The 2,000-seat multipurpose arena in the heart of campus will undergo a major facelift. The facility has served as the heart of SHU Division I athletics and is the competition home to multiple sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. In the upgraded layout, the court will rotate 90 degrees from its current position and be surrounded by permanent bleacher-style and backed arena-style seating. This redesign will maximize the current footprint of the building and allow for ample practice options. The renovations will include the addition of a mezzanine for VIP seating and events, video boards, sound systems, and lighting.
“We’re excited to see the Pitt Center evolve and become a premiere sporting arena,” SHU President John J. Petillo said. “With the Pioneers’ transition from the Northeast Conference to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), we are committed, more than ever, to providing our student-athletes with a competitive environment. Renovating the Pitt Center with state-of the-art features is part of that process. It’s important we show our Pioneers we are dedicated to their success.”
The university will partner with the S/L/A/M Collaborative architecture and construction firm to complete the renovations in time for next year’s basketball season.
The Pitt Center opened in 1997. The three-floor facility includes basketball courts, a fitness center, rehab rooms, locker spaces, a weight room, and more. The venue serves as a gathering space for the SHU community. Numerous concerts, games, Relay for Life events, lectures, and convocation ceremonies have been held at the Pitt Center throughout the last nearly 30 years.
