A new Recreation & Wellness Center, set to break ground in May 2014, will be named in recognition of University of Portland president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C. The announcement was made during the University’s annual Christmas gala on Friday, December 13.
Earlier this year, Fr. Beauchamp announced he is stepping down as president at the end of the 2013-14 academic year. The University’s president since 2003, he has been a strong supporter of the new center, expected to be completed by May, 2015. The Beauchamp Center will be located on what is now a parking lot at the corner of North Portsmouth and Strong avenues.
The Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center is estimated to cost $23 million, with $20 million raised as of today. The building is expected to become a dynamic focal point on campus, and enhance the physical and mental health of students, faculty, and staff. Designs call for a new, modern facility, which will feature state-of-the-art equipment and space to accommodate the growing University community.
Gifts made to the Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center are included in the University’s RISE Campaign, which was announced in December 2010 and seeks to raise $175 million by 2014. The RISE Campaign, which has raised more than $165 million to date, is one of the largest development campaigns ever for a Pacific Northwest private college or university.
The San Francisco office of 360 Architecture and Portland-based Soderstrom Architects are finalizing the design of the building. Renderings of the proposed building can be found at this link.
Proposed rooms for the building include the Fitness Center with cardio machines, strength and free-weight stations, and areas for health and wellness testing and counseling. The gymnasium will include three courts for basketball, volleyball, and floor hockey. An indoor track will be suspended above the gym and will hold three lanes for walking and jogging, as well as pace clocks and stretching areas. The new Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center will also have two exercise studios, a spinning studio, an Outdoor Pursuits Center, and a 32-foot rock-climbing wall.
For more information contact the development office at 7395 or webmaster@up.edu.