Fit Me Kate: St. Catherine University upgrades fitness facilities

June 25, 2015
St. Catherine University , known more familiarly as St. Kate's, has renovated and expanded its fitness facilities on its St. Paul, Minn., campus.

St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn., known more familiarly as St. Kate's, has completed a renovation and expansion of its campus fitness facilities in an effort to provide more formal recreation and wellness facilities for students, faculty and staff.

The $9 million upgrade of the Aimee and Patrick Butler Center for Sports and Fitness was carried out in two phases—renovating 10,000 square feet of existing space and adding 31,500 square feet of new space. 

During Phase I, workers transformed about 10,000 square feet of existing gymnasium space in Fontbonne Hall into additional classrooms and connected the building to the adjacent Butler Center.

Phase II created 31,500 square feet of new space within the Butler Center: separate varsity locker rooms and lounge space, a cardio room with fitness equipment, a dance studio and a multi-purpose training center and field house.

The building’s primary point of entry was redesigned to improve security and better control access to the center. A newly installed elevator enhances accessibility in the facility.

Opus Design Build, L.L.C. was the design-builder and Opus AE Group, L.L.C. was the architect of record.