As workers skillfully navigated the day’s chilly, windy conditions, spectators noted that the weather only served to highlight the need for an indoor turf facility. In addition to providing a warm, dry space for training for field sports during the winter, the facility will offer a welcome respite from the summer’s heat and humidity. 

“This beautiful building will be an absolute game-changer for so many in our community,” Calhoun said.

Funded entirely by donor support, the indoor turf facility was designed by Sasaki and is expected to open in January 2026. Lead project contractor Consigli Construction is managing construction for the facility that will replace Meister-Kavan Field, which served as the early-season and inclement weather site for the men’s lacrosse team, in addition to playing host to many recreational sporting events. In addition to the benefits for Brown community members, the facility will move Meister-Kavan Field’s outdoor activities to an enclosed building, mitigating noise impacts on local neighbors.

Lined for football and men’s and women’s lacrosse, soccer and rugby, the state-of-the-art indoor field will benefit more than 5,000 Brown students across varsity, club and intramural sports. Divider curtains will enable teams to split the field into halves or thirds, allowing for increased flexibility and accessibility. Approximately 2,500 square feet will be dedicated to a strength and conditioning section. 

Open year-round, the facility is expected to alleviate scheduling conflicts for varsity teams vying for training space and expand access to the broader Brown community. During the 2023-24 academic year, 92% of undergraduate students engaged in athletics and recreation activities. Calhoun said she hopes that number will rise as the indoor turf facility expands capacity to meet a growing demand for recreational programming and fitness options for students, faculty and staff eager to incorporate physical activity into their personal wellness plans.

Brown’s dedication to supporting the community both on- and off-campus is just one of the reasons Building Futures has proudly collaborated with the University since 2008. That’s according to Andrew Cortes, executive director of the Providence-based nonprofit apprenticeship program, which helps low-income workers build skills and move into fruitful construction careers.

“We have such a strong partnership in place to make sure that when we’re building Brown, we’re building the community,” said Cortes, who noted that of all the apprentice hours spent on the indoor turf facility, nearly half of them came from Providence residents.

Building on the longstanding partnership, Brown signed a landmark agreement in 2022 with Building Futures and the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council, committing the University to employ all-union labor for all campus construction projects over $25 million. The agreement also extended the University’s existing goal of ensuring that at least 15% of labor hours worked to construct those projects are performed by graduates of Building Futures.  

“When a project like this happens, it’s not only a state-of-the-art facility for the best institute of higher education that this country has,” Cortes said. “It’s also the opportunity for people to build a career, to build a life — to build their future.”