CWU Expands Campus Footprint to Keep Pace with Growth Central Washington University has been gradually transforming its Ellensburg campus over the past decade and a half, adding new academic buildings, athletic facilities, residence halls and other structural amenities designed to help the institution build toward the future. In March 2022, CWU unveiled its latest capital investment, the $60 million Health Sciences Building. The 81,395-square-foot, three-story structure on the west end of campus serves as the new home of the Food Science/Nutrition, Public Health, Exercise Science, Clinical Physiology, Biomechanics and EMS/Paramedicine programs. The facility brings all of the Health Sciences department programs under one roof for the first time since it was introduced in 2009. The building adheres to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards, and it features state-of-the-art laboratories designed to equip future professionals with real-world experience they can use in their careers. “CWU provides an unparalleled educational experience in science, technology, engineering, and math,” President Jim Wohlpart said. “The completion of this project provides state-of-the-art facilities that are as remarkable as our teaching and research.” Health Sciences, which broke ground in early 2020, represents the final piece of the $300 million “Science Neighborhood,” a concept that was adopted in 2008 and led to the construction of Science I, Dean Hall, Hogue Technology, Discovery Hall and Samuelson Hall. Samuelson, which is located adjacent to Health Sciences, opened in the fall of 2018. Just as CWU welcomed its latest structural marvel, it broke ground on another major investment on the north end of campus. The $60.5 million Health Education Project, funded by the state Legislature and private donors, will renovate the aging Nicholson Pavilion and Purser Hall, and add new classroom and office spaces for the Department of Sport and Movement Studies. An expanded fieldhouse and two new weight-training facilities (one dedicated to instruction) also will support athletic and recreational activities for thousands of students. Academic programs such as Physical Activity, Physical Education and School Health (PESH), Sport Management, and Dance are the primary beneficiaries of the project, but CWU athletic programs also stand to benefit from the upgraded facilities, offices, and classrooms. Another primary goal of the Health Education project is to transform Nicholson Pavilion — built in 1959 — into a state-of-the-art venue that can host large gatherings such as CWU and Ellensburg High School commencement ceremonies, plus statewide youth sports tournaments and community events. The project is slated for completion in the fall of 2023. “As a shared facility between Athletics and the Department of Sport and Movement Studies, this project will have a significant impact on the academic experience of our students and faculty, as well as the student-athlete experience in every-day practice, training, and competition,” CWU Athletic Director Dennis Francois said. Francois added that the pavilion’s distinctive cable-suspended roof — the only one of its kind in the U.S. — will remain. 8
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