Contributions from more than 2,600 donors made possible for the $65.5 million Athletics and Events complex on the campus of Ithaca College. The complex will directly benefit the 50 percent of the student body that participates in Bombers’ athletics and intramural sports programs, and it will also house the largest indoor event venue in Tompkins County, New York. At the heart of the Athletic and Event complex is a 130,000 sq. ft. field house that will include an arena, and a track-and-field center will double as a practice facility for numerous sports.
The field house will also offer training areas, an outdoor plaza, a press box, a VIP room, athletic department offices and locker rooms. An 81,000 sq. ft. outdoor stadium will feature synthetic turf and seating for 1,000 spectators. The complex will also include a six-court outdoor tennis facility and a 35,000 sq. ft. aquatics pavilion.
Moody Nolan Architects and Counsilman-Hunsaker were commissioned to design a state-of-the-art natatorium for the Bombers swimming, diving and water polo teams, as well as a number of campus and community swim clubs.
Feature of the new aquatics venue includes:
- 13,100 sq. ft. nine-lane 50-meter pool and twenty-one 25-yard cross course lanes separated by two movable bulkheads
- Two 1-meter and two 3-meter springboard diving boards which includes a sparger air bubbling system for diving training
- A 30 ft. by 75 ft. movable floor system to enable shallow water swimming and deep water competitive swimming and water polo
- Rowing stations down the length of pool
- 200 sq. ft. whirlpool spa
- Seating for 1,000 spectators
- Wet classroom
Innovative pool filtration system saves more than 1 million gallons of water each year. And mechanically, the space uses cooled air to reduce moisture and then reheating, which is more efficient and will last longer than typical dehumidification units.
Design Awards and Publications:
2012 – ‘Innovative Architecture & Design’ Award Recreation Management magazine
2012 & 2013 – ‘Architectural Showcase’ Athletic Business
