Gettysburg College
Athletic and Recreation Strategic Plan and Programming
Brailsford & Dunlavey was selected by Gettysburg College in April 1999 to develop a strategic plan for improving its athletic and recreation facilities. The College had been considering expanding its athletic complex by constructing a competitive indoor swimming pool, but had remained concerned about the extent to which students' needs were being met with respect to fitness and general recreation activities. Primary issues included integrating the improvements into the campus context, cost effectiveness of alternative facility investments, phasing options, integrating other student-oriented facilities such as housing and the campus union, and differentiating the College from other liberal arts colleges in the region. B&D's tasks included strategic analysis, focus group interviews, peer institution analyses, and architectural programming including site analyses.
B&D worked closely with a campus task force that included the athletic director, student life directors, and the director of campus space planning and management. To ensure broad campus participation, student leaders, administrators, faculty, and several prominent alumni were interviewed. The market analysis phase included a thorough evaluation of the philosophical, academic, physical, and demographic differences between Gettysburg and 11 of its peer institutions. The process also included several focus groups with students, faculty, and staff.
It quickly became clear that the campus would require a unique design and mix of facility components to satisfy the objectives of providing improved athletics and recreation facilities that would appeal to the general campus population. The program and conceptual designs developed as part of this project satisfied these objectives within the projected budget. As a result, the College engaged in the expansion of its athletic and recreation facilities.
