Summer Construction Projects Revamp Athletics Facilities

It’s been a busy summer around the St. Bonaventure Athletic Department.

The sound of basketballs bouncing off the Reilly Center hardwood remain audible, but those familiar sounds have at times been overtaken by the noise of drills, jackhammers, sledgehammers and other construction equipment.

In all, more than 15 facility enhancement projects are underway or have already been completed this summer. Some projects are more visible and prominent than others.

“We remain laser-focused on enhancing our athletic facilities to elevate the competitiveness of all of our athletic programs, and most importantly to improve the overall experience for all our student-athletes,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Bob Beretta. “We developed an extremely aggressive facility renovation plan during the winter months and have been actively engaged in executing the plan on a daily basis since the middle of May. We feel that every one of our student-athletes will benefit in some manner from the extensive work we have and will complete. 

“In addition, it is very important that we enhance the overall experience for all our guests entering the Reilly Center. For the first time since it was built in the mid-1960s, we have made significant changes to the main concourse that dramatically change the overall feel of the building and make it more welcoming and enjoyable. We have more improvements planned and will announce those additional changes as the basketball season approaches.”

Some of the more extensive projects include:

• Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field renovation – Addition of seating areas, concourse, press box, backstop and netting system
• Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field infield turf replacement – New Infield turf to be installed and extended
• Men’s Basketball locker room – Full renovation and redesign
• Reilly Center Ticket Office – Full office suite renovation
• Reilly Center main concourse – Installation of new ceiling tile, lighting, flooring and stairway treads
• Reilly Center Arena – Installation of new portable basket stanchions
• Basketball Video/Meeting Room – Developed new space for men’s and women’s basketball
• Father Gerald Tunnel – Newly constructed leading to arena from locker room areas
• Basketball hallway – Installation of new ceiling tile, lighting, floor tile and men’s and women’s basketball branding
• Men’s and women’s cross country/track locker rooms – Developed new dedicated locker rooms for the 80+ members of the Bona running programs

• Baseball locker room – Developed new dedicated locker room
• Men’s lacrosse coaches suite – Developed new area for men’s lacrosse coaches offices
• HVAC work – Extensive improvements to the Reilly Center infrastructure has been completed to enhance air circulation, heating and cooling for team locker room areas
• Softball Infrastructure – Ground work scheduled to improve internet and broadcast capabilities at Joyce Field
• Softball camera system – Installing new six-camera system to enhance training evaluation and game day broadcasts from Joyce Field
• Officials locker room – Develop new space for game day officials
• University Fitness Center renovation– Installation of new carpeting on all three floors
• University Fitness Center Sports Medicine area – Developed new space dedicated to Sports Medicine
• Branding – Phase 2 of Athletic facility rebrand with new logos inside the Reilly Center and other athletic areas