Having broken ground in early June, renovation for Harford Community College's Susquehanna Center, the college's main athletic building, is well under way.
The expansion project will cost around $26,700,000, according to HCC's website, and is being funded by the State of Maryland, Harford County and HCC.
The college is holding what it is calling a "groundbreaking tailgate" by invitation on Aug. 23 to commemorate the start of the project.
The 49,150 square-foot Susquehanna Center, which was built in 1968, houses the gymnasium, fitness center, dance studio and swimming pool. The building will be renovated to include a 37,460 square-foot arena — the largest arena in Northeastern Maryland, according to the college — and will be part of a 50,000 square-foot addition. After construction is completed, the new Susquehanna center will be more than 100,000 square feet.
The arena expansion will have a 3,400 seat capacity, with 2,552 seats, including chair back and bleacher style seating, for spectators, according to the college's website. The arena floor will also allow space for different events, such as exhibitions, trade shows, concerts, dances and commencements.
In addition to the arena, the renovation will bring updates to administrative offices for the athletic department and physical education faculty. A second classroom for health and physical education classes will also be added.
The existing gym, home of HCC's men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball teams, will be turned into an all-purpose room available for various fitness classes, physical education, athletics, intramural and recreation activities.
As for the 25-yard swimming pool, it will be resurfaced and updated to allow for more use and programs for students and the public. The athletic training facility and locker rooms will also be updated.
"The building occupants and staff have all been relocated throughout the campus to temporary locations," said Steve Garey, Capital Projects Coordinator for HCC.
Activities that were held at the Susquehanna Center have been moved to various sites on and off campus, including locations at schools and businesses throughout the county.
A few dance classes, Garey said, have been moved to a building across Route 22 from the college. Garey did not have specific locations for where other activities have been moved.
Because of the construction, "huge amounts of earth" have been moved from the center's construction site to the college's practice fields along Route 22 near Thomas Run Road, according to a July press release. The college says the dirt has been moved to the practice fields to stay in line with its sustainability initiatives. By not moving the dirt off site, the college noted, the amount of vehicle emissions has been reduced, as the dump trucks used for disposal are not clean air vehicles. Also, when construction is complete, the additional dirt will give "more even playing fields for the college's practice fields."
"Our goal is to influence the project in a sustainable manner," said Garey, who is also the co-chair of the college's Sustainability Committee.
The committee, which is made up of a diverse group of students, faculty and administrators, keeps HCC's administration aware of measures they can take to keep projects environmentally friendly.
"We're giving it that green twist," Garey said about the Susquehanna Center project.
The construction site and the center itself will use less energy and be more "environmentally correct," Garey added.
An example of the types of eco-friendly measures the committee considers, Garey said, is "instead of cutting a tree down, maybe it's cost effective to move it."
The project is slated to be completed by the end of August or beginning of September 2012, in time for the fall semester.