But War Memorial gym contains about 90,000 square feet. Add in McComas Hall's roughly 61,000 square feet of recreational space and Tech has just over half the hypothetically necessary space.
The problem of overcrowded weight machines and treadmills may soon be alleviated in McComas Hall, though, in the near future, as a project has been proposed that add considerably to the size of the gym.
Though the planning process has now been ongoing for close to a year, there are still more approval meetings to go.
"We have to go through a couple of committees in the state, and a hopeful goal will be to start construction this summer or fall," Wise said.
The biggest need in McComas is cardio and weight room space, according to Wise. There are currently 44 cardio machines in McComas, said David Shuster, assistant director of facilities and informal recreation. After construction, the projected number of cardio machines --treadmills, ellipticals and bikes -- would go up by about 100.
"There are also five bench presses at McComas right now," Shuster said. "With the construction we would like to have 12 to 15 total."
The biggest addition to the facility would be to the back of the current building. The renovation calls for a new corridor of offices there, Wise said. There would be a new control desk, and students would be able to enter a new hallway that would take them to the new cardio/fitness area.
Hughes Group Architects, located in Sterling, Va., has been working with Tech to design and layout potential plans for the additional space in McComas.
"They specialize in rec centers and have been under contract with the university for about a year," Wise said. "They have provided schematic designs and determined where things should go, the inside and outside look, and they came back with a design that we like and our budget allowed."
The current projected budget for this project is $13 million total, with $8 million going toward construction alone, Wise said.
Between $700,000 and $1 million will go toward furnishing inside the buildings for desks, machines and other equipment. The recreation fee will increase in order to pay and operate the facility upon completion.
The scaffolding located on the outside of McComas right now is unrelated to the construction. Because of leaks in the facade of the building, workers have been repairing the outside of McComas, Shuster said.
Other changes in planning for McComas include adding a multipurpose room to host employee meets and intramural events such as hearts and darts, converting a room dedicated to spinning and cycling classes, and potentially sectioning off some of the old weight rooms for specialized classes, such as women in the weight room.
"This is something that the students have deserved," Wise said. "Students at Tech are active and healthy, and there has been a clear demand for the facility. Once it is in place it will be a nice addition to campus life for students who want to continue staying healthy and active."
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