The University of Iowa next week will ask the Board of Regents to give various forms of approval for up to $180 million worth of construction in the coming months and years — including a new $20 million gymnastics and spirit squad training center and an updated Hawkeye football team locker room.
The list of eight UI projects needing approval to proceed also includes another $40-plus million build-out of one of the two UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital floors that was left as shelled, undeveloped space when the 14-floor facility opened in 2017.
This project would authorize UI Hospitals and Clinics to spend $39 to $41 million in patient-generated funds to build out the Children’s Hospital’s shelled level 8 with 28 postpartum delivery rooms, along with support spaces and wait rooms.
Regents in April approved a similar request from UIHC to spend $40 to $49 million of patient-generated income to build out the shelled seventh floor of the Children’s Hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit expansion — while also adding a level on top of its existing connector bridge to the main hospital.
The seventh-floor build-out aims to add 28 new patient rooms, including support spaces, closely mirroring the existing NICU design on the sixth floor, according to regent documents.
In the UIHC’s five-year capital plan — also due for consideration and approval at next week’s regents’ meeting — hospital officials highlight expectations to spend a separate and additional $60-plus million on a “labor and delivery expansion” within its main campus pavilion and another $26 million in “labor and delivery modifications” on its main campus.
Those projects combine for a total of more than $176 million in labor, delivery, postpartum, and NICU upgrades and expansions in the near future.
“The build-out of the eighth floor would support increasing volume needs for maternity services,” according to the UI request for board approval. “In recent years, UIHC maternity services has experienced significant growth and anticipates that trend to continue.”
Over the next five years, UIHC officials expect a 34 percent increase in newborn deliveries and a 63 percent spike over the coming decade, according to board documents.
With its seventh- and eighth-floor upgrades, court-ordered payments to contractors, and a sweeping replacement and restoration of faulty and flawed windows encasing the six-year-old hospital — the Children’s Hospital project cost has swelled to half a billion dollars, although the university has sued the companies it says are responsible for the defective windows to try and recoup some of those repair and replacement expenses.
The millions in proposed construction going before the Board of Regents next week is part of a construction boom across the UI and UI Health Care campus — with the board in April granting various forms of approval for nine construction and development projects totaling $193 million.
That list included a new $75 million West Campus Parking Ramp now under construction north of Kinnick Stadium and a $37 million two-story expansion of the UIHC emergency room.
The board in June and August approved UI requests to spend $249 million on a 263,000-square-foot health sciences academic building using UIHC patient income, debt, temporary investment income, and donations and then nearly $20 million on a Biomedical Research Support Facility on its Oakdale Campus in Coralville.
Next week’s string of requests include an $18 million expansion and modernization of its Cambus maintenance facility; a $75 million Iowa Memorial Union expansion; and millions in upgrades to its Bowen Science Building, Dental Science Building, and medical laboratories.
On its athletics campus, the university aims to spend $20 million in gifts and income on a new 32,700-square-foot training center for the UI women’s gymnastics and spirit squad — which includes the Iowa cheerleaders, dance team, and Herky mascot.
That $20 million price tag is up to three times the amount the university proposed spending when officials first brought forward a request to start planning the project back in November 2021. At that time, officials suggested a 30,000-square-foot training center would cost $7 to $9 million, to be funded with athletic department gifts.
A proposed new 32,700-square-foot training center for the University of Iowa women’s gymnastics and spirit squad would be built along Prairie Meadow Drive, near the women’s soccer and field hockey facilities and the UI tennis center in Iowa City. The facility would provide practice space for the women’s gymnastics team and spirit squad, including competition-level beams, vault runways, uneven bars, and floor-exercise space. The Iowa cheerleaders, dance team, and Herky mascot also would use the space. (Photo from Iowa Board of Regents)
The updated request indicates new construction will save $125,000 in “building renewal costs,” noting the existing training space in the historic Field House doesn’t include an adequately-sized gym or dedicated space for the spirit squad.
