No matter what time of day, it seems as if the Carmichael Recreation Center is nearly filled to capacity and teeming with students fighting for dumbbells, cardio machines or a squat rack.
But fear not, gym-lovers of NC State. The construction happening at Carmichael Gymnasium with the men’s and women’s locker rooms, the weight rooms and cardio rooms will be revamped and ready to go by February 2016, if construction stays at pace, according to Jason Spivey, associate director of University Recreation.
However, new additions will be phased in throughout this semester. By October, the main entrance is expected to reopen access to Courts 1-8, multipurpose studios 1206, 1207 and 1240. By November, Equipment Checkout and Wolfpack Strength and Conditioning Center Expansion, which will include Olympic lifting platforms, are expected to be completed. Portions of renovated men’s and women’s locker rooms are also expected to open at this time.
In the meantime, patrons can enjoy FitGround — a jungle gym located on Miller Fields that includes monkey bars, a cargo net, dip bars, sit-up benches, wall-ball targets and box jumps.
“I would describe it as taking fitness back to where it all started: body weight exercises and functional movements,” said Amanda Averett, program assistant for strength and conditioning at University Recreation.
As for the construction in Carmichael Gymnasium, the fitness space will be expanded by about 5,500 square feet and will total about 9,000 square feet at the completion of the project. Brand new cardiovascular equipment and core training materials will be placed in the expanded space.
Kinesis equipment will be one of the highlights of the new fitness space and is essentially state-of-the-art cable machines that will enhance the exercise experience.
The size of the men’s locker room will be reduced to make room for the expanded fitness space, a solution to the underutilized locker room space. Lockers will be “Z-style,” and will hold more items for gym patrons. Lockers are still available for students and faculty during construction and can be accessed through the Aquatics Entrance.
A lounge equipped with couches and TVs for patrons to relax before and after their workouts will be created. Office spaces for University Recreation professional staff will be relocated from the Rec Center to Carmichael Gym, and the size of the hallways where Equipment Checkout used to be will nearly triple.
The total amount of the renovations, including architecture, pictures, designs, construction, etc., adds up to about $7.6 million, according to Spivey. Students are paying for it through a $27.50 increase in student fees for the next 15 years.
“All of the construction is geared toward meeting needs for students for many years to come,” Spivey said. “But once you ask students for money, you have to make sure that money is being spent in an effective manner so that you don’t have to ask for more of it.”
Averett believes the wait for the completed project will be worth it.
“It’ll be very different from what most students have seen before and will provide students with things they’ve been wanting for quite some time,” Averett said.
University Recreation also experienced some changes within the fitness courses offered. Formerly known as small group training, specialty fitness classes are unique classes taught with specialized equipment. Courses taught this semester include TRX RIP training, Les Mills Grit, Stand-up Paddle Board yoga, IndoBoard yoga, premier boxing, anaerobic training and barre burn. More information about schedules and pricing can be found on University Recreation’s website.
As for now, the primary entrance to Carmichael Gym has been relocated to the Aquatics Center entrance. Access to Courts 1-8 can be found through the Court 1 upper breezeway. Equipment Checkout is located at the Tennis Court entrance until the project is complete. Clothing service will be discontinued until the project is complete, but towels will be available. The Cates Avenue entrance will see no changes.
Danis is the general contractor for the project as well as two other construction projects on campus: Reynolds Coliseum and a private project at the Center for Technology and Innovation on Centennial Campus.
A portion of the Carmichael Addition Project includes widening the hallway past the main entrance of the Carmichael Complex. The project, which will cost students $13.25 per student per semester, should be completed during the spring semester of 2016.
