Pacific University and the Athletic Department are currently discussing a renovation and add-on to the Stoller Center. Although the discussion is in the beginning stages, the university has reached out to architects to get estimates and ideas on how to expand in the most cost effective way.
The Stoller Center was constructed in 1970 when the student body was not near as large as it is today. Although the Stoller Center is 95,000 square feet an expansion is needed to accommodate the current student body and allow for future student body expansion.
Currently, more 40 percent of the student body is made up of student-athletes. As the student body grows, so do the number of athletes and student numbers have outgrown the space.
President Hallick stressed that the renovation is in the early stages and that it could take a few years before students see anything happen. Hallick said one of the first ideas was to build up and add a story on top of the pre-existing building but architects encouraged her otherwise.
Many of the architectural firms that Pacific has reached out to suggested that the most cost effective way to expand would be to add a building to the west side of Stoller Center, where the parking lot is now.
Athletic Director Ken Schumann said that current Stoller has a finite amount of space and with exercise science and athletic programs growing there is a need to free up more space.
Schumann said he especially sympathizes with students of the general student body that want to go shoot baskets in the gym because it is scheduled most of the time.
“It would be nice to have a fitness center focused on fitness and recreation … the expansion would be a good thing in a lot of different areas,” Schumann said.
Schumann said there is a group of people that are discussing the details of the expansion and that the student body will find out more later this spring. He said that if funding works out he is excited to start the renovation.
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