Apr 17, 2003 By Steve Ostrosky 3 min read

Student athletes joined with staff and administration to break ground Wednesday on a new $10.6 million community center at Penn State Fayette that will connect to the campus and to the developing University Technology Park. The 52,000-square-foot center is slated to include an arena for stage and athletic events, an auditorium, an NCAA gymnasium, community fitness center, food service center, meeting rooms, offices and several outdoor public spaces.

Dr. Gregory Gray, campus executive officer, said the community center will mark the 12th building on the campus since Penn State moved to its current location 35 years ago. He said the center will be open for the community as well as students attending the university.

“Indeed, today is very much a historic day,” Gray said.

More than half of the project’s total cost, $6.9 million, was given to Penn State as a gift from the Eberly Foundation in December 2001.

Philanthropist Robert Eberly said it is an exciting time at Penn State Fayette, with another record enrollment this spring semester and the community center project finally beginning.

“This is really a red letter day. I am delighted to be here to share in the glory of Penn State,” he said. “It absolutely fills me with pride to look at all this, and I hope more is forthcoming.”

Mike Krajovic, president of Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, said the campus and the University Technology Park are an investment in Fayette County’s future. He said four companies have moved to Fayette County in the last year, and Penn State is an important part of the package when attracting businesses.

“Penn State is playing a major part in this, because companies want to be here and they want the access to the college,” Krajovic said. “It all fits together as a partnership effort.”

Vince Fazzoni of Burt Hill Kosar Rittleman Associates of Butler, who is the architect for the project, said that students and faculty provided input into what was needed in the community center before the building was designed. He said a new road will be built around the community center to make the building more inclusive of the campus, and the center should meet a variety of student and staff needs.

“Soon you will be able to shoot hoops, have a piece of pizza, watch theater and enjoy the plazas in the outdoor facility,” he said.

Other speakers included Student Government Association President Marlene Lytle and Lion Ambassador President Miranda Means.

Means said the amount of change in the past three years at Penn State Fayette has been astounding, and as the campus has grown, the university has taught students about personal growth as well.

“I stand here to celebrate the growth of our students and to celebrate our Penn State Fayette family,” she said.

Mucci Construction of Perryopolis will be the contractor for the construction project, which should be completed by next summer.