Construction on Maryville campus

This year, students would be hard pressed to miss the extensive renovations underway on Maryville College’s campus.

Currently, the Alumni gym is being renewed and reconstructed into a state-of-the-art student wellness facility. Furthermore, a locker room is being built upon the college’s baseball complex in addition to a dugout.

These projects will most likely be completed this year as the Alumni Gym Wellness Center aims to open its doors March 1st, while the baseball locker room should be completed as early as the first week of January.

“We are really excited for the completion of the projects and we are proud,” said Jeff Ingle, MC’s Vice President for Finance and Administration. Mr. Ingle was privy to the plans for renovation during their conception in 2016.

During that, time architects were selected from Barber McMurry architectural firm and met with Maryville College faculty to create, as Ingle puts it, a “Master Plan.” This Master Plan set aside over 25 million dollars in contribution to structural renovations and new facilities over several years.

The Alumni Gym overhaul was the first project to break ground, “the facility is for all of our students not just the athletes,” said Ingle. “The baseball locker room was a close second. The players needed space and it’s much more economical to build a locker room instead of adding to the Cooper athletic center which is already bursting at the seams.”

So far the developments are progressing without a hitch. “the progress on both projects is going well and both are on schedule,” said Barry Brooke, Project Manager and Owner’s Representative for Maryville College. “We’ve had a couple of challenges like soft soil near the baseball facility and a hidden steam line near the Alumni gym, but those have been the only surprises.”

Looking forward, fundraising for phase two of construction projects has already begun. Maintenance costs for Cooper and the creation of a lower sports complex are next on the developmental agenda. In the meantime, there is much to anticipate on campus as construction is completed. According to Ingle, “the changes will be great for all students.”