Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft offered up various updates on four major and still ongoing facilities projects around campus on Wednesday afternoon.
Starting with Beaver Stadium, Kraft echoed a long-standing understanding that the project’s developmental phase will be nearly as expansive as the construction itself. While Kraft did not address this specific point, early stages of the overarching renovation project are slated to begin this upcoming spring with the majority of the major planning still to come. Winterization of Beaver Stadium is still ongoing.
“We are 30 percent into design of this building,” Kraft said. “This is like building a village … this is a major, major project. Literally 30 percent is like, where are the pipes going, where do you have circulation? So that one is ongoing. We feel really good about where we are headed but, literally, we are looking at everything in this building from the east concourse to the main concourse to bathrooms to the west side to the premium [seating] – there is not a thing we are not evaluating in this process.”
The second project is the renovation of the Greenberg sports complex area which was originally earmarked for $32 million and will feature sweeping changes to one of the most centralized areas that Penn State student athletes use on a daily basis. Kraft noted that this project is much closer to breaking ground than Beaver Stadium changes but is still about a year away from happening.
Like all of Penn State athletics’ ongoing and most past projects, it will depend heavily on fundraising efforts. Penn State athletics runs a separate budget from the academic side of the university and generally relies on fundraising to pay for most major construction projects.
“We’re 70 percent through design with Greenberg,” Kraft said. “Which will be our physical therapy, health and wellness recovery suite for all 833 athletes. It will be the home of Training Table for all of our athletes. So we are close to finishing that up. We are finishing up the fundraising. Our goal is to have that ready to go in fall of 2025, try to break ground as we continue momentum at some point this summer.”
A preliminary land development plan for the Greenberg renovation and addition was presented to State College’s Design Review Board on Tuesday and was on the agenda for the Planning Commission’s meeting on Thursday night.
“This project will include approximately 38,000 square feet of renovated and new space,” Penn State Board of Trustees documents state. “All varsity athletes will use the training table. The project scope includes training table, fitness and recovery spaces, as well as an updated public entry, lower-level access, general circulation and flow improvements, site improvements, and a secondary connection to the Morgan Academic Center and the Lasch Football Building. The Morgan Academic Center and Lasch Football Building will remain operational during construction.”
Kraft also touched on a highly anticipated renovation project focused on Jeffery Field, home of both soccer programs. The renovation was originally budgeted for just north of $21 million. The proposed renovation and addition will house approximately 24,400 square feet of space. Jeffrey Field will be used during construction while student athletes will continue to use Rec Hall for various needs until completion.
“We are 95 percent through that design. Closing up on the finances, philanthropical and capital gifts there,” Kraft said. “It will have locker room, athletic training, strength training, team meeting rooms, office suites, concessions, locations; enhanced bathrooms which will help us on game day, as well, in that corridor there. But we are excited about what it’s going to look like and it’s the way it should be for [coaches] when you have two nationally-ranked and national championship-caliber teams, they will have the facilities those student-athletes deserve.”
Lastly Kraft offered an update on the ongoing changes surrounding the East Area locker room which is another central hub for the majority of Penn State’s student athlete population. This project is slated for approved funding of no more than $5.2 million.
“We run about 500 athletes through that space in that weight room. We are really close. That one is almost done,” Kraft said. “I think we are going to hopefully go out for [bid] soon. That will be an enhanced nutrition center, much improved sports performance area, much improved weight room, where that houses the two lacrosse’s and field hockey. That building is taking a total transformation and we are hoping to start that actually here in January, February, if we can get things lined up, permit and all that.”
Kraft did not offer an update on an indoor practice air supported structure which was proposed in conjunction with these projects in early 2023.
