As part of its mission to more wholly embrace health and wellness as vital components to a liberal arts education, Beloit College is planning to convert a century-old power plant into an activity and recreation center that will benefit its NCAA Division III athletes.
The 130,000-square-foot building will feature a competition-grade swimming pool, a fitness center, indoor track, wellness center, and a riverside fieldhouse. Currently owned by Alliant Energy, the Blackhawk Generating Station sits on the Rock River in downtown Beloit, just across Highway 51 from the college’s campus.
Athletes at Beloit College, beginning as early as 2019, will be training year round in this facility, which is located directly across the street from Flood Arena—the centerpiece of the Beloit College Sports Center—and just a stone’s throw from our residence halls. In addition to the athletic facilities, this innovative facility is expected to feature student union and study spaces, a conference center, a 150-seat auditorium, and numerous other venues and lounges.
Chicago-based Studio Gang Architects is leading efforts to convert the power plant into The Powerhouse. A 2013 National Design Award winner, Studio Gang is one of architecture’s most innovative, well regarded, and closely watched firms—and one uniquely interested in projects aimed at connecting, enhancing, and restoring urban and natural landscapes.
More information about the project's features, history, and progress is available on the Powerhouse site.
