised more than $2.2 million, but still needs an additional $3.3 million to complete the project.
“The fitness mezzanine and the three hardwood courts are the baseline. If we successfully raise money as we go, then we’ll keep it going,” Péwé said.
If funding isn’t forthcoming for the entirety of the project, then the college will hold off on the construction of offices and locker rooms, as well as the installation of new bleachers for the basketball arena.
“We’ll do what we can afford,” Péwé said.
