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~ADVERTISING~
New Wartburg facilities taking shape
By JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Writer
WAVERLY -- From the rubble of the former Knights' Gymnasium, the $30 million Wartburg-Waverly Sports and Wellness Center is rising swiftly over the Wartburg College campus.
Seven months since construction began, the center is on track to open in August and is within its budget.
"It has been a great project so far with no glitches," said Wartburg vice president for administration Gary Grace. "With the weather we've had, the contractors (Cardinal Construction is the major contractor) have been able to keep on track and got ahead in some areas so when we had this bout of bad weather the last two weeks it didn't hold them back."
Grace said everything is on course for Wartburg's intercollegiate athletic programs to use the facility when their fall seasons begin in August. He said four to six weeks later, the entire facility should be up and running for the public.
Between 70 and 85 construction workers are on-site everyday for the 200,000 square-foot center.
"It's been exciting to see the progress," said Grace. "It's almost hard to believe we started only seven months ago."
When completed, the Sports and Wellness Center will be one of the largest NCAA Division III facilities of its kind.
"We've been getting calls from a few alums who are watching the progress from a camera we've got attached to the library, and they are saying, 'It just doesn't look big enough,'" said Wartburg's director of athletic development Steve Walker. "And, through the camera, it probably doesn't look big enough. But the size is impressive. I bet an aerial shot comparing the size of the Wellness Center to the football complex would make it a little more realistic.
"It was hard to envision it, but now to see where the arena is going to be, where the coaches' suites will be located, the pool, the 200-meter track, it really has started to show the scope of the project."
By comparison, Northern Iowa's Wellness/Recreation Center, finished in 1997, covers 240,000 square feet. An average of 5,000 people use that building, which is not open to the public, each day. The University of Iowa is completing plans for a 180,000 square-foot complex that is expected to cost $55 million.
At Wartburg, more than 100,000 square feet will be available to the public, including the natatorium with a zero-depth entry pool, water slide and six-lane competition pool. The center will also include a state-of-the art fitness center with climbing wall, a fieldhouse featuring a 200-meter competitive indoor track, space for four basketball or tennis courts, an auxiliary gym with jogging track, a golf simulator and two racquetball courts.
Wartburg's intercollegiate athletic programs will occupy the remaining 100,000 square feet with a sports arena, a wrestling room that will fit three full-sized mats plus cardiovascular equipment, a large training room, locker rooms and a separate weight-lifting facility.
Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com
Seven months since construction began, the center is on track to open in August and is within its budget.
"It has been a great project so far with no glitches," said Wartburg vice president for administration Gary Grace. "With the weather we've had, the contractors (Cardinal Construction is the major contractor) have been able to keep on track and got ahead in some areas so when we had this bout of bad weather the last two weeks it didn't hold them back."
Grace said everything is on course for Wartburg's intercollegiate athletic programs to use the facility when their fall seasons begin in August. He said four to six weeks later, the entire facility should be up and running for the public.
Between 70 and 85 construction workers are on-site everyday for the 200,000 square-foot center.
"It's been exciting to see the progress," said Grace. "It's almost hard to believe we started only seven months ago."
When completed, the Sports and Wellness Center will be one of the largest NCAA Division III facilities of its kind.
"We've been getting calls from a few alums who are watching the progress from a camera we've got attached to the library, and they are saying, 'It just doesn't look big enough,'" said Wartburg's director of athletic development Steve Walker. "And, through the camera, it probably doesn't look big enough. But the size is impressive. I bet an aerial shot comparing the size of the Wellness Center to the football complex would make it a little more realistic.
"It was hard to envision it, but now to see where the arena is going to be, where the coaches' suites will be located, the pool, the 200-meter track, it really has started to show the scope of the project."
By comparison, Northern Iowa's Wellness/Recreation Center, finished in 1997, covers 240,000 square feet. An average of 5,000 people use that building, which is not open to the public, each day. The University of Iowa is completing plans for a 180,000 square-foot complex that is expected to cost $55 million.
