Tufts Breaks Ground on New Athletics Complex

Tufts University officials and donors gathered Tuesday afternoon for a ceremonial groundbreaking the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center.

Tisch, chairman of the New York Giants football team and member of Tufts class of 1971, donated a total of $13 million to the project, including a $3 million challenge to inspire other alumni and friends to participate, according to a university press release.

The 42,000 square-foot center, located on College Avenue in Medford, will feature a new central plaza leading visitors to the new facilities. The new facility will include an expanded fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, new locker rooms, a film classroom for off-the-field instruction and an expanded sports medicine suite, the press release said.

It will also have teaching and activity rooms to be used for aerobics, p[ilates, dance and physical education classes, the press release said.

Building systems include high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, heat recovery, demand ventilation, high- performance glazing, solar shading devices, automatic lighting controls and natural day lighting, the release said.

“As the owner of a professional sports team, I understand how integral a first-class sports center can be to a dynamic university setting,” Tisch said in a statement. “I’m so pleased to be part of this wonderful new development on the Tufts campus.”

The Tufts athletics board of overseers were also instrumental in the fundraising effort, contributing close to $5 million in pledges to the center, according to the press release.