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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Gonzaga approves new athletic center, home for priests; projects top $36 million

Gonzaga University plans to build a 51,000-square-foot addition to its athletic facilities, one of two major projects recently approved by the board of trustees.

The trustees voted to spend about $24 million on the Center for Athletic Achievement, plus about $12.3 million on a residential building for Jesuits, the school said in a news release Tuesday.

The athletic center will be built on the south side of the Martin Centre and will house student-athlete support services, a weight room, a nutrition center, a basketball practice court, meeting areas and an athletics hall of fame.

The center “will help student-athletes succeed in competition, in the classroom and in the community,” the news release said.

The Jesuit Residence Center, meanwhile, will take up the northwest corner of East Boone Avenue and North Astor Street. The three-story, 36,000-square-foot building will include a courtyard, a chapel, guest rooms, a dining hall and living quarters for about 20 members of the Jesuit order, according to documents filed with the city.

According to the news release, the center will “include reflective space to serve Jesuits seeking retreat, provide appropriate office and work space, and link the central life of the Jesuit community with Gonzaga students, faculty and staff.”

Both projects have been in the works at least since December, but Gonzaga officials have been unwilling to talk about them in recent weeks.

Reached for comment Tuesday, Gonzaga spokeswoman Mary Joan Hahn deferred to the news release, and athletics spokesman Todd Zeidler deferred questions to Athletic Director Mike Roth, who was not available.

“We really want Mike Roth, our athletic director, to be the voice on something so big like this,” Zeidler said.

In December, Roth characterized the athletic center as an effort to stay competitive with other schools and provide needed services to Gonzaga’s student-athletes.

The athletic center was designed by ALSC Architects of Spokane. The Jesuit center was designed by BWA Architects of Spokane and BAR Architects of San Francisco. Both buildings are expected to open by fall of next year.

The projects are part of Gonzaga Will, a campaign with a goal of $250 million that so far has netted over $212 million from more than 30,000 contributors, according to the news release.