University Breaks Ground on Campus Recreation Center

click to view gallery

Stony Brook notables take part in the ceremonious groundbreaking of the Campus Recreation Center. President Shirley Strum Kenny is fourth from the left/Photo by Chris Hessel. Click above for more pictures of the event.

By Michael Kelly

This past Friday saw the groundbreaking for Stony Brook University’s new campus recreation center, a project that has been rumored and talked about for more than ten years. President Shirley Strum Kenny, State Senator John Flanagan (R-East Northport) and others were present, shovel in hand, to take part in the ceremonious beginning of the building’s construction.

The building, whose legitimate construction will begin in August or September, will cost approximately $37.5 million to build and is expected to open in 2011. The 85,000 square foot center will be built between the Student Union and the Sports Complex. Sasaki Associates, Inc. of Boston, is the principle architectural firm behind the project, a group which recently helped build similar style buildings on the campuses of Albany, Cornell and MIT.

The facility will have three levels and will include such things as a three-court gymnasium, fitness studios, weight rooms, various locker rooms and office space.

While the facility is meant to promote exercise and physical well-being, event speakers stressed the theme that the building would help bring the campus community together. Kenny and others stressed that the new facility with all of its amenities would be a gathering place for students to come hang out, study and play. In addition to exercise spaces, the building will have wireless internet, computer stations and lounge areas.

The university had a formal committee designed to come up with the concept behind the new building, a committee which included faculty and student leaders, many of which were at the event. Notably, Fred Preston, a former university vice president, was in attendance. Preston led the effort to make the construction of the campus recreation center into a reality before leaving the university in 2005, working with many campus leaders to get the project started. After initially starting work on the project in 1999, Preston was happy to finally see ground being broken.

“How sweet it is,” he remarked to cheers from the crowd.

Speakers at the day’s event commended the building of the center, saying it would elevate Stony Brook’s status as a university.

Assemblyman Steven Englebright (D-Setauket) said it would make Stony Brook a better place for students because of the physical and social benefits, and also make it a more desirable destination for future students.

Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) seemed to agree with Englebright’s idea.

“All work and no play is not a well-rounded education,” Fitzpatrick said.

The day’s speakers also took several jabs at Albany, repeatedly saying the project was long overdue. Both Flanagan and Englebright both attributed the delay not to Stony Brook officials, but to “craziness in Albany.”

Though the campus recreation center project has been talked about for at least 10 years, the official planning for the project began in 2005 when the university secured $19.5 million for the project. During the planning it was found that another $18 million would need to be allocated for the facility, money the university was not able to secure until this past July.