Luther College Celebrates 'Wall-Breaking' of New $24 Million Fieldhouse
RDG's design for the renovated building creates a space that enriches the lives of student-athletes and enhances the overall fan experience.
Luther College, located in Decorah, Iowa, held a wall-breaking ceremony on Thursday, August 1, 2024, to commemorate the launch of construction on the $24 million Gerdin Fieldhouse for Athletics and Wellness. More than 90 prospective student-athletes and their families joined representatives from Luther College, the Gerdin Charitable Foundation and members of the project team to mark the occasion.
“Today, we mark the start of renovations of what has been known for a long time as the Regents Center, but thanks to the generosity of our ’92 basketball alumni donor Mike Gerdin; his wife, Nicole; and the Gerdin Family Foundation, it will be known as the Gerdin Fieldhouse,” said Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward. “To our visitors today, as you take your campus tour, keep in mind that you will be among the first generation of students to practice, train, compete and gather with fellow student-athletes at Luther College in this new space.”
The current 200,000-plus SF fieldhouse has sections dating back to the 1960s. The design for the Gerdin Fieldhouse includes gutting and rebuilding the existing space and giving most of the interiors an ‘extreme makeover.’
The opening phase is a new north lobby entrance for the facility, including a new concession stand, new restroom facilities for events and an expanded lobby experience that will salute the spirit of Luther varsity teams and provide a new home for the Athletic Hall of Fame. The second phase of work will renovate numerous team locker rooms and other athletic department support areas. With work set to begin within the month, fundraising for the project continues, particularly for phases two through four.
“After completing the master planning effort for this project ten years ago, it is very exciting to have the chance to bring the vision to life,” said RDG Architect and Partner Nathan Harris, AIA. “This project will transform the daily life of so many student-athletes on campus and enhance the fan experience for all those attending events in the new Gerdin Fieldhouse.”
The project team includes RDG Planning & Design, KCL Engineering and Opus Design Build, LLC.