In January 2023, John Carroll was given the green light by the University Heights City Council to begin the construction of its Athletic Wellness & Event Center, or what is more colloquially known on campus as the field house. As JCU heads into the first stages of construction, there has been a mix of community concern and excitement for the completion of the project. 

The field house’s first concept designs were released in July 2022. On Sept. 28, 2022, a meeting was held to give JCU community members more information on the building plans. But, many updates have not been given since the meeting, so looking at the current status of the project helps to address student and community concern.

Jeremiah Swetel, assistant vice president of facility and auxiliary services at JCU, offered insight to The Carroll News on the latest construction updates for the field house. When asked when ground will be broken on the project, he said that they plan for construction to start this March. In the meantime, there has been work on tasks like relocating utilities and soil testing, all which took several months to complete.

The construction should not impact the use of the DeCarlo Varsity Center or the other fitness resources on campus. Swetel said that there will be workers walking through the buildings but this should not interfere with the usage of the space.

Information will be sent to students when mobilization of the project begins with details pertaining to usable entrances and exits to the buildings as well as other important factors. Swetel and his team have been “reluctant” to release the communication with students as they want to ensure all information is salient and accurate.

One topic of discussion on the minds of all students, faculty and neighboring areas is parking since the construction has restricted the use of the Belvoir Lot. Information was  previously circulated about a potential parking garage, which Swetel said, “We’ve been discussing and planning for a parking garage, we’re not sure where that fits yet.” For the time being, the shuttle system for the off-campus parking at nearby Notre Dame College JFX Lot has been running smoothly according to Swetel.

The traffic issue has also affected the surrounding neighborhood with two recent accidents in the area. University Heights Councilman Christopher Cooney discussed these issues with The Carroll News, saying that the city is working closely with both the University Heights and Shaker Heights police departments to control these problems, as well as handling traffic flow.

The neighborhood around campus has also been concerned with issues like the noise that the construction will create. Mayor Michael Brennan shared that a noise ordinance has been created, stating that the hours of construction will generally be reduced to 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

“There’s always going to be some noise and debris and dust as result of construction – I consider it growing pains, and it’s temporary,” Brennan stated. “If we all are reasonable about it, we can keep the disruption to a minimum and keep our eyes on what the overall benefit here is going to be.” He also said that there are emergency management plans in place in the case that an unforeseen construction problem arises, but he is hopeful that they will not be needed.

Many people have spoken with the aforementioned representatives on their enthusiasm for the project. Undoubtedly, the field house is going to bring to JCU and University Heights many advantages. Brennan said that he can see the field house and other upcoming construction projects making JCU “more attractive to incoming students and should provide a lot of pride to alumni to continue to support this university.” Cooney also mentioned that the project has brought excitement to the community because of JCU’s expectation of hosting more collegiate sporting events when it is complete.

Students have mixed opinions on the field house construction but there is still excitement from the underclassmen who will be the first to take advantage of the space. The field house will not only host large-scale events like track tournaments, but it will also have recreation courts for intramural sports and practice.

“I think I’d use it to get my team together and practice for intramural volleyball and soccer,” said Sarah Hastings ’26. “I think it will integrate areas like Hamlin, Campion and the field into the whole campus. It will definitely enhance the community feeling JCU has and I can’t wait for it.”

The field house will also be used as a backup for spring commencement in the case of adverse weather conditions, as Swetel said it should seat between 5,500 and 6,000 people. This, among other conferences or learning events, will help to bring the community closer and allow for the non-athlete students to use the space too.

Upperclassmen who might not reap the benefits of the field house have expressed annoyance with the construction, mainly around the previously mentioned parking issues. Gianna Bordonaro ’24 said, “The usual chaos of parking has only increased, with what feels like little forgiveness from JCU parking enforcement. Seeing all these projects in the works that I might not be able to use makes it hard to be understanding of those problems.”

To get a better understanding of what the project will look like after completion, you can view the concept design from July 2022 here. The field house will be completed by fall 2024.