20 MOST IMPRESSIVE COLLEGE GYMS AND STUDENT REC CENTERS

Today’s state-of-the-art student recreation centers make college gyms of old seem almost unrecognizable. The top university fitness centers compete on a level with the finest private clubs in the nation. In addition to devoting substantial space to aerobic equipment, weight machines, and free weights, the best modern university gyms also incorporate elements such as rock climbing, bouldering, sand volleyball, indoor tracks, whirlpools, saunas, golf simulators, Pilates and martial arts studios, and more.

From aesthetic and environmental standpoints, they also excel. Many of the rec centers we evaluated are winners of multiple significant design awards. A large number of them were also developed with environmental and efficiency standards in mind, and consequently received LEED ratings from the USGBC.

Modern student recreation centers add value to an education on a variety of levels. Students have access to more diverse opportunities for physical fitness and recreation. Aesthetically, these facilities enhance the appearance and appeal of a university campus. They help improve students’ health and well-being and the quality of campus life overall.

Because of the increasingly important role these facilities play in university life, our editors sought to understand the trend more deeply and invested several weeks researching the ultimate student recreation and campus fitness centers. In doing so, they consulted university websites, local and regional news sources, and portfolios of architecture, project management and construction firms, and specialty vendors. They were looking for facilities that offered both outstanding opportunities for physical recreation and also exceptional attention to design detail and aesthetics. They were especially interested in projects that emphasized operating efficiencies and sustainability – in particular, those with a U.S. Green Building Council LEED rating. (For information about these ratings, see USGBC.org.) For purposes of this article, only projects completed within the past ten years (2003 or later) were considered.

Rating and Ranking Methodology

In evaluating each facility, the editors awarded points as follows. It’s not a perfect system, but it gives you a sense of our editors’ priorities with respect to this particular research.

LEED Rating

3 points – LEED Platinum rating

2 points – LEED Gold rating

1 point – LEED Silver rating

Design Awards

2 points – Major (national or international) design award

1 point – Regional or local design award

Additional Criteria

1 point – Sports/fitness specific award

1 point – 8 sq. ft or more per student in the new and/or renovated space (Student enrollment figures were taken from Wikipedia.org.)

1 point – “Wow” factor – amenities beyond traditional fitness facilities, such as rock climbing walls.

Best College Gyms and Recreational Centers

After reviewing these and dozens more exceptional candidates, we believe that the twenty represented in this list are the best of the best – the standard by which other student recreation facilities will be judged for years to come. We order them here by number of points awarded in our point system (least to greatest). In the event of a tie, we ordered the facilities alphabetically by university name.

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Collapse All Expand All The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Location Edinburg, TX View School Profile In 2009, when it won the NIRSA Outstanding Sports Facilities Award, The University of Texas - Pan American Wellness & Recreational Sports Facility boasted the highest indoor climbing wall in the state (35â²), along with a juice bar, indoor soccer facility, lap pool, lazy river, and indoor track. Today, the center is also home to dance fitness and Salsa dancing lessons, among a variety of other fitness and recreational programs. Total points : 2 Sports-specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (rock wall and more) Architect : F & S Architects

Cost : $26 million

Students : 20,045

Size : 88,230 sq. ft (4.4 sq. ft. per student)

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA): Outstanding Sports Facilities Award (2009)

Montclair State University Location Montclair, NJ View School Profile This winner of national and regional awards incorporates a jogging/walking track, racquetball courts, a six-lane pool, and a juice bar. The nearly $23 million, 78,800 sq. ft project was completed in 2008. Total points : 3 Major design award: 2 Regional or local design award: 1 Architect : RDG Planning & Design

Cost : $21.9 million

Enrollment : 13,500

Size : 78,000 sq. ft (5.8 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2008

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : Innovative Architecture and Design Award: Recreation Management Excellence in Design Award: New Jersey Recreation & Park Association (2009)

University of Missouri - Columbia Location Columbia, MO View School Profile This massive 293,000 square foot project was completed in 2005 at a cost of close to $40 million. The indoor beach club features whirlpools, waterfalls, and a lazy river complete with waiters who serve wraps and protein shakes. It helped propel the university to a place on Shape Magazine's coolest clubs in America 2013, Fitbie's 20 Fittest Colleges, and theactivetimes.com 50 Fittest Colleges. Total points : 3 Sports specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (rock climbing tower) 8+ sq ft/ student: 1 Architect : Hastings & Chivetta Architects Inc.; St. Louis, Mo.

Aquatic Design Engineer : Counsilman Hunsaker - St. Louis, Mo.

