In February 2008, the ISU Recreation Services held an online student referendum that gave students the chance to vote on a proposed renovation plan for State Gym, Beyer Hall and the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. A total of 6,466 students took part in the three-day tally, with 3,369 in favor of the new renovations as opposed to the 3,097 students who voted against the renovations.

Much of the opposition to the plans came from the price tag: $52.8 million. Some students felt they shouldn’t have to pay for something they could not yet use, despite the fact that payments for the project would not be made until after its completion.

“People have to be visionary,” said Scott White, associate director of business operations and planning for recreation services. “One of the statements that was made a number of times when discussing this with different groups was, ‘Do you like the Lied Center?’ and they’d say ‘Yeah, the Lied Center is great.’ Well, guess what, back in 1986, if students wouldn’t have had a vision then, you wouldn’t have the Lied Center. They voted to do this and they started paying the fee right away.”

In March 2004, rec. services conceived a plan to satisfy a major problem the facilities were experiencing: a lack of space. Originally, the rec. center was never intended to house intramural sporting events, but because of the increasing demand of space for intramural sports that State Gym and Beyer Hall were unable to accommodate on their own, Lied began housing intramural sports to help ease the constraints.

“We need to really analyze what we’ve got and what everybody wants,” White said.

In May 2006, a survey of the student body was taken to find out what students thought of the recreational facilities on campus and what improvements could be made. The survey indicated a very high approval rating of Lied — constructed in 1990 — and less-than-satisfactory approval ratings of Beyer Hall and State Gym. State Gym, which has seen many renovation and restoration projects throughout its years, was constructed in 1913 and sits right across the street from Beyer Hall, built in 1964.

After being given the go-ahead by the Board of Regents, rec. services hired Cannon Design Group to conduct an architectural feasibility study that would assess how certain proposed additions and renovations would fit. Overall, the total estimate compiled by Cannon stated that the proposed plan would cost $125 million.

“That [estimate] wasn’t even sustainable,” White said. “That would never have even gotten preliminary approval to proceed. Not even from our administration, let alone the Board of Regents.”

After making some adjustments to the proposed renovations, the plan faced student approval.

“At that point the board is saying, ‘They’ll approve this if the students approve this,’” White said. “So they’re giving their blessing to go ahead [and] find out what the student body thinks of this whole thing.”

Ashley Costanzo, junior in kinesiology and health, voted in favor of the rec. renovations in the online referendum more than a year-and-a-half ago.

“The reason I voted for the renovations is because as part of the Iowa State women’s soccer team, we are literally in the rec. every day,” said Costanzo, a goalkeeper.

“Working out there up to four times a week, the air conditioning was my main motivation for voting.”

As is the case at almost all state-sponsored universities, nonacademic facilities are funded by student fees. The rec renovation plan at Iowa State is no exception.

Two Board of Regents revenue bonds — both combining to total the overall expense for the project — were sold on the U.S. bond market to fund the construction and labor of the renovation project. The first bond, which was issued last April, was “snapped up fast,” White said. The second bond is set to be issued on the U.S. bond market in April 2010.

A system of mandatory student fees will be assessed in a three-year period to each student’s university bill account. The fee, which is being assessed starting this year, requires each student to pay $20 per semester for the first two years, and $107 per semester for the third year once the renovations are complete. The revenue collected from the student fees will pay back the money from the bonds, ultimately settling the massive debt. However, this is the largest student fee increase in ISU history.

“I think the fee is kind of like paying taxes,” Costanzo said. “Maybe since [the students] have to pay for parts of the renovations, there will be an increase in usage of the rec. [facilities] and maybe lower obesity rates around Iowa State.”

Katie Barton, freshman in kinesiology and health, thinks the renovations are a good idea.

“It’d be nice to improve [the facilities],” Barton said. “I don’t have a problem with [the costs]. Not everyone would be for it, but I still think it’s a good idea.”

Barton, who was a multi-sport athlete in high school, believes it is a fair trade to allow students any-time admission to rec. facilities in return for the student fee that is funding the renovation project.

“I use the rec. facilities regularly, so not having to pay a fee each time I go to work out is really convenient for me,” Barton said. “All in all, I think it’s a good deal.”

The renovation project is being divided into three phases.

Phase one includes the installation of chilled-water air conditioning on the third floor at Lied. There was a lot of speculation as to whether there is a need for air conditioning at Lied, but proponents of it state that it will prevent heat exhaustion in the hot summer months that take an extra toll on the body.

Phase one is set to be completed in late October.

“I am really excited about the air conditioning and the giant fans in the main part of the facilities [at Lied],” Costanzo said. “[It] makes working out at [Lied] more tolerable and comfortable.”

Phase two includes the reconstruction of the south-end locker rooms at Beyer and the exterior work on State Gym. The exterior on the south and west ends of State Gym will be completed by November of this year, while the north and east ends will done by June 2010.

The women’s locker room at the south end of Beyer Hall is currently being renovated and will be finished by the end of November. Renovations on the men’s locker room at the south end of Beyer will begin once the women’s locker room is finished, and it will be set to be completed by the end of January 2011.

Phase three is the “big job” of the renovations. In this phase, an elevator will be installed in Beyer Hall, as well as a new card-access control station very similar to the system at Lied, which will make it easier to keep track of who enters the facility.

Phase three will also feature the complete gutting of State Gym, which will be getting new hardwood floors, a new indoor track and more basketball courts than the previous building contained. This phase is estimated to cost nearly $30 million, more than half the renovation budget.

State Gym’s proposed addition would add 92,500 square feet to the facility. After everything is complete, State Gym will encompass 159,000 square feet.

Under phase three of the renovation plan, State Gym and Beyer Hall will also be connected by an elevated walkway over Union Drive. The walkway will consist of two sections — one to house a pathway for people to walk and the other section to house stationary exercise equipment.

Proponents of the new walkway state that it provides convenience getting from one building to the other during the harsh conditions of the winter months.

“ISU Police for years have been concerned about somebody ending up as a hood ornament on a CyRide bus while running between State Gym and Beyer Hall on a winter night in the dark,” White said. “And honestly, you get over there and you see people are dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. They hit the door in State [Gym] going out one of the north doors, and they just go jetting across the street because it’s cold out, it may be snowing, whatever.”

White said ISU Police likes the idea of an elevated walkway due to the safety aspect.

All of the renovations, granted they go according to plan, are set to open in fall 2011.

“If there is really ever going to be a significant improvement in facilities, there has to be another vision again of people who are willing to say, ‘Even if I don’t necessarily get to use it, it ought to happen,’” White said. “You know, you look out for the people that are coming after you. The folks back in ’86 certainly did.”