USI opens expanded Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center – Inside INdiana Business

The University of Southern Indiana cut the ribbon this week on the expansion of its Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center on the Evansville campus.

The $16 million project included an expanded footprint for the USI Deaconess Clinic, an expanded game room, and a meditation room and new office space for the university’s Religious Life organization.

The project added 31,000 square feet of space to the building, in addition to 10,000 square feet of renovated space.

Crews added two new entrances to the building’s north and south ends, which USI said better accommodates the natural flow of campus pedestrian traffic.

“Our university community is thrilled to see the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center expansion come to life in the heart of campus,” USI Interim President Steve Bridges said in a news release. “Consolidating a range of services in one location will provide students with the comprehensive care they need and deserve to thrive at USI and beyond.”

Additional upgrades include technology upgrades and a storm-safe dispatch room for USI’s Public Safety department; soundproof offices and expanded space for the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services; a new photography studio with dedicated video editing and sound bays for University Strategic Communication; a quiet lounge; and a new front desk for the Recreation, Fitness, and Wellness area.

The building was originally built in 2001 and expanded in 2009. The latest expansion was funded by USI’s 2019 legislative budget appropriation.

Story Continues Below