From staff reports
Clarion University hosted alumni, students, faculty, staff and local officials yesterday afternoon to celebrate the official groundbreaking for the $42.7 million Tippin Gymnasium Renovation Project.
The highly anticipated project will result in a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a hub for on-campus fitness and recreation focused on student health and wellness, and also will help to attract future students and student athletes.
“Here we are as Clarion University’s 150th year draws to a close, celebrating a project that I think symbolizes our collective optimism for the future, for the next 150 years if you will,” said Peter C. Fackler, interim president.
“Even as the university’s proud past gives us a well-deserved sense of accomplishment, we have confidence that our university’s best years are surely yet to come.”
“I am so excited for the changes coming to Clarion athletics, as this project is a commitment to our program, our institution and our community,” said Dr. Wendy Snodgrass, director of intercollegiate athletics. “We are going to be here for another 150 years, and our athletic programs are going to thrive as a result of this investment.”
A total renovation of the existing gym will include a new entrance/lobby to the facility, complete overhaul of the basketball courts and seating, natatorium overhaul with a new combination swimming/diving pool, expanded areas for wrestling, new weight room, new locker rooms and a new auxiliary gymnasium.
Tippin Gymnasium will also receive new restrooms, HVAC system replacement and new LED lighting fixtures throughout. In addition, the project is designed to achieve the LEED Silver level of sustainability under the US Green Building Council’s LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovations.
Contractors awarded the project include the Mascaro Construction Company, Renick Brothers Mechanical Contractors (HVAC), Shipley Brothers Construction, Inc. and Westmoreland Electric Services, LLC. DLA+ will oversee all aspects of architecture and design.
“The legacy of Tippin Gym is part of the fabric of Clarion’s history. For more than four decades it is where student athletes have trained and competed, many going on to compete on the world’s stage,” said Dr. Karen Whitney, interim chancellor, PASSHE. “This renovation is a testament to the investment Clarion is making in student athletes and further proves that Clarion is a thriving campus community where the student experience is a priority.”
For more information, please visit www.clarion.edu.