The Penn State Board of Trustees approved a $13.3 million final plan for the Rec Hall expansion that will include a new fitness center to alleviate traffic from other campus fitness centers.

Marv Bevan, Office of Physical Plant (OPP) project manager, said construction on the 16,000-square feet expansion will begin in March and is expected to be completed by July 2006. The expansion will be open for use by students for the fall 2006 semester, he added.

"Penn State has noted the long lines at the existing facility centers," OPP spokesman Paul Ruskin said. "It has become apparent that even with the many opportunities for fitness on campus, we still need more."

The expanded area of Rec Hall will be a brick and glass structure that would add to the beautification of North Atherton Street, Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton said.

Bevan said funding for the 24,000-square feet wrestling area renovation will be allocated from different resources, however.

"The wrestling component will be funded by intercollegiate athletics," he said. "The other funding sources are fitness carry forward, central administration and borrowing, which will be paid back from fitness fee revenue."

"Fitness carry forward" is money that has been collected in the past by existing fitness facilities through membership fees, and will be used to fund the expansion projects.

"The brick part of it will complement the existing Rec Hall," Rushton said. "It would be a more modern building that would complement the IST building."

Penn State President Graham Spanier said the new fitness facility would meet the fitness needs of students the White Building cannot fulfill alone.

"I think those renovations are useful," Trustee Emeritus Barry Robinson said at the Board of Trustees meeting Friday. "It's important for students to have athletic facilities in ready access."

Trustee David Jones said the expansion seems to be "a perfectly legitimate expenditure."

"If we're under capacity, we should do something about it," he said.

Ruskin said that even with various fitness facilities on campus, such as the McCoy Natatorium and Intramural Building, a new one is still needed.

"We have to recognize that we have 42,000 students," he said. "When you have a population of healthy and active people, there is going to be a demand for recreation and activities."

Along with the expansion, Rushton said new landscaping on North Atherton Street would also be included in the project. "What they do with the IST Building added to the aesthetics and the university is working to continue that with the expansion of Rec Hall," he said.

Rushton said a newly constructed lobby in Rec Hall would unite the entrances on Burrowes Road and Atherton Street and that the new lobby will lead to the strength training area and the new fitness center.

A mezzanine area will overlook the main exercise area holding weight-training equipment. The balcony will include new aerobic equipment, he added.

Collegian Staff Writer Drew Curley contributed to this report.