As students returned to campus last week, many of them were greeted with a new sight: brand new completed construction just past the university bookstore. As part of the new development on Rowan Boulevard, part of the A-3 unit of construction opened Aug. 23 and contains class space for the College of Communication and Creative Arts as well as residential space and a brand new fitness center for Rowan students.

Glassboro Mayor Leo McCabe is thrilled with the progress made so far in construction and said that the new development was an essential part of turning the downtown space into a real college town.

“It’s a key portion of our downtown redevelopment,” McCabe said. “The partnership of Rowan University, the Nexus construction company, and the town [of Glassboro] has continued to flourish.”

Contained in the A-3 complex is the recently opened 230 Victoria Street, as well as the Mick Drive parking garage and 223 West High Street. These three structures will be joined by Park Place South, a soon to be opened four-story residential and shopping area.

But for students heading down to the new development, one of the main draws is the new recreational fitness center. Dan Scripter, the assistant director of fitness services at the center said that the new exercise space on the ground floor of the Victoria Street location was intended to improve one specific aspect of student life on that side of campus.

“We wanted to make things easier and more accessible for students, and especially since they’re moving to these apartments we want to be a centralized location,” Scripter said.

Added Scripter, “We just wanted to increase our offerings [and] make ourselves a better option for students. We knew that the Rec Center was getting crowded, so we just wanted to further our impact on student development.”

Niko McCardle is one of the students using the new fitness center. And for the senior public relations and advertising major, convenience is the best thing in his opinion about the new construction.

“It’s a lot easier because all my classes are up there so I can just come down here and work out so I don’t have to walk to the other side of campus,” McCardle said. “It’s a lot bigger and honestly, there’s more stuff to do. If you’re really into lifting, it’ll definitely help you progress faster than the other Rec Center could.”

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