CWU Receives Funding to Renovate and Expand Nicholson Pavilion in State Capital Budget

The Washington State Legislature has appropriated more than $65 million to support Central Washington University facilities for degree programs in the humanities, social sciences, and health education.

The state biennial capital budget provides $55.5 million to renovate and expand Nicholson Pavilion and more than $5 million to design a new facility for the humanities and social sciences. The new building will replace Farrell Hall and the Language & Literature Building, and will upgrade a portion of the Brooks Library.

The budget, approved by the Washington state legislature and signed by Governor Jay Inslee, also included $3.2 million to add a new industrial chiller to extend campus cooling capacity for present and future growth. The budget also provides $2.1 million to restore historic Barge Hall, which experienced flood damage last winter as a result of a frozen pipe.

"The legislature was very generous, recognizing the demand for public higher education at Central and the need for modern facilities to support students," noted CWU President James L. Gaudino. "Funding for critical infrastructure protects critical research and educational functions, and will allow us to continue to provide the best quality education for our students."

The construction activities will generate an estimated $1 million in fees to the city of Ellensburg and an additional $500,000 in sales tax and other associated transactions. Combined with the hundreds of well-paying jobs the projects support, the construction will have an estimated $75-million impact on the local economy.

Gaudino said he was particularly pleased about the approval of construction funding for Nicholson Pavilion, which houses the university's high-demand health education programs. In the 2019-21 State Capital Budget, CWU received $5 million in funding for the design and development of drawings and specifications for the project.

The project will allow for the building to be modernized and expanded for the Department of Sports and Movement Studies degree program, which is one of the largest providers of public-school health and fitness teachers in Washington. The department also offers the Master of Science in Sport and Athletic Administration and undergraduate programs in dance, sport coaching, sport business, and recreation management.

Constructed 62 years ago, Nicholson has had no major renovations since it was built in 1959. It lacks basic technology infrastructure, including data ports and power outlets.

The design funding for a new Humanities and Social Sciences facility will demolish two failing buildings (Farrell Hall and Language & Literature) and replace them with a modern, efficient facility that will serve all the academic departments being displaced. The two existing buildings are extremely energy inefficient and require constant and costly repairs due to their age. Built using concrete and masonry, the structures are difficult to modify and cost-prohibitive to bring up to current building code standards.

Gaudino thanked the support of Governor Inslee and local legislators, including Senators Judy Warnick and Jim Honeyford, and Representatives Tom Dent and Alex Ybarra. He also thanked students, who advocated for the project, and employees who put several years of work into the proposals.

"Our Capital and Facilities Services teams, Government Relations staff, and the faculty and staff within affected departments have worked together to produce this success," said Gaudino, adding that alumni also had played an instrumental role in supporting the success of the projects. "I'd also like to thank our community partners, who strongly supported these proposals, including the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce, the City of Ellensburg, and the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners."

Media contact: Linda Schactler, Chief of Staff, schactler@cwu.edu, 509-607-4103.