Augusta University will be seeing some facilities upgrades at its athletic campus.
Christenberry Fieldhouse will be undergoing a facelift, and the baseball and softball fields will be upgraded.
“There’s a bright future of what this building is going to look like,” said Clint Bryant, Augusta University athletic director who is set to retire June 30.
Built in 1991, the fieldhouse is home to the basketball court, the kinesiology department, classrooms and athletic department offices, and it’s in great shape, Bryant said.
MORE: Clint Bryant to retire: Augusta University Athletic Director reflects on his career
“In 1991 when we moved here, it was the first new building for Augusta College, and the people — the custodian and maintenance people — took tremendous pride in the upkeep of this building,” he said.
“It’s going to be a showpiece,” Bryant said. “It’s going to be tremendous.”
But with age comes wear and tear.
Christenberry’s façade was created using a composite that resembles stucco, but is not stucco according to Ron Booth, Augusta University’s vice president of facilities.
“Weather and deterioration” have caused issues with the material, he said. “It looks like paint is peeling.”
The deterioration has led to other problems.
“There’s a leaking problem, especially with big rains,” he said.
The state of Georgia has provided $5 million for work to the fieldhouse.
Booth said the project is still in the design phase and work should begin in 2023.
“It’s an iconic building,” he said.
Bryant agrees.
“This a lot of times is the first impression. You don’t ride through campus to get here,” he said. “It’s the face of Augusta University.”
If the university was a house, Christenberry would be the “front porch,” he added.
MORE: NCAA imposes more sanctions in Augusta University basketball cheating scandal
Updates to the HVAC system are also in the works.
In addition, the softball and baseball fields are in the midst of a multi-phase project and capital campaign.
The first phase of the project has already been completed.
The first phase focused on infrastructure — relocating an existing transformer, performing grading and work on underground utilities. It also included the construction of public and family restrooms, concession building and champions walk.
Phase 2 is estimated to cost $4.2 million and includes the construction of dugouts with restrooms and storage, field lights, a press box for each of the fields, seating for 600 at the baseball field and seating for 250 people at the softball field, bullpens and batting cages.
Phase 3 is estimated at $5 million and provides for seating area canopies, gate access and site fencing, new scoreboards and extending the field dimensions at both venues. A future phase includes the addition of a fieldhouse with player locker rooms, training rooms, shared meeting rooms and laundry facilities.
Not only would the outdoor fields be used by the softball and baseball teams, but it could be used for movies, concerts and community events according to a capital campaign brochure.
Booth said money was still being raised for the capital campaign.
In April, Augusta University announced that Mason and Lou McKnight had pledged a gift of $1 million for the fields as part of the Augusta Gives campaign.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
