Half Acre to undergo $27 million in renovations

“It’s a wonderful old facility, but boy could it use some work,” Dean of Students David Cozzens said concerning Half Acre Gym, which is in the third phase of planning for a full-scale renovation.  

Half Acre was first built in 1925 and last renovated in 1999. 

The renovation of Half Acre is estimated to cost $27 million. ASUW Vice President Ty McNamee said $15 million will be paid through student fees, but students won’t have to pay the extra money until the renovation is complete.

ASUW Director of Government Affairs Jon Hunzeker said student fees will increase by $60 per student once the renovation complete. Hunzeker also said UW faculty will see an increase in its fees as well. He said faculty members will have to pay $140 more per year once the building project is completed. Faculty members currently pay $222. This means the UW faculty fee will increase to $362 per faculty member. 

Hunzeker said the University of Wyoming hopes to receive $12 million from the state legislature for this project. He said the amount was included to the Capital Construction Budget Request, which contains several other requests for university construction plans. The request has moved up to the State Building Commission for approval. Hunzeker said, once approved by the State Building Commission, the request will move up to the Joint Appropriations Committee and then to the state legislature.

“We are very fortunate in the state of Wyoming that we have the chance to even apply for these matching funds,” Hunzeker said.

Hunzeker said Colorado State University just finished a $63.5 million facility, which was a paid for entirely by student fees. 

“All of that cost is passed on to their students,” Hunzeker said.

 University of Wyoming Director of Facilities Planning Roger Baalman said construction projects generally go through three levels. He said level one is agreeing on what is needed in the facility; level two involves engaging an outside architectural firm to design the renovation and level three is to find funding, complete the design and do the construction. 

“This is the end of level two,” Baalman said.

Bob McDonald, an architect with Olson Lavoie Collaborative who is working on the project, said most of the design work is still on paper, but is coming along nicely. He also said this project is really needed for the University of Wyoming. 

McDonald said the exterior design for Half Acre will be traditional, and similar to the exterior of the new Information Technology building. He also said the exterior of the original entry will not be renovated.

The Vice President of Student Affairs Sara Axelson said one main problem in the current floor plan of Half Acre is the lack of ADA accessibility. Another problem that was identified was the circulation of students. Students currently have to enter through gender specific locker rooms before entering the facility. ASUW President Megan Degenfelder said newer gym facilities are much more accessible.

“It’s just not suitable for our current population of students,” Degenfelder said.

McDonald said the interior of Half Acre will be completely modernized. He said the new facility will have a new multi-purpose gym with a rubber floor, windows in the swimming pool area to bring in natural light, a new climbing wall, an expanded in-door running track, a lounge area for students, a hot tub in the pool area and a new main entrance in the southeast corner of the building.

Baalman said construction on this project wouldn’t begin until the summer of 2013 because the design work has to be completed. He said construction of the facility would last 18 months.