Enrollment : 34,616

Square Feet : 293,000 (8.46 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2005

Cost : $38.9 million

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : Shape Magazine Award Other honors : Fitbie 20 Fittest Colleges in America #26 among The 50 Fittest Colleges (theactivetimes.com)

University of Pennsylvania Location Philadelphia, PA View School Profile Completed in 2003, this $21 million project expanded an aging campus gym, ultimately encompassing 120,000 square feet and incorporating 4 fitness centers, olympic-size pool and co-ed sauna, climbing wall, golf simulator, Pilates studios, and more. That same year, it won the "Addition to Existing Structure" award from Buildings.com. Total points : 3 Major design award: 2 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing wall) Architect : Richard Dattner & Partners Architects PC

Cost : $21 million

Enrollment : 21,329

Size : 120,000 sq. ft (5.6 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2003

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : Addition to Existing Structure Winner: Buildings.com (2003)

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Location Green Bay, WI View School Profile Of all the facilities in our list, the Kress Events Center is the most generous in terms of square footage per student, at 26 square feet per student. The $28.5 million project incorporates a suspended running track, a climbing wall, and a pool. Total points : 3 Regional or local design award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing wall) 8+ sq. ft per student: 1 Associate Architect : Moody-Nolan Inc.

Architect of Record : Venture Architects Inc. (a joint venture of Kahler Slater and Zimmerman Architectural Studios)

Cost : $28.5 million

Enrollment : 6,665

Square Feet : 175,000 (26 sq. ft. per student)

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : Innovation in Architecture and Design Award - Recreation Management magazine

California State University, Fullerton Location Fullerton, CA View School Profile Cal State Fullerton's award-winning Student Recreation Center boasts exceptional fitness facilities including a climbing wall, jogging track, multimedia cardio rooms, and outdoor pool. Even more impressive is its status as a LEED Gold facility, which can translate to reduced carbon footprint and lower cost of operation. Total points : 4 LEED Gold: 2 Regional or local design award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing wall) Architect : Langdon Wilson

Cost : $41M

Enrollment : 38,325

Square Feet : 95,000 (2.5 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2008

LEED Certification : Gold Awards : "Best Overall Sustainable Design" - University of California/California State University Energy Efficiency Partnership Program

Eastern Washington University Location Cheney, WA View School Profile Completed in 2008, this LEED Gold facility is a climber's dream. It features an indoor climbing wall with 11 routes, including one that simulates ice climbing. A 17,000 sq. ft fitness center and 2-lane 200 meter running track round out the offering. Total points : 4 LEED Gold: 2 "Wow" factor (ice climbing): 1 8+ sq ft per student: 1 Architect : Sink Combs Dethlefs

Cost : $26.3 million

Enrollment : 12,130

Square Feet : 117,699 (9.7 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2008

LEED Certification : Gold

Rice University Location Houston, TX View School Profile This two-story SmithGroup/F&S designed facility earned LEED Silver certification and also won two sports and fitness awards, including "Outstanding Sports Facilities" from National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) and "Facilities of Merit" from Athletic Business Magazine. It features racquetball and squash courts along with a 50-meter outdoor competition pool and 2,500 sq. ft outdoor recreation pool. Total points : 4 LEED Silver: 1 Sports/fitness specific award: 2 (1+1) 8+ sq. ft. per student: 1 Architect : SmithGroup/F&S

Cost : $32.6 million

Enrollment : 5,008

Square Feet : 103,000 (20.6 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2009

LEED Certification : Silver Awards : âOutstanding Sports Facilities' Award National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) (2011) âFacilities of Merit' Award Athletic Business magazine (2011)

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Location Colorado Springs, CO View School Profile Highlights of this LEED Gold rated facility, completed in 2005, include an indoor track, 12â² bouldering wall, multipurpose studio, and an aquatic center with 25-yard lap lanes, leisure area with vortex pool, and spa/hot tub. It's also home base for the Student Outdoor Leadership (S.O.L.E.) Center, which features outdoor trips and equipment rentals. Total points : 4 LEED Gold: 2 "Wow" factor: 1 (bouldering wall) >8+ sq. ft. per student: 1 Cost : $22.7 million

Enrollment : 9,798

Square feet : 118,000 (12 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2015

LEED Certification : Gold

Drexel University Location Philadelphia, PA View School Profile Completed in 2010, this award-winning facility incorporates a multipurpose gym, jogging track, squash courts, climbing room, and group exercise rooms. The $40.2 million project won the NIRSA outstanding sports facility award, a General Building Contractors Association award, and a Facility of Merit Award from Athletic Business Magazine. Total points : 5 Major design award: 2 Sports specific award: 2 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing room) Architect : Sasaki; EwingCole

