First Look: Pitt unveils new Recreation and Wellness Center
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The University of Pittsburgh this week opened its nine-story, 270,000-square-foot Recreation and Wellness Center built to serve everyone from gym rats to esports gamers.
Why it matters: Pitt expects the roughly $240 million complex to help attract and keep students and further distinguish the university at a shaky time for American higher ed.
The big picture: The facility, green-lit in 2019, is designed to support students' social, physical and mental health, says Carla Panzella, Pitt's vice provost for student affairs.
- Part of the building will be open 24/7 to connect two sides of campus, she says, cutting travel time.
Zoom in: The rec center has a six-lane lap pool with a hot tub, courts for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, plus an elevated indoor track.
- There are expanded weight and cardio zones, functional training with ropes and kettlebells, and specialized studios for cycling, powerlifting and dance.
- It's home to a 49-foot indoor climbing wall and bouldering routes for all skill levels.
- "Stress-free zones" with on-site counseling, wellness coaching, yoga and a quiet reflection room overlook the Cathedral of Learning — with an outdoor terrace coming soon.
The intrigue: One of Panzella's favorite features is the esports lounge that has about 40 high-performance PCs, console stations for Switch, PlayStation and Xbox, and a glass-walled team room equipped for livestreamed competitions.
What they're saying: "I love bringing an activity that is often isolated to one or two people into a space ... where they can be in a community," says Panzella.
If you go: The Recreation and Wellness Center is open to all Pitt students at 3921 O'Hara St. in Oakland daily from 12pm-8pm on weekdays and 12pm-6pm on weekends.
- Hours will expand to 6am-11pm weekdays and 8am-10pm weekends starting Sept. 29.
What's next: As construction wraps up in the coming weeks, students can look forward to three new dining options: a smoothie and juice bar, a poke bar and an eatery with rotating menus from local chefs.
