The firm was contracted by Mecklenburg County to design this shared facility that will benefit both county residents and students at Queens University.
Charlotte, N.C. (Nov. 3, 2017) — Woolpert was contracted by Mecklenburg County to create a field house that would serve the needs of both the county and Queens University. The $1.7 million, 6,200-square-foot facility will be built adjacent to the 13 new tennis courts, field hockey field and track at the Queens University Sports Complex at Marion Diehl Park.
The field house will have locker rooms for multiple sports, public restrooms, office space, classroom space, an outdoor patio area, a warming pantry, and a public meeting space and community room that overlook the tennis courts.
Woolpert Architect Taylor Bishal said this project helps the county and the university share resources to cost-effectively serve local constituents, officials and students.
“This design collaboration is an innovative integration between the public and private sectors, within a set budget and through strong project management,” Bishal said. “This building is designed to be a multifunctional workhorse that can be used for university gatherings and community meetings, and has offices on-site for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and Queens University.”
Bishal said the “gem of this project” is the 550-square-foot community room, which anyone can rent out.
“The finishes were chosen so that it will make for an appealing location for catering events,” Bishal said. “It will have floor-to-ceiling storefront glass, and will look like a lantern when it’s lit up at night.”
This isn’t the first time Mecklenburg County has collaborated with Queens University on shared facilities. The university’s 65-acre Sports Complex at Marion Diehl Park, which opened in 2009, also included a Conference Center to rent by the public. This latest project continues to foster this collaborative use of space and resources.
The new field house is scheduled to be completed this spring.
About Woolpert
Woolpert is a national architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) firm that delivers value to clients by strategically blending engineering excellence with leading-edge technology and geospatial applications. With a dynamic R&D department, Woolpert works with inventive business partners like Google and Esri; operates a fleet of planes, sensors and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS); and continually pushes industry boundaries by working with advanced water technologies, asset management, building information modeling (BIM) and sustainable design. Woolpert’s mission is to help its clients progress and become more progressive. For over 100 years and with 25 offices across the United States, Woolpert serves the needs of federal, state and local governments; private and public companies and universities; energy and transportation departments; and the United States Armed Forces. The firm currently is doing business in all 50 states and in six countries. For more information, visit woolpert.com or call 937-531-1258.