Cost : $40.2 million

Enrollment : 25,500

Square Feet : 85,900 (3.4 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : Outstanding Sports Facility Award, National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Best Institutional Project Over $15 million, Construction Excellence Awards, General Building Contractors Association Facility of Merit Award, Athletic Business Magazine

Morehead State University Location Morehead, KY View School Profile This LEED Silver rated facility boasts a swimming pool with sun deck, walking track, racquetball courts and three basketball courts. It also won Outstanding Sports Facilities award from Recreation Management magazine in 2012, and was featured in Athletic Business's Architectural Showcase. Total points : 6 LEED Silver: 2 Major design award: 2 Sports facility: 1 8+ sq. ft. per student: 1 Architect : Hastings & Chivetta Architects

Cost : $24 million

Enrollment : 11,172

Square Feet : 100,000 (9 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2011

LEED Certification : Silver Awards : Recreation Management Magazine âOutstanding Sports Facilities' Award (2012) âArchitectural Showcase' Athletic Business magazine (2012)

University of Maine Location Orono, ME View School Profile From this award-winning, LEED Silver rated recreation center, students can rent skis and snowshoes and access trails directly. They can also enjoy the leisure pool that incorporates two 25-yard lap lanes, hot-water-jet bench seating, and a co-ed sauna. The fitness area includes 140 pieces of cardio and weight equipment. Total points : 6 LEED Silver: 1 Design awards: 4 Sports-specific awards: 1 Architect : Cannon Design

Cost : $25 million

Enrollment : 10,901

Square Feet : 87,000 (7.98 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : Silver Awards & Nominations : Special Mention for Excellence in Architecture by the American Institute of Architects: New England (2009) Athletic Business Architectural Showcase (2008) National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) 2008 Outstanding Sports Facility (2008)

California State University, Long Beach Location Long Beach, CA View School Profile The rock climbing wall, three-court gym, and swimming pool and spa are highlights of the $70 million center at Cal State, Long Beach. The LEED Gold rated facility has also received its share of major design awards, including one from the Society of American Registered Architects. Total points : 7 LEED Gold: 2 Major design award: 4 (2+2) "Wow" factor: 1 (rock climbing wall) Architect : Cannon Design

Cost : $70 million

Enrollment : 34,870

Square Feet : 126,500 (3.6 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certifications : Gold Awards : Design Award - Society of American Registered Architects Innovative Architecture & Design Awards - Recreation Management

University of Iowa Location Iowa City, IA View School Profile The aquatic center is the highlight of this award-winning $53 million facility. A 4,100 sq. ft. recreation pool with zero-depth entry, underwater benches, vortex, and current channel are just a few of the striking features. It was completed in 2010. Total points : 7 Major design award: 4 (2+2) Regional or local design award: 1 Sports-specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (rock climbing, pool complex) Architect : RDG Planning & Design

Cost : $53 million

Enrollment : 31,065

Square Feet : 215,000 (6.92 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : âAIA Iowa Design' Award (2012) âDream Designs' Aquatics International magazine (2011)âInnovative Architecture & Design' Award Recreation Management magazine (2011) âFacilities of Merit' Award Athletic Business magazine (2011)

Illinois State University Location Normal, IL View School Profile Boasting a generous amount of space per student, this $49.6 million, PSA-Dewberry designed facility was completed in 2010 and has won awards from American School and University magazine, Athletic Business magazine, and Recreation Management magazine. Total points : 8 Major design award: 6 Sports specific award: 1 8+ sq. ft. per student: 1 Architect : PSA-Dewberry

Cost : $49.6 million

Enrollment : 20,502

Square Feet : 180,000 (8.8 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : n/a Awards : âSpecialized Facility Citation' - American School and University magazine (2012) âOutstanding Sports Facilities' - Award National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) (2012) âArchitectural Showcase' - Athletic Business magazine (2012) âInnovative Architecture & Design' Award - Recreation Management magazine (2012)

Ohio State University Location Columbus, OH View School Profile Thanks in part to the strength of this exceptional facility, OSU earned the title of #1 fittest college in America, as rated by mensfitness.com. It also ranked among Fitbie.com's fittest colleges in America, where it was noted for its out-of-the-box fitness opportunities. Total points : 8 Major design award: 4 Sports specific award: 3 8+ sq. ft. per student: 1 Architect : Moody Nolan Ltd., Inc.

