MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The WVU football facilities at the Puskar Center is under a massive renovation project of 72,000 feet, as well as 13,700 feet in additions, and athletic director Shane Lyons expects work to continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The construction, to my understanding, they’re continuing to work as we talk,” Lyons said Wednesday morning. “We’re hoping there’s no delays in materials and things we can receive. But there are other projects that we’re reviewing that have not started.”
The Puskar Center is construction began shortly after the conclusion of the football season in late November. A part of the WVU Athletics “Master Plan,” the project with the football facilities is estimated to cost about $55 million. Updates to the training room, training table, academic center, locker room, lounge, Hall of Traditions, equipment room, coaches’ offices, team meeting rooms and visitors’ facilities are all on the docket.
The outdoor appearance of the Puskar Center will be drastically changed.
Constructions falls under the category of “essential business” and is allowed to continue under the order West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced March 23. However, crews must cooperate with the health precautions and safety measures put in place, as well.
“Crews have to abide by social distancing (at least 6 feet apart), but work continues to be done on the Puskar Center,” WVU coach Neal Brown said.
Brown also said it is too early to tell if the timeline for completion, which is July 2021, will be affected.
“Our hope continues to be to have those completed by the deadline dates, specifically with football, and that there will be a locker room by early August,” Lyons said.
The Coliseum will also get a facelift, including new seats and a new video board, and Lyons believes that is still on track. Other projects around the Coliseum that have yet to begin include work on the outdoor apron, Olympic sports weight and training rooms, shell Building renovations and Shell connector.
The remainder of the Master Plan, which has yet to begin, includes work to Cary Gym — home of the gymnastics team — and the WVU golf facility, which will be built between Morgantown and Fairmont along W.Va. 73, the former location of White Day Golf Course.
The price tag for the entire Master Plan is set at $100 million.
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