The University of Louisville board of trustees has approved a $40 million upgrade of the Swain Student Activities Center, which is located on the university’s Belknap Campus.
The project is expected to add 32,775 square feet to the 365,666-square-foot building, according to a news release.
The four-story structure was built in 1990 and is the headquarters for student and student life organizations. It also houses restaurants, a movie theater, lounge and workout and athletics facilities, such as racquetball courts, basketball courts and a weight room, according to the release.
The project will include an overhaul of the bookstore and updated lobbies, lounges and restaurants, the release stated. Plans also call for upgrades to electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, plus the removal of interior escalators and an exterior ramp.
The revamp of the SAC will be funded through multiple sources, including private donors, facility funds and a $9.6 million agency bond that is funded by activities fees paid by U of L students.
U of L hopes to start work by spring and complete the renovation by January 2018.
“Renovation of the Student Activities Center is a priority of the university as we continue to recruit the very best students from across the state,” U of L president James Ramsey said in the release. “Academic success and student engagement are so closely intertwined that we are doing everything we can to provide the very best facilities for our scholars.”
The renovation follows the opening of a $37.5 million student recreation center in 2013 on the Belknap campus.
