California University Construction Project Supports Olympic Dreams

 |  Education, Sustainability
SJSU Uchida Hall-resized
Uchida Hall is the first of six buildings to be completed at San Jose State University’s Spartan Complex.

There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a project that inspires its occupants to achieve great things. Sundt has done that, and more, by completing extensive renovations and seismic upgrades to Yoshihiro Uchida Hall at San José State University (SJSU).

Uchida Hall is a multipurpose athletic and academic facility named for Yoshihiro “Yosh” Uchida, the head coach of SJSU’s nationally renowned Judo program. Several student athletes from the program have gone on to win Olympic medals, and now they have an even better facility in which to train and chase their gold-medal dreams. The renovated Uchida Hall features a refurbished Judo activity space, updated weight training classroom, exercise physiology research lab, stress management lab and classroom, aquatic center, updated instructional gymnasium, and a new air conditioning and fire sprinkler system.

SJSU Judo-resized
Uchida Hall houses a nationally renowned Judo program that has trained several students who went on to become Olympic medalists.

The work was part of a $48 million university construction project to improve and modernize SJSU’s 176,062-square-foot historic Spartan Complex (where Uchida Hall is located) while bringing it into alignment with current earthquake-protection measures – an important task faced by many California university campuses. Respecting the facility’s design and integration into the surrounding architecture was another goal Sundt was able to help the owner achieve.

“We aimed to retain the architectural integrity of the existing building while improving the complex’s aesthetics with color, appropriate exterior skin materials and mechanical and electrical systems,” said Sundt Project Manager Jason Hughes. “These upgrades not only will improve the safety for students, faculty and staff in the event of an earthquake, but also enhance their daily comfort with the updated operating systems.”

Uchida Hall is the first of six buildings to be completed at the Spartan Complex, which includes Uchida Hall and Uchida Natatorium, Uchida Hall Annex, Spartan Complex Central and Spartan Complex East. Following Sundt’s commitment to sustainability, the Spartan Complex upgrades incorporate recycled content, low emitting materials, sustainable roofing elements and increased insulation. Construction for the entire complex is expected to be completed in late 2015.