By Michael Barnes

-The final plan for the new proposed athletic facility may look strikingly different from the drafts made public in April by architecture firm Hastings and Chivetta. Specifically, the placement of interior offices and other spaces may be moved around to reduce costs, and these changes may affect the overall look of the building, Vice-President for Finance David Wheaton said. “We have not changed the program elements in any significant way, but are exploring the possibility of rearranging some of the space assignments . to make the building more efficient and possibly less costly to construct,” he said. “The changes inside the building will likely have some effect on the exterior appearance.”

The changes will be based on a report issued by consultants the college hired to advise the planning of the new athletic facility, Wheaton said. The consultants were hired to evaluate the building’s sustainability, efficiency, and life cycle costs, he said.

Hastings and Chivetta, the original architectural firm, is preparing new drafts for the building based on a set of suggestions offered by the consultants, Wheaton said.

“The architects are providing some ideas for our review so we can consider what direction to take the project,” he said.

The incorporation of environmentally friendly, ‘green’ building principles into the design of the building, one of the major concerns of students involved in the process, will not be affected by these changes, Wheaton said. If anything, the building may incorporate more of these elements, he said.

“We’d like to find more ways to incorporate more [green building] elements into the design,” Wheaton said. “This is one of the main catalysts for taking another look [at the plans].”

Timelines for the athletic facility project will not be affected by the changes, Wheaton said.