$30 Million RecPlex Renovation to debut in Fall
Photo via University of Dayton
Jake Villari | Contributing Writer
The expansion of the University of Dayton RecPlex is on track to debut fall 2026 as the exterior
stands complete and interior renovations are set to begin in late spring, ensuring students have
bundled access to fitness, health care and counseling via a new fee.
Approved by the board of trustees in fall 2024 and greenlit for permits shortly after, construction
of the 125,470-square-foot facility began in early 2025 by Danis, the local builder of the UD
Arena and Immaculate Conception Chapel. The $30 million renovation adds 34,200 square feet,
positioning UD among the best in the state for integrated wellness.
The project includes a 15,400-square-foot student health center and a 13,200-square-foot
counseling center, adding seven exam rooms, two procedure rooms, an allergy/injection room, a
nurse telehealth room and three group therapy spaces. It creates jobs for two physicians, two
registered nurses, three therapists, a full-time psychiatric provider, four part-time master’s-level
clinicians and a full-time clinical dietitian.
The weight room and studio space will expand by 5,300 square feet total, adding staff offices and
connections between buildings. A tranquility garden will open during the RecPlex’s regular hours
for student relaxation.
Melissa Longino, assistant vice president of health and well-being, executive director of Campus
Recreation and project lead, confirmed in a recent interview that there will be no delays.
“They’ve just been amazing…We’re trying to tie the interior renovations as close as we can to
the end of the academic school year to not impact our usership,” she said. In April, Danis will
demolish the weight room’s back wall, removing offices and storage for nearly 1,000 extra
square feet of lifting room while holding normal hours and classes intact.
Starting in fall 2026, students with six or more credit hours will pay a $300-per-semester fee
covering RecPlex entry, group fitness, intramurals and certain medical tests, including strep and
COVID-19 testing.
“It eliminates barriers to access,” Longino said, noting pre-fall 2025 students remain
grandfathered in and not assessed a fee.
Some students said they are excited about the new upgrades.
“The extra space and equipment will be a game changer for waiting times,” said senior Michael
Kolska, a weightlifter.
Ben Holdcraft, also a senior, said, “The only reason I don’t go to the Rec is that half my time is
wasted waiting for a machine.”
Drew Adler, another senior, called the tranquility garden “perfect for finals week.”
Longino shared exclusive news of another upgrade: the conversion of a racquetball court into a
functional fitness space with racks, treadmills and private training areas.
“It allows us to use it as everything from a small programmed space to just another space for
people who don’t want to be on full display,” she said.
Longino called the expansion a “game changer” for student care, highlighting its push to
modernize outdated facilities and meet surging demand. The project targets weight training’s
recent rise over cardio. Regional peers such as Miami University and Xavier increasingly adopt
similar integrated wellness models.
Contractors are aiming for minimal spring renovation disruptions. Weight room demolition may
temporarily crowd space, but all hours and equipment remain available as UD prepares one of
Ohio’s top facilities for fall 2026, according to Longino and university administrators.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Leonard Villari, a senior, is enrolled in Reporting (CMM 338), a course in
journalism offered through the Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences. The
course, which aims to teach students real-world research, reporting and writing skills, is offered
in the spring.