Purdue Gets OK for Football Complex and Demolition of Marsteller St. Parking Garage

INDIANAPOLIS—State Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette) said the State Budget Committee gave its approval  to Purdue University to proceed with the renovation of the Mollenkopf Athletic Center, which includes construction of a new football performance complex, and the demolition of the Marsteller Street Parking Garage.

The approval came during the State Budget Committee’s meeting at the Statehouse on Tuesday, March 15. Klinker serves on that committee.

“The Mollenkopf Athletic Center is in need of modernization, renovation and repair,” said Klinker. “In addition, the project includes the construction of an 110,000 square-foot football performance complex. The committee also gave Purdue permission to demolish the Marsteller Street Parking Garage and replace it with an asphalt surface lot. The garage was built 40 years ago and is beginning to deteriorate. It would require extensive repairs to be usable for the long term. In addition, Purdue officials believe the garage’s condition would eventually cause a safety concern for those who park there.”

The State Budget Committee approved the Purdue University trustees’ request to enter into a lease amendment between the university and the Ross-Ade Foundation to fund the $65 million project. The new football performance complex will house a sports performance training area, a locker room, a sports medicine facility, a team meeting room, coaches’ offices, and enhanced academic support facilities.

The five-level Marsteller Street Parking Garage will be replaced with an asphalt parking lot that features green space landscaping. The project cost is $2.2 million.