Design plans for the campus’s new $33 million activities and recreation center, now available for public comment, feature two L-shaped buildings with almost 106,000 square feet for student clubs and organizations, social events, court sports, indoor jogging and other fitness activities.
Funded through the Facilities and Campus Enhancement fee approved by students in 1998, the proposed center has been designed to ease overcrowding and scheduling problems for student organization and recreation activities, now occurring primarily in Recreation Hall and the Memorial Union. The center also would house other student activities that are overcrowded or temporary occupants in other buildings; among its better known residents would be the Cal Aggie Marching Band.
Written comments may be submitted through Nov. 27 to the Office of Resource Management and Planning.
The Draft Tiered Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration may be obtained from the reserve reading room of UC Davis’ Shields Library, the Davis branch of the Yolo County Library and the Fairfield-Suisun Community Library in Fairfield.
The public notice for the project is available as a PDF file on the Web at http://www.pbo.ucdavis.edu/env/envplan/.
Pending design approval by the regents in January, construction is scheduled to begin in June 2002 and to be completed in April 2004.
Plans call for the two-story center, designed by Cannon Design of Los Angeles, to be constructed on 5.5 acres immediately north of Recreation Hall with an enclosed, second-story bridge between the two buildings.
The larger L, defining the south and west sides of the proposed center, would accommodate a gymnasium, a multiuse athletic court, a climbing wall, an exercise and weight room, racquetball and squash courts, studios, and locker rooms and showers. A control desk in the lobby would require a membership card for entry to this area of 82,000 assignable square feet.
The smaller L, on the north and east sides, would include meeting space, administrative offices, a work area for student organizations, a pro shop and a food service area. This area, with 24,000 assignable square feet, would be open to the public.
An outdoor courtyard, formed by the two L’s, would include areas for dining and small performance events; its windows would not only offer views of activity areas, but also provide natural light to most circulation areas of the center. The main entrance for the center would be on its southeast corner.
Features of the larger L would include:
• A 26,100-square-foot gymnasium, with a raised jogging track, would have four basketball courts and could be converted for volleyball or badminton.
• A multiuse athletic court would accommodate floor hockey, indoor soccer, volleyball and badminton.
• A climbing wall would have an inside corner and a padded safety area at its base.
• The area would include four racquetball courts and two squash courts. Two additional racquetball courts with movable walls could be reconfigured for squash. All would be on the second floor.
• Three studios, also on the second floor, would include dedicated storage for dance, group exercise and mat activities; windows; full-length wall mirrors; audio systems; and ballet barres.
• A 13,000-square-foot weight and exercise room would include free weights, exercise machines and cardiovascular equipment. Other cardiovascular equipment, with TV monitors, would be distributed throughout the building, including on its second-story bridge.
• Each locker room, with 300 day-use lockers, would have restroom facilities and 13 adjoining showers.
Features of the smaller L would include:
• A work area for student organizations would include an administrative office, workstations and storage. Other administrative offices for recreation and intramural sports staff would include space for sports clubs.
• The Cal Aggie Marching Band, now in the Old Firehouse, would have space for a locker room, storage and restrooms.
• A large room with an adjoining kitchen area would accommodate 400 to 500 people for banquets, meetings, dances, receptions and performances. It would also serve as a practice area for the band.
• Three small rooms, from 500 to 1,000 square feet each, would provide space for meetings.
• The lobby would include an art exhibition area, information kiosks, a wellness information center, computer connections and windows onto activity areas.
Outside, a raised terrace area on the east side of the building would serve as a gathering place, and the area between the center and Recreation Hall would accommodate outdoor dining.
To replace the field on the proposed site for the center, a 1.7-acre recreation field would be developed west of La Rue Road opposite the campus dairy.