“The existing gymnastics practice space does not include cooling, multipurpose space, athletic training space, nor does it reflect the status of the gymnastics program for recruitment efforts,” according to board documents.
The new training facility is proposed along Prairie Meadow Drive, near the women’s soccer and field hockey facilities and the UI tennis center. It would commit practice space for the women’s gymnastics team and spirit squad, including competition-level beams, vault runways, uneven bars, and floor-exercise space.
It will have locker rooms, athletic training rooms, meeting rooms, and a viewing room. Construction, upon approval, is slated to begin this fall and wrap up in a year.
“(Head) Coach (Larissa) Libby has done a remarkable job leading our gymnastics program,” Interim UI Athletics Director Beth Goetz said in a statement. “I am excited we are providing a dedicated training space for these incredibly talented student-athletes.”
The Hawkeye women’s gymnastics team finished its 2023 season ranked No. 26 in the nation, and Libby — a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year in her 20th season atop the squad — has led the program to 22 straight NCAA Regional appearances.
“A new facility opens a whole new world of opportunity for us in every aspect,” Libby said in a statement. “From efficiency of practice, time management, recruiting and the overall safety and well-being of our student-athletes, we will be looking to set a new standard for how people view Iowa gymnastics.”
UI Athletics’ second project-approval request aims to spend $2.5 million renovating the locker room area of the Stew and LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center — paid for with donations and athletics “earnings.”
In justifying the request, UI Athletics reports its current team locker room was built 11 years ago and has “seen heavy use by student athletes.”
“It is dark, worn and outdated, and no longer reflects the status of the Iowa football program for recruitment efforts,” according to the board request.
The project will include new finishes, a new floor and ceiling, updated graphics, and audio visual upgrades.
“The 130 student athletes using this space would be temporarily relocated to the Kinnick Stadium locker room if needed, however, this project is planned for minimal disruption.”
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The list of eight UI projects needing approval to proceed also includes another $40-plus million build-out of one of the two UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital floors that was left as shelled, undeveloped space when the 14-floor facility opened in 2017.
Children’s Hospital upgrades
This project would authorize UI Hospitals and Clinics to spend $39 to $41 million in patient-generated funds to build out the Children’s Hospital’s shelled level 8 with 28 postpartum delivery rooms, along with support spaces and wait rooms.
Regents in April approved a similar request from UIHC to spend $40 to $49 million of patient-generated income to build out the shelled seventh floor of the Children’s Hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit expansion — while also adding a level on top of its existing connector bridge to the main hospital.
The seventh-floor build-out aims to add 28 new patient rooms, including support spaces, closely mirroring the existing NICU design on the sixth floor, according to regent documents.
In the UIHC’s five-year capital plan — also due for consideration and approval at next week’s regents’ meeting — hospital officials highlight expectations to spend a separate and additional $60-plus million on a “labor and delivery expansion” within its main campus pavilion and another $26 million in “labor and delivery modifications” on its main campus.
Those projects combine for a total of more than $176 million in labor, delivery, postpartum, and NICU upgrades and expansions in the near future.
“The build-out of the eighth floor would support increasing volume needs for maternity services,” according to the UI request for board approval. “In recent years, UIHC maternity services has experienced significant growth and anticipates that trend to continue.”
Over the next five years, UIHC officials expect a 34 percent increase in newborn deliveries and a 63 percent spike over the coming decade, according to board documents.
With its seventh- and eighth-floor upgrades, court-ordered payments to contractors, and a sweeping replacement and restoration of faulty and flawed windows encasing the six-year-old hospital — the Children’s Hospital project cost has swelled to half a billion dollars, although the university has sued the companies it says are responsible for the defective windows to try and recoup some of those repair and replacement expenses.
Construction boom
The millions in proposed construction going before the Board of Regents next week is part of a construction boom across the UI and UI Health Care campus — with the board in April granting various forms of approval for nine construction and development projects totaling $193 million.
