Construction Progress

By Louis Frey

Asst. Features Editor

Have you ever gone to the William H. Pitt Center to exercise but couldn’t because a team had most of the weight room reserved?

Your problem will be solved with the Bobby Valentine Recreation Center set to open this summer.

The Center will have a weight room for non-student athletes. Students and Division I teams will no longer have to share the Pitt Center to exercise.

According to Bobby Valentine, Sacred Heart University’s Executive Director of Athletics, the center is much more than a place to exercise.

“I believe this building will become a social gathering point for our students, and I am looking forward to having it available for the entire Sacred Heart University community,” said Valentine.

The center will be a place where students can go exercise and have fun.

Valentine is most excited about two other features the facility will have.

“The two areas that I like to speak about most are the rock climbing wall that will be in the front of the building. When you get to the top you will have a panoramic view of campus and the surrounding area. The second area is the six-lane bowling alley that will enhance the experience for our bowling student athletes and provide a wonderful recreational setting for the student body,” said Valentine. 

Valentine believes the center will enhance students’ experience on campus here at Sacred Heart.

“This building is going to be a special place that is going to aid the entire campus. Every student will be able to use it and it is also going to facilitate our Division I programs,” said Valentine.

The Center is not the only change students will be seeing next fall semester.

Additional on campus housing for upperclassman will be open and offered during the upcoming fall 2019 semester.

According to Mike Kinney, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, the apartments and suites will include living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, study spaces, and lounge areas for students. Information for future upperclassman housing can be found on Sacred Heart’s website.

Kinney also said the new dorm building is ‘state of the art’ and the apartment suites are ‘modern and spacious’.

Students are noticing the effort Sacred Heart is putting in to expand the campus.

“I think it’s good that we’re expanding the campus, growing, and making more room for potential new students to come in,” said freshman Bryan Calton.

To students, it is a big deal that Sacred Heart is building residential housing for upper classman.

“I am extremely happy that the school is starting to build dorms for upperclassman because as it stands right now there’s really no on campus housing for them,” said sophomore Hunter Adams.

Adams said he would consider living in the new on campus housing for next year.

Others believe that it’s great the campus is creating more housing for upper classman but it also has it’s down side for now, however.

“I think its great that campus wants to include housing for upperclassmen, but it’s disruptive to everyday life,” said Junior Mary Campione.

Campione admires Sacred Heart’s efforts to improve, but she wishes the university would prioritize other aspects of campus.

“I wish they would prioritize making more parking lots because every day it’s a fight to get a spot,” said Campione.

According to Valentine, construction for the Center is going as planned.

“The project is on time and going perfectly. I am excited to have it open this summer,” said Valentine.

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