Renovation of shellhouse in works

Phase 3 in Barbara Hedges' upgrading of athletic facilities at Washington is eight months — and $5.7 million — away from the start of construction.

Hedges, UW's athletic director, is certain the university will reach the $18 million goal it needs to start its project, and the Conibear Shellhouse and Student-Athlete Life Center will get a much-needed renovation beginning in January.

The UW has already raised $12.3 million for the shellhouse, and hopes to have the remaining $5.7 million by October. The school has already completed a major renovation on Edmundson Pavilion and constructed the Dempsey Indoor athletic facility.

Hedges said the athletic department has raised $79 million in private donations to fund the three projects and one other, a planned baseball and soccer stadium that will be the next project after the shellhouse is completed.

The Edmundson project cost $42 million and the Dempsey facility $29 million.

The shellhouse serves as the base of operations for Washington's men's and women's crew programs, and is also the dining facility for the university's 670 student-athletes.

Built in 1949, the building was originally a dormitory for men's crew members and football players. Now it houses two crew programs and is the headquarters for the athletic department's academic-support services.

The building has cracks in the floor and walls from earthquakes. Space to accommodate the student-athletes who go there for tutoring, studying or training table is limited. The boathouse, where the crew teams' shells are kept, is also in need of expansion, women's coach Jan Harville said.

"This building is incredibly important for our student-athletes," Hedges said at news conference announcing the renovation yesterday. "It is in desperate need of renovation. Nothing substantial has been done since that time (1949). It is probably the most important building that we will do."

On any given day, Hedges said, 300 or 400 UW student-athletes utilize the life center. The crew teams number 200, and only the men's team has a locker room at the shellhouse.

Renovation plans call for a sloping roof that will rise to 20 feet above the structure, more room to almost double the capacity in the dining area, expanded computer facilities and an entire floor dedicated to tutoring. The crew teams will get new locker rooms, team rooms, training rooms for their rowing machines and glass boathouse doors.

"It will put us back on par with some of the other programs that have rowing," Harville said.

The project is expected to take 14 months to complete. Square footage will be increased from 19,600 to 31,000.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com