Wallingford, CT

The faculty and staff of Choate Rosemary Hall, a co-ed boarding school of 850 students, realized that updated athletic facilities were required to be competitive in the prep school market. The school’s small outdated fitness center was located in a dark basement and the existing field house, squash courts and support facilities needed major upgrading. Therefore, commissioned was the new Worthington Johnson Athletic Center that brings the most current in athletic facility advances available in today’s prep school market. It has become a major gathering place on campus, bringing a restored sense of pride to Choate’s athletic programs.

This new 16,000 square foot addition and 55,000 square foot renovation project incorporates a new fitness center, dance studio, trainer’s spaces and international competition squash courts on one side and the existing field house with its glass cage as home to running track, two -basketball courts and renovated squash facilities on the other side.

Besides the new fitness center with two full glass walls with panoramic views of the playing fields, two new international competition squash courts anchor the new addition. Additionally, four courts were converted for international play with fibers in play surfaces and maple flooring. Six American courts were also rehabilitated in the field house facility.

A dance and aerobics studio is complete with sprung maple floors and an adjustable dancing barre. The studio incorporates theatrical lighting so that it may be used as a small performance space. Highly desirable is Choate’s trainer suite used for player rehab, conditioning and training. A taping and first aid room, wet therapy room and physical therapy suite are incorporated in order to keep players healthy and fit.

A fresh face was required of the existing field house with renovation including skylights, lighting and finish upgrades providing a bright new and fresh feeling to Choate’s existing “cage” with running track, basketball arena, and support facilities. A student and faculty locker room renovation was also included with this project phase.

Newfield has also completed a code upgrade including all fire protection systems at the Paul Mellon Arts Center.