Knox plans new fitness center

$2.25M facility will be joined to Memorial Gym

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

By AMANDA WILLIAMS

of The Register-Mail

The new two-level facility will be added to the west side of the College's Memorial Gymnasium on the Knox campus. It is expected to be complete by spring 2006.

Dan Calandro, athletic director at Knox, said the new fitness center will be more spacious than the college's current weight room in the lower level of the gymnasium.

"It's extremely invigorating because we do have a facility we call our weight room but this new facility is really going to be a fabulous-looking building," Calandro said.

Calandro said students and staff at Knox have expressed interest over the past five years in having a newer workout facility with more light and space.

The new fitness center will have front windows looking out over the rest of campus. Calandro said the windows will be similar to the windows in the T. Fleming Fieldhouse, but people will be able to see through them onto campus as they work out.

"We'll have TVs hanging as well but they're sure going to have a great view of our campus if they just want to sit and look out the window while they're on a bike or a treadmill," Calandro said.

The lobby level of the center will include cardiovascular and selectorized strength training equipment areas, a fitness studio and stretching area. The lower level will have a new space for free weights and new locker rooms.

Knox plans to spend about $2.25 million on the fitness center and has already raised about $2 million in gifts and pledges. Knox received what the college calls a lead gift from the Andrew Family Foundation in Las Vegas, Nev.

Laurel Andrew, director and treasurer of the Andrew Family Foundation, is a 1986 Knox graduate and a member of the college's Board of Trustees.

The facility was designed by Metzger-Johnson, under the guidance of a Knox campus task force of students, faculty, administrators and alumni.