Grove City College is investing more than $4 million in campus improvements this summer to provide students with more space for recreation, increase accessibility for Wolverine sports fans, and spruce up a variety of spaces on what has been called one of America’s most beautiful campuses.
The most obvious improvements will be in the College’s Physical Learning Center, home of Wolverine athletics and student fitness and recreation facilities. The PLC’s lobby and main entrance is getting a makeover that includes improving accessibility for all sports fans, new flooring, and carpeting. The Arena’s floor is being sanded down and refinished. Both spaces will sport improved branding.
Another project students are bound to notice and enjoy when they return in August is the expansion of Lincoln Hall’s patio. The men’s residence hall’s outdoor space will be about three times larger than the current patio and feature a smokeless firepit and new Polywood furniture. On Lower Campus, new pickleball courts, courtesy of the Class of 2024’s senior gift, are being installed between Thorne Field and Rainbow Bridge.
“The challenge is getting a lot of work done in a short amount of time. This is on top of our normal summer work to get the campus back in shape from the previous school year,” Vice President for Operations Susan Grimm said. “People will notice the Lincoln Patio and PLC entrance the most,” she said. “And, of course, the pickleball courts are anticipated to be a hit – no pun intended.”
Much of the work being done is behind the scenes, Grimm noted. That includes ongoing upgrades to building automation systems across campus, which allow the maintenance and operations team to monitor HVAC and other mechanical systems and remotely adjust each building’s environment, water and sewer line replacement, routine building maintenance, and power-washing the façade of historic Crawford Hall.
Other projects include carpeting in Phillips Field House and hallways in Hicks Hall, new stair treads in Memorial and Hicks halls, painting jobs across campus, and installing new furniture in MAP café. That’s a lot of work for two-and-a-half months. “It’s a little aggressive, but it’s going OK,” Grimm said.
The seasonal projects are being completed while the iconic Rockwell Hall is undergoing a nearly $50 million, top-to-bottom renovation. The work is part of Grove City College’s multi-year Impact 150 campaign and will connect the 90-year-old Rockwell – the oldest academic building on campus – with STEM Hall – the newest. When complete in fall 2025, the revamped building will be rededicated as the Smith Hall of Science and Technology.