After receiving official status as a campus in 2001, the InterAmerican Campus—now Eduardo J. Padrón Campus—has blossomed into a burgeoning community, witnessing growth in square footage, enrollment and student services.
However, one notable amenity has been absent from Padrón Campus’ environment—a gym.
But not for long.
Two classrooms on the first floor of building 1—Room 1127 and 1128—are being converted into a gym this spring.
Construction for the approximately $120,000 project, not including equipment, is estimated to start between the end of February and the beginning of March. Completion is expected by April, according to Gloria V. Baez, Padrón Campus’ director of administration.
The 1,094 sq. ft. gym will feature an indoor cycling machine, a rolling machine, a fitness glider, two treadmills, two weight benches, free weights, a dumbbell rack and several T.V. monitors.
It will face the southern side of the campus—across from Student Life—and its windows will overlook seventh street.
“It’s really cool, to be honest,” said Juan Hernandez, a 22-year-old student at Padrón Campus. “Most students today want to be in shape, but for financial reasons [they] don’t enter a gym.”
Before kickstarting construction, administration is awaiting pricing for the finishing touches of the project—mainly the gym’s flooring, lighting and mirrors—to ensure costs fit the allotted budget.
Gym hours and potential fitness classes have not been determined, Baez said.
Membership fees will follow the pattern of other campuses—$10 per month and $30 per term for credit students, $20 per month and $60 per month for employees and retirees and $30 per month and $90 per term for non-credit students.
Melanie Perez, an 18-year-old freshman studying accounting at Padrón Campus, who often spends more than an hour daily at Planet Fitness, believes the gym will attract students to spend more time on campus.
“Some students don’t have transportation to go to the gym, so [now] they’ll have it here at school,” Perez said. “It’s a healthy way for them to spend their free time.”
Click here to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Hammerhead. For news tips, contact us at mdc.thereporter@gmail.com.
