Construction is well underway for the new Leroy Merritt Fitness Center, which, with its new cardiovascular and weight equipment, food court and pedestrian plaza, will become a campus gathering space for recreation and fitness when it opens in the spring.

The fitness center construction is one of the many changes students will find as they return to campus.

“We made real progress this summer, especially when it comes to student life,” says Vice President of Administration and Finance Ethan Seidel. “Not only are we making progress on the fitness center, we added a number of student houses.”

Here are the highlights of campus improvements made over the summer:

• Three houses on Pennsylvania Avenue and Forlines House on campus were remodeled to become new student housing.
• Rouzer Hall’s entrance lobby, hallways and stairwells have been refurbished with new paint, tile and lighting.
• The “Mainstage” auditorium of WMC Alumni Hall boasts new carpeting and seating.
• The College is building a new “loop road” which circles around Gill Center instead of the previous route that passed in front of Gill.
• Students will have more parking: a new 230-space lot by the North Village will open in time for the start of the fall semester.
• ROTC, Campus Safety, and Health Services will be relocated in a renovated Winslow Hall.
• ROTC’s previous home on the second floor of Gill Gym is currently undergoing renovation and when completed will be used by the Exercise Science department.
• The College Bookstore in Decker Center received an extensive facelift, courtesy of Barnes and Noble.