At Wartburg, more than 100,000 square feet will be available to the public, including the natatorium with a zero-depth entry pool, water slide and six-lane competition pool. The center will also include a state-of-the art fitness center with climbing wall, a fieldhouse featuring a 200-meter competitive indoor track, space for four basketball or tennis courts, an auxiliary gym with jogging track, a golf simulator and two racquetball courts.
Wartburg's intercollegiate athletic programs will occupy the remaining 100,000 square feet with a sports arena, a wrestling room that will fit three full-sized mats plus cardiovascular equipment, a large training room, locker rooms and a separate weight-lifting facility.
Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com
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Knight4Life wrote on Jan 25, 2007 4:58 PM:
" How can it be too big? This facility will be one of the major factors in recruiting student-athletes. It is one of the biggest wellness centers in the nation, and the Wartburg students and citizens of Waverly should be thankful for it. "
Always Orange wrote on Jan 25, 2007 7:13 PM:
" If you've ever used the facilities at Wartburg you know we needed something like this. Its probably about 5 years too late, but if we're going to catch up to the rest of the conference, we might as well pass them. Sooner or later someone will build something bigger and better. "
Waverly Citizen wrote on Jan 25, 2007 8:56 PM:
" I am disgusted that the City of Waverly is paying for part of the building that will be run by Wartburg. By the way Wartburg is not a tax paying entity to the best of my knowledge. So why do we give them tax money to build their complex. Waverly also agreed not to compete with Wartburg for business. That means that Waverly's Recreation Dept. is now Wartburgs. It would have made more sense to help the WSR High School build a bigger and better complex and let the public use that building. Gary Grace? I recognize that name. He also sits on the city council. Wartburg gets what they want again and that is very sad. "
Knight4Life wrote on Jan 26, 2007 9:09 AM:
" It is the "Wartburg-Waverly Wellness Center." For a very cheap membership the citizens of Waverly can go there whenever they so choose. Why would you not want this? "
Gary wrote on Jan 26, 2007 10:20 AM:
" Congratulations to Wartburg and the City to the new wellness center. It will be a great asset to your community. Why are people asking about who is playing for what and complaining because someone from Wartburg sits on the city council? The community should be working together rather than asking who is paying for what. Bremer County and the state of Iowa have a great future. Health and wellness is a large part of it. You are very lucky to have this facility being built. "
Wartburg Alum wrote on Jan 26, 2007 1:00 PM:
" It will be a great thing for Wartburg and Waverly alike. And I also am very aware that new facilities were badly needed at Wartburg. However, being a Division 3 school, I think more emphasis needs to be placed on academics rather then athletics. Students should be going to Wartburg for the terrific education primarily and the extra-curriculars secondly. Has anyone compated the size of the new PEC to the academic buildings on campus. It is much much larger then even the biggest academic building. I just think it is too bad that people are more concerned about how we are going to recruit the best athletes and now how great of a well rounded education they will get by attending Wartburg. Check out the statistics for how well the Knights athletic programs have done in the past 10 year...and they didnt need over the top facilities. A nice building dosent make the athlete... "
Waverly Citizen wrote on Jan 27, 2007 2:02 PM:
" I might be mistaken but didn't the City help pay for the last indoor complex Wartburg built? It too was supposed to be open to the public. But it was not. It got to a point that the public was basically not allowed to use it. I also think it is important who pays for the building and who is going to use it. The cheap membership that was mentioned. What is cheap? I have heard as much a $50/mo. for a single person. $600 a year? That is not cheap. Wartburg is a great addition to this fine town but should we keep bending over to help them out. Are they paying taxes? If they were I could see us wanting them to expand so much. I also agree that Wartburg's athletics speak for themselves. You can't get much better. It's kind of like USC when it comes to recruiting. Probably a lot eaiser for schools like Wartburg than many others. "
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Wartburg Alum wrote on Jan 25, 2007 12:51 PM: