Bluffton breaks ground on $14 million health and fitness education center

The Bluffton University has broken ground for a new, $14 million health and fitness education centre in Ohio, US.The 60,000 square-feet center will house space for the academic department of health, fitness and sport science; a weight and fitness center for all students; a new arena for intercollegiate basketball and volleyball; a sports medicine center; athletics offices; and practice, intramural and multipurpose facilities. The building is expected to achieve silver or higher certification from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system. The building has been identified as the top priority for new facilities in the university’s 2000 master plan.The building is designed by Massachusetts-based Sasaki Associates, who designed Bluffton’s Centennial Hall while the general contractor for the project is Bellefontaine, Ohio-based Thomas & Marker Construction. Thomas & Marker have previously constructed the Centennial Hall and mid-2010 improvements to College Hall, Musselman Library and the Burcky Gym locker complex in Bluffton. The new health and fitness education center is anticipated to open in late 2012.