Design Architect : Antoine Predock

Cost : $140 Million

Completed : 2007

Enrollment : 63,964

Square Feet : 569,459 (8.9 sq. ft. per student) Awards : Ranked #5 for âBest Athletic Facilities' The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition âFacilities of Merit' Award Athletic Business magazine (2007) âDream Designs' Aquatics International magazine (2007) âOutstanding Sports Facilities' Award National Intramural Recreational Sports Assoc (NIRSA) (2007) âInnovative Architecture & Design' Award Recreation Management magazine (2007)

California State University, Northridge Location Northridge, CA View School Profile Two outdoor pools and a 40-foot rock climbing wall set this facility apart. This $41 million LEED Silver rated project isn't among the biggest on our list, but it makes up for this in its range of functional offerings and outstanding design aesthetics. Total points : 9 LEED Gold: 2 Regional or local design award: 5 Sports specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing wall) Architect : LPA Inc.

Cost : $41 million

Enrollment : 36,070

Square Feet : 120,000 (3.3 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2011

LEED Certification : Gold Awards : AIA San Fernando Valley, Design Award- Citation (2012) Athletic Business, Facility Merit Award (2012) San Diego, Design and Vision Award- Committee of the Enviornment (COTE)-SD (2012) Pacific Coast Builders Conference- Gold Nugget Award for Greenest Sustainable Commercial Project (2012) AIA Orange County- Design Award, Merit (2010) AIA San Fernando Valley- Design Award, Citation (2009)

Colorado State University Location Aurora, CO View School Profile Colorado State University's LEED Gold-rated Student Recreation Center prioritizes accessibility, with all gender restrooms and locker rooms, braille notation on many fitness machines, and a lactation room for mothers. The facility spans more than 200,000 square feet, including an aquatic center, a climbing wall, and other amenities. Total points : 10 LEED Gold: 2 Major design award: 6 Sports specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 Architect : Hastings & Chivetta Architects; Counsilman-Hunsaker (Aquatic Design Engineer)

Cost : $28 million

Enrollment : 26,235

Square Feet : 174,300 (6.6 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : Gold Awards : âRenovation/Modernization Citation' American School and University magazine (2012) âOutstanding Sports Facilities' Award National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) (2012) âArchitectural Showcase' Athletic Business magazine (2012) âInnovative Architecture & Design' Award Recreation Management magazine (2012)

Virginia Commonwealth University Location Richmond, VA View School Profile The primary athletic facility of Virginia Commonwealth University, Cary Street Gym, offers free weights, training equipment, and cardio equipment. Many of the offerings in this 18,000 square foot fitness center comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. It also has a climbing wall, bouldering wall, gymnasium, and aquatic center. Total points : 12 LEED Silver: 2 "Wow" factor: 1 (climbing wall, water slide) Major design award: 8 Sports specific award: 1 Architect : Moseley Architects; Smith McClain

Enrollment : 31,752

Square Feet : 127,600 (4 sq. ft. per student)

LEED Certification : Silver Awards : âOutstanding Sports Facilities' Award National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) (2012) âArchitectural Showcase' Athletic Business magazine (2012) âInnovative Architecture & Design' Award Recreation Management magazine (2011) âArchitectural Showcase' Athletic Business magazine (2011) âGold Metal' Award Building of America (2010)

University of Arizona Location Tucson, AZ View School Profile The most decorated of student rec centers in the nation is the University of Arizona's 108,000 sq. ft. facility. In addition to the typical fitness amenities are provisions for sand volleyball and bouldering. It earned a LEED Platinum rating, the highest rating available. It stands alone as the only LEED Platinum facility in our list. Total points : 13 LEED Platinum: 3 Major design award: 4 Regional design award: 4 Sports specific award: 1 "Wow" factor: 1 (bouldering) Architect : Sasaki

Cost : $22.7 million

Enrollment : 40,233

Square Feet : 54,000 (expansion only); 108,000 total (2.7 sq. ft. per student)

Completed : 2010

LEED Certification : Platinum Awards : Common Ground Award Finalist - Architecture, Planning & Design-Metropolitan Pima Alliance (2010) ASUI Facility Design Award-Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Best of 2010 - Best Sports/Recreation Project in Arizona-Southwest Contractor magazine Excellence in Structural Engineerings Award, State of Arizona-Structural Engineering Association IDEAS Award, National Certificate of Recognition-American Institute of Steel Construction Merit Award - Orange County Chapter-American Institute of Architects Outstanding Sports Facilities Award-National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)



See also: Top 10 Cheap Online Sports Management Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) 2014

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