WPU Breaks Ground for $40M Recreation and Health Sciences Center

On Oct 20, 2025

William Paterson University held a groundbreaking this past Friday, for a $40 million state-funded transformation of the institution’s existing Sports and Recreation Center into a hub for the academic programs offered by the institution’s Department of Kinesiology along with construction of a new wellness center and a natatorium.

Federal, local, and state officials were on hand to celebrate the project, which is funded with $40 million from the Educational Facilities Authority. It was recommended for legislative approval by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and awarded through a competitive call for proposals for capital improvements and technology infrastructure projects.

The overall facility, to be called the Recreation and Health Sciences Center, will be enhanced with a new 55,000-square-foot, two-story extension to the current Sports and Recreation Center that will more than double its size. The facility will provide classrooms, laboratories and other related spaces for the university’s bachelor’s degree programs in sports medicine, sport management, exercise physiology, and physical education, and master’s degree programs in athletic training, exercise physiology, and sport administration.

The first floor will house the university’s Counseling, Health, and Wellness Center, which will feature a new modern health clinic with a dedicated women’s health center, a lab and pharmacy, and examination and counselor rooms. It will also feature a flexible space for group activities.

The second floor will provide facilities for the university’s Department of Kinesiology, including four classrooms, observation rooms, a dedicated space for athletic training, and faculty offices. It will also include a state-of-the-art 25-meter natatorium with locker rooms for recreational and competitive swimming and a multipurpose academic gym, and additional flexible space for group activities.

The expansion will seamlessly connect to the current Sports and Recreation Center, which houses the University’s main athletic arena and fitness facilities. The project is scheduled for completion in June 2027.

“This new Recreation and Health Sciences Center is truly a transformational project for William Paterson,” said William Paterson University President Richard J. Helldobler. “It will, of course, feature upgrades and additions to the complex’s traditional sports and recreation role, which will create a space to support comprehensive student wellbeing through our excellent Health and Wellness Center. Significantly, it will also leverage proximity to these facilities to create space and resources for the many related majors that are preparing our students for careers in the diverse allied health professions.”

New Jersey Lt. Governor Tahesha L. Way said, “This groundbreaking marks an exciting investment in the future of William Paterson University and in the growth of its students. Our Administration is proud to support the launch of the new Recreation and Health Sciences Center – a hub for innovation in sports medicine, kinesiology, and wellness. As the wife of a retired professional athlete, I know how essential these fields are for those in physically demanding professions. This facility will be more than a place to learn – it will be a space for the WP community to come together and take care of themselves.”

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