CRANFORD, NJ — Union College of Union County will soon have a new Physical Education Center.
Officials from Union County Improvement Authority and UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ recently broke ground. The $35 million project will transform the 42,000-square-foot building into a high-tech, state-of-the-art facility located at the UCNJ Cranford campus.
The footprint of the addition is approximately 33,150 square feet, consisting of a new gymnasium to replace the undersized, high school-level gym currently being utilized, along with a weight room, visiting team locker room, therapy rooms and the athletic success educational program classroom.
The second floor of the addition is 1,900 square feet, consisting of an egress corridor from the existing second floor building, officials lounge, and stairway and utility rooms.
The remainder of the athletic spaces that exists in the current building are being renovated to provide locker rooms for men and women, adequate office space for program management and sports officials, e-sports gaming competition area, a new wrestling room, a weight training center, NJCAA regulation basketball court, a modernized physical training room, a mult-purpose room and academic classrooms.
BiBi Taylor, executive director of UCIA, said, “The re-imagined physical ed center will serve as the heart of this campus.”
Taylor asked attendees for patience, as the transformation will take between 18 to 20 months. Contractual substantial completion is scheduled for Aug. 7, 2027.
Margaret M. McMenamin, president of UCNJ, said, “Our mission is transforming our community one student at a time. It’s an asset to the entire county. We will be sharing. Students will be learning teamwork, community, time management, how to work with people who are different from you… The most important thing, things you can’t get from A.I. – human contact, getting along with people you disagree with.”
She closed by inviting everyone back in two years for the ribbon cutting.
Victor M. Richel, chairperson of the Board of Trustees, UCNJ, said, “Our board of County Commissioners are enormously supportive of this college. The government does many great things and there’s a lesson in that.”
Lourdes Leon, chairwoman of the Union County Commissioner Board, said, “This college stands as a landmark of excellence in our community.”
To keep up to date with the project, follow Union County Improvement Authority at: https://ucimprovementauthority.org/.
Visit Union College of Union County at: https://www.ucc.edu/.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
