UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Board of Trustees today (Sept. 18) approved final plans and authorized a $13.5 million renovation and addition to the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center (The Ruhl Center) at Penn State York. The Ruhl Center is the hub of student activities and athletic events on campus.
“The current Ruhl building has served the campus well, but it is undersized and outmoded in relation to both today’s standards and the number of students now enrolled at the campus,” said David W. Chown, chancellor of Penn State York. “A larger, more modern building will be a very welcome addition, as the heart of our commuter campus.”
The current 35,000-square-foot student center first opened its doors in 1968 when there were 259 students enrolled at the campus. In the fall of 2014, 46 years later, 1,172 students use that same facility on a regular basis. The project will add about 14,000 square feet to the building, an increase of 38 percent in size.
“The completion of this project will establish a collaborative and community-driven space that addresses a number of student needs,” said Patrick Tanner, director of student and enrollment services at York. “Not only will athletic, recreation, student club and food service spaces be enhanced and updated, teaching spaces will be revitalized for an entirely new experience.”
The project includes an addition of approximately 28,000 square feet with much-needed kinesiology, intramural and athletic spaces in the form of a multi-activity court. The space will also allow for off-season athletic team practice for sports such as baseball, soccer and intramural activities, as well as badminton and ballroom dancing. In addition, a group fitness room, for classes such as yoga and spinning will be included.
Existing spaces also will be renovated and upgrades will be made to the existing gymnasium, bathrooms, an elevator and entrance with a vestibule, a game room, kinesiology classrooms, student services offices, concession stand area, and consolidated, updated and efficient HVAC systems.
“The design of the Ruhl project is exciting,” said Chown. “There will be increased natural light throughout the building, and will include many inviting gathering spaces for the campus community. Both student government and student services staff will have much better spaces for doing their work.”
Planned completion of the project is fall 2016.