The University of Minnesota today announced the selection of M.A. Mortenson Company as the construction manager for the upcoming construction of the University’s new Athletics Village. In this role, Mortenson will be responsible for planning and executing the construction of four new buildings on the department’s existing footprint at the corner of 15th Avenue Southeast and 5th Street Southeast: the Center for Excellence (home to academic, leadership and nutrition centers), the Football Performance Center, the Football Indoor Practice Facility and the Basketball Development Center.
“Announcing our construction partner is an exciting milestone for our Nothing Short of Greatness campaign,” said Director of Athletics Norwood Teague. “From the first day we shared plans for this project, we have been working against a very aggressive timeline to get these badly needed facilities built. Today’s announcement is the latest point of progress as we move toward providing our student-athletes with modern facilities that will help us fulfill our promise to help them achieve greatness in the classroom, in competition and later in life.”
Mortenson was awarded the contract from a competitive field of proposals submitted by multiple organizations. The company ultimately separated itself with a strong presentation of its qualifications and experience, as well as its approach to the project and its work plan.
“We’re honored to partner with the University of Minnesota and Intercollegiate Athletics to construct this important complex,” said Ken Sorensen, Mortenson senior vice president. “We’re looking forward to contributing to a project that will provide one of the best student-athlete experiences in the Big Ten and have such a positive impact on both Gopher Athletics and the state of Minnesota.”
Work on the contract will begin immediately, with Mortenson joining the University and its architectural team as they work to complete preconstruction work. Mortenson’s preconstruction duties include providing expertise on cost, schedule, construction site logistics and best approach to phasing the construction of the four new buildings. When the project reaches a point where construction can begin, Mortenson’s role will shift to executing the actual construction of these new facilities.
Teague first shared his vision for these new facilities at a Board of Regents meeting in July 2013. Over the past 10 months, the window during which the athletics department has actively fundraised for the project, the campaign has generated more than $70 million in private contributions toward its ultimate goal of $190 million. That brisk fundraising pace is “ahead of schedule” according to Teague.
Once construction is completed, the core of the new Athletics Village will include a dramatically expanded academic center, a leadership center dedicated to student-athlete development, a nutrition center to house a dining hall and wellness programming, and training and indoor practice spaces for several Gopher programs. Existing buildings, such as the Bierman Field Athletics Building and the Gibson-Nagurski complex, will be updated for use by other Gopher athletic programs.
“We are working in a transformative time for Gopher Athletics,” added Teague. “Our programs and student-athletes have generated a great deal of positive momentum in recent years, and now is the time to invest in those same student-athletes and help our department and the state of Minnesota sustain greatness for years to come.”
For more details or to contribute to the Nothing Short of Greatness campaign, visit NothingShortOfGreatness.com.
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