Mount St. Joseph Univ. Building $18M Rec Center

The Recreation & Fitness Center will be the first major construction project on the campus since 2004.

A rendering of the Mount St. Joseph University Recreation & Fitness Center. Image via MSJU.

(Cincinnati, Oh.) - Ground has been broken on a new, $18 million Recreation & Fitness Center at Mount St. Joseph University.

The official groundbreaking was held Monday on the campus of the small Catholic university on Cincinnati’s west side. The recreation and fitness center will be the first new building on MSJU’s campus in 15 years.

“The new Recreation & Fitness Center is the first bold step of many bold steps to come in the future, as outlined in our Strategic Vision, known as Transformation 2025,” said Dr. H. James Williams, President of Mount St. Joseph University. “It is a distinct example of how the Mount has always focused on enhancing the student experience and creating a vibrant campus environment.”

The 86,000-square-foot facility will be an indoor practice space for Lions athletic teams. It will also be available as a fitness center for the entire Mount community, according to the school.

Features of the new center will be a large fieldhouse housing the only indoor NCAA regulation-size track in the region, a fitness area with workout equipment, yoga and dance exercise spaces, five locker rooms, and an athletic hall of fame.

The new Recreation & Fitness Center will be an important part of the university’s growth. 

“Today, 60 percent of all incoming freshmen express an interest in athletics and 44 percent of our students are involved in one of our 22 NCAA Division III teams, in addition to those who choose club and intramural sports,” said Athletic Director Steve Radcliffe. “This new facility is a purposeful response to the Mount’s growth, and our coaches are excited about all of the possibilities for their teams.”

Construction will start this summer and it should be completed in 2020, Mount St. Joseph University’s centennial year. BHDP and Moody Nolan are the architects and Messer Construction is the builder.