Dave and friends get things started on the new Cutler Events Center.

HEARTWARMING EVENT KICKS OFF NEW EVENTS CENTER AT OLIVET.

Project Overview

Name: Olivet College
Location: Olivet, Michigan
Project Type: Renovation
Square Footage: 43,000 sf
CSM Project Director: Todd McDonald
Owner’s Representative: Larry Colvin
Designer: Design Plus
Project Architect: Darrel DeHaan
Completion Date: August 2008

As a starting quarterback, Dave Cutler led Olivet College to an impressive 8-1 record back “in the day.” But as a committed and generous alumