Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness Supports University’s Commitment to Health and Wellness for Students and Campus Community
Skanska USA announced today that is has completed work on the new Leonard J. Kaplan Center for Wellness at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The 216,000-square-foot facility features more than 20,000 square feet of weight and fitness space, seven basketball courts, lap and activity pools, and a 54-foot climbing wall, among other wellness spaces and classrooms.
Twice as big as the recreation center it replaced, the new facility is designed to accommodate recent growth of the university population and is open to UNCG students, faculty, staff and alumni.
“Today’s university students are interested in maintaining physical activity and recreation as part of a healthy lifestyle,” said Greg Peele, General Manager/Executive Vice President of Skanska USA Building for North Carolina/Virginia operations. “The Kaplan Center gives UNCG room to cater to a community with a wide variety of interests and fitness needs in a beautiful, functional space that will quickly become a center of campus life.”
The building accommodates high-demand activities such as cardiovascular fitness, group fitness, free weights, weight machines, intramural and club sports, outdoor adventures, and Team QUEST among other wellness programs, and informal recreation. In addition to providing enhanced activity spaces, this new facility serves as a gathering and event location with meeting rooms and multi-purpose spaces for student training, special events, workshops/seminars, academic classes and student organizations.
“As soon as you walk in the door, you have access to everything – the pools, Outdoor Adventures programs and all the other activity spaces. That’s something we didn’t have in the other facility,” says Dr. Jill Beville, Director of Recreation and Wellness at UNCG. “We’re really excited about the variety of equipment, programming and educational opportunities offered at the new facility.”
The Kaplan Center, which is seeking LEED® Silver certification, also offers a variety of social spaces and seating areas where students can relax with friends and play billiards, shuffle board, video games and table tennis.
“Studies have shown that students who participate in recreation and wellness programs are more resilient and successful both inside and outside of the classroom,” Beville elaborated. “Having a space where students can relax with their peers and build friendships is a major contributor to a healthy campus culture and a great outlet during stressful times.”
A $5 million donation in honor of the late local philanthropist Leonard J. Kaplan forms the basis for an endowment to support health and wellness programs at the center, which bears his name.
Skanska provided preconstruction and construction management services through a joint-venture with Rentenbach Constructors for the $91 million project.
For further information please contact:
Pamela Monastra at pamela.monastra@skanska.com or (404) 946-7533
Mittie Rooney at mrooney@axcomgroup.com or (301) 602-8709
About Skanska
Skanska USA is one of the largest, most financially sound construction and development companies in the U.S., serving a broad range of clients including those in transportation, power, industrial, water/wastewater, healthcare, education, sports, data centers, life sciences, aviation and commercial. Headquartered in New York with offices in 31 metro areas, we have nearly 11,000 employees committed to being leaders in safety, project execution, sustainability, ethics and people development. In 2015, our work in building construction, civil and power/industrial construction, commercial development and infrastructure development (public-private partnerships) generated $7.1 billion in revenue. Global revenue of parent company Skanska AB, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, totaled $18.4 billion in 2015. Skanska shares are publicly traded in the U.S. on the OTC market under the symbol SKBSY through a Level I American Depository Receipt program.
