DUBOIS – At the July 15 meeting of the Penn State Board of Trustees, final approval was granted for the renovation and addition to the Physical Fitness, Athletics, and Wellness (PAW) Center at Penn State DuBois.
This $17.3 million project will transform the current Multipurpose Building into a state-of-the-art facility with a focus on athletics, health and recreation.
The gymnasium and fitness center will be updated to provide students and student-athletes, as well as employees, a space to work toward staying healthy.
Additional practice space as well as offices for athletics staff will also be housed within the updated building. New heating and air conditioning systems will also be installed for improved efficiencies.
“The newly-renovated facility will be a focal point for the campus to provide students and student-athletes the opportunity to gather, exercise, practice and host larger campus-wide events,” said Penn State DuBois Athletic Director Ken Nellis.
“The renovations will be a recruitment and retention piece for the campus as we continue to strive to provide an excellent college experience for all students who call Penn State DuBois home.”
Originally constructed in 1966, the building currently houses the Physical Therapy Assistant program and the Wildlife Technology program in addition to athletics and fitness-related spaces.
These academic programs will be relocated to existing space on campus in the Smeal Building that will also be updated to best serve the needs of those programs.
“This project has been long desired, and we are obviously very pleased that our students will have a top-notch facility in which to practice, play and gather,” said M. Scott McBride, the recently-retired chancellor and chief academic officer at Penn State DuBois.
A long-lasting impact on the campus will be realized by the generosity of donors who contributed to this project, including Charles Snapp, the Fairman Family Foundation, Christine Beretsel, Dan and Donna Kohlhepp, Janine Fennell Johnson and Bob Johnson.
Additionally, Penn State has dedicated funding through University Capital Funds, and the Student Government Association has voted to direct Student Facility fee dollars toward the project.
Major Maintenance funding and campus budget dollars will also cover the cost of the project.
Construction on the PAW Center and the Smeal Building renovation are both scheduled to begin in August 2021.
The Wildlife Technology and Physical Therapy Assistant programs are scheduled to move into their new home in January 2022 and completion of the PAW Center is expected at the opening of the Fall 2022 semester.