The City of Priceville, in Morgan County, will break ground for the Priceville Event and Recreation Center on Friday. The ceremony will take place at Priceville City Hall, adjacent to the construction site.
The 25,000-square-foot event, fitness and sports venue will be comprised of a gymnasium and two multi-purpose support wings. The 10,100-square-foot gymnasium design includes an elevated walking track and tiered seating for 320 spectators, with the floor being configured for one or two youth basketball courts, one futsal court, one volleyball court or banquets accommodating up to 400 guests. The rest of the facility will feature a cardio/strength training room and additional space for small-scale meetings.
“The Priceville Event and Recreation Center will be an incredible improvement for our citizens’ quality of life,” said Sam Heflin, mayor of the city. “It’s a dedicated space where our community will be able to come together for decades to celebrate graduations and weddings, and attend craft fairs, boat shows and farmers markets. The opportunity to host travel ball, indoor sports tournaments and conventions will also boost our economic development, bringing revenue to our local businesses and citizens.”
Planning for the facility began in 2017. Chambless King Architects was hired for architectural and interior design services, as well as serving as the owner’s representative, in early 2020. Others taking part in the project are Gonzalez-Strength and Associates as civil engineer and landscape architect; LBYD Inc. as structural engineer; Consulting Construction Engineering as electrical engineer; Pinnacle Engineering as mechanical, plumbing and fire protection services; and Building Construction Associates Inc. as general contractor.
“Open communication with the city council has allowed us to develop design solutions that address not only the current needs of the community but help plan for future growth of the Priceville Commons development,” said Michael Shows, lead architect on the project and principal at Chambless King.
Plans include pedestrian connections between the recreation center and city hall. The exterior of the building will complement city hall through matching brick and cast stone veneers. Inside there will be an abundance of natural light and comfortable materials to support the multi-use of the facility.
Construction should be complete in spring, 2022. The groundbreaking ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, March 5, is open to the public.
