Wesleyan University Freeman Athletic Center.
Overview
KBE was the General Contractor for a 60,000 sf athletic center addition and renovation. Addition is structural steel, brick and precast panel exterior, translucent window system, two grand entry level lobbies, and all interiors. 1200-seat intercollegiate gymnasium with NCAA-certified floors, eight squash courts, a 7,500 sf, 85-station fitness center, ten team locker rooms, elaborate exterior corridor between existing athletic facility and new addition and Zamboni equipment room with associated snow-melt drainage system. Sustainable design features included daylighting with translucent skylights and clerestories, automated lighting sensors and plantation-grown wood for architectural interior finishes.
Challenges
Public safety and scheduling concerns were of paramount importance on this busy campus. Our team maintained daily communication and coordination with facilities staff and school administrators to ensure the safe, ongoing use of the existing sports center and surrounding campus. Other project challenges included coordinating the extensive mechanical electrical tie-ins to the existing facility, and managing construction logistics on a very tight site with limited access for staging and materials storage.