WINCHESTER, Va. — The new James R. Wilkins Jr. Athletics & Events Center under construction at Shenandoah University is still on track for completion in December, according to the university.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the $24.5 million, 77,000-square-foot facility was held in October 2016. Earl Swensson Associates, a Nashville-based architect, designed the building and Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. of Winchester is serving as the general contractor.
The building, which is being built next to the university’s Shentel Stadium, is named for local businessman and SU board of trustees member Jim Wilkins, whose father, James R. Wilkins Sr., was instrumental in getting the school to move from Dayton to Winchester in 1960.
Once finished, the brick building will house a 63,000-square-foot multipurpose field house designed for varsity competition and practice, with retractable seating for 1,600. Facilities will include an indoor track; basketball and volleyball facilities; sand pit and pole vaulting areas and practice cages for baseball, softball and golf. The university has about 500 student-athletes and 21 sports teams.
The facility also will be home to the largest-capacity events center in the Winchester area, with seating for 5,000, or 1,000 for a sit-down dinner. The events center will serve students first, but other groups will be able to book it for special events.
Shenandoah University has about 3,900 students.
Source: Winchester Star, read more here.