After the closure of former athletic facilities around campus due to the opening of the new Recreation and Wellness Center, Pitt has a variety of plans for the vacated buildings.
The new Campus Master Plan, set to be publicly released in late 2025, divides the Baierl Rec Center, Trees Hall, the Fitzgerald Field House and Bellefield Hall between Pitt Athletics and the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, with facility purposes up to the individual school’s discretion.
Gina Bleck, vice chancellor for Planning, Design and Construction, said the vacated facilities are “not suitable for housing” and emphasized that all master plan projects are in an “aspirational” or “conceptual stage.”
The former recreation space in Bellefield Hall was allocated to the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Bleck says the master plan designates Bellefield as a “home for Pitt’s fine arts,” including both music and architectural studies.
Pitt Athletics assumed control of the Baierl Recreation Center in the Petersen Events Center. Bleck confirmed the formerly frequented gym would be transformed into a “student-athlete success center.”
Upper campus’ Fitzgerald Field House and Trees Hall will also be managed by Pitt Athletics. While no long-term plans were discussed for Trees, the Fitzgerald Field House will continue to be utilized for the track and swimming teams and will undergo new construction in the future.
“The long-term plan [for the Fitzgerald Field House] is to develop a new indoor track facility in conjunction with a new parking facility,” Bleck said.
Lydia Jones, an undeclared first-year student, said she has ”loved” the new rec center. Jones never had the opportunity to use the old athletic facilities, but appreciates the centralized nature of the new rec center as opposed to several separate gyms.
“Definitely just because of how big [the rec center] is, you don’t need all of these separate little [gyms],” Jones said.
Jones said she was in support of the old facilities being dedicated to student athletes because they might require specialized space.
“That way [athletes will] have their own space to work out and prepare for their seasons,” Jones said.
Sophomore athletic training major Ryan Shaneman said he frequented the Baierl Rec Center last year, saying he appreciated the centralized format.
“I liked [the former] Pete’s layout of it all just being one floor,” Shaneman said.
Despite this, Shaneman said he enjoys the new rec center, particularly its wide range of machines and spacious floors.
“It definitely adds more variety,” Shaneman said. “It spreads the students out.”
As a member of the Pitt bodybuilding club, Shaneman said he felt the rec center could accommodate student-athlete needs, rather than having dedicated repurposed facilities.
“Sure, [student athletes] need specific workouts and everything, but I feel like the Pitt rec center has separate rooms with dedicated stuff for that. I’m a part of the bodybuilding club, so we have a club that comes in and we do our stuff through there,” Shaneman said.