The Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee approved the new Southeast Recreational Facility plan Monday evening, advancing it to the Plan Commission for further review.

A University of Wisconsin staff and architecture team presented the new SERF plan to the committee and provided updates on multiple UW projects around campus.

Committee members discussed accessibility to the facility and equipment with the UW staff and architecture team.

John Horn, UW Recreational Sports director, said the SERF currently has 96 pieces of cardio equipment for student use and they are looking to have around 400 pieces of cardio equipment for the new SERF.

SERF will accomplish its own new year resolutions with revamped facility

Having one central stairwell in the new facility will allow for easier navigation of the building for students, staff and SERF employees, Walter Johnson, project manager at Workshop Architects, said.

“Circulation inside of the existing facility is complicated, even for the students who work in the facility,” Johnson said.

The simpler layout of the stairwell and exercise areas will allow for easier orientation in the building, Johnson added.

Gary Brown, Campus Planning and Landscape Architecture director, and Jason King, senior associate athletic director for Capital Projects, also presented the Draft Athletic Facilities Master Plan.

Brown said they plan to adjust seating in Camp Randall to increase the number of premium seats in the stadium. This is due to a rising number of people added to the waitlist for premium seats, King said.

Rec Sports renovation plans will make SERF look less like ‘a dungeon’

Brown and King said they plan to repair several parts of Camp Randall and restore the Field House windows. They also plan to add improvements to the McClimon Track/Soccer Complex and add an addition to the Kohl Center.

The first floor of Memorial Union is open, Mark Guthier, Wisconsin Union Leadership Team director, said. The rest of Memorial Union should be open in June.

Rec Sports presents master plan to update recreational facilities

Brown said they received good bids for the Hamel Music Performance Center. He said they are within budget and look to start construction this spring, the earliest being late February.

The project for Witte residence hall is going forward, Mike Kinderman, UW Housing associate director, said. They plan to start construction in March but are still waiting on contracts, he said.