That list included a new $75 million West Campus Parking Ramp now under construction north of Kinnick Stadium and a $37 million two-story expansion of the UIHC emergency room.
The board in June and August approved UI requests to spend $249 million on a 263,000-square-foot health sciences academic building using UIHC patient income, debt, temporary investment income, and donations and then nearly $20 million on a Biomedical Research Support Facility on its Oakdale Campus in Coralville.
Next week’s string of requests include an $18 million expansion and modernization of its Cambus maintenance facility; a $75 million Iowa Memorial Union expansion; and millions in upgrades to its Bowen Science Building, Dental Science Building, and medical laboratories.
Gymnastics and spirit squad
On its athletics campus, the university aims to spend $20 million in gifts and income on a new 32,700-square-foot training center for the UI women’s gymnastics and spirit squad — which includes the Iowa cheerleaders, dance team, and Herky mascot.
That $20 million price tag is up to three times the amount the university proposed spending when officials first brought forward a request to start planning the project back in November 2021. At that time, officials suggested a 30,000-square-foot training center would cost $7 to $9 million, to be funded with athletic department gifts.
A proposed new 32,700-square-foot training center for the University of Iowa women’s gymnastics and spirit squad would be built along Prairie Meadow Drive, near the women’s soccer and field hockey facilities and the UI tennis center in Iowa City. The facility would provide practice space for the women’s gymnastics team and spirit squad, including competition-level beams, vault runways, uneven bars, and floor-exercise space. The Iowa cheerleaders, dance team, and Herky mascot also would use the space. (Photo from Iowa Board of Regents)
The updated request indicates new construction will save $125,000 in “building renewal costs,” noting the existing training space in the historic Field House doesn’t include an adequately-sized gym or dedicated space for the spirit squad.
“The existing gymnastics practice space does not include cooling, multipurpose space, athletic training space, nor does it reflect the status of the gymnastics program for recruitment efforts,” according to board documents.
The new training facility is proposed along Prairie Meadow Drive, near the women’s soccer and field hockey facilities and the UI tennis center. It would commit practice space for the women’s gymnastics team and spirit squad, including competition-level beams, vault runways, uneven bars, and floor-exercise space.
It will have locker rooms, athletic training rooms, meeting rooms, and a viewing room. Construction, upon approval, is slated to begin this fall and wrap up in a year.
“(Head) Coach (Larissa) Libby has done a remarkable job leading our gymnastics program,” Interim UI Athletics Director Beth Goetz said in a statement. “I am excited we are providing a dedicated training space for these incredibly talented student-athletes.”
The Hawkeye women’s gymnastics team finished its 2023 season ranked No. 26 in the nation, and Libby — a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year in her 20th season atop the squad — has led the program to 22 straight NCAA Regional appearances.
“A new facility opens a whole new world of opportunity for us in every aspect,” Libby said in a statement. “From efficiency of practice, time management, recruiting and the overall safety and well-being of our student-athletes, we will be looking to set a new standard for how people view Iowa gymnastics.”
Football locker room
UI Athletics’ second project-approval request aims to spend $2.5 million renovating the locker room area of the Stew and LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center — paid for with donations and athletics “earnings.”
In justifying the request, UI Athletics reports its current team locker room was built 11 years ago and has “seen heavy use by student athletes.”
“It is dark, worn and outdated, and no longer reflects the status of the Iowa football program for recruitment efforts,” according to the board request.
The project will include new finishes, a new floor and ceiling, updated graphics, and audio visual upgrades.
“The 130 student athletes using this space would be temporarily relocated to the Kinnick Stadium locker room if needed, however, this project is planned for minimal disruption.”
UI building boom includes gymnastics center, football locker rooms
The University of Iowa next week will ask the Board of Regents to give various forms of approval for up to $180 million worth of construction in the coming months and years — including a new $20 million gymnastics and spirit squad training center and an updated Hawkeye football team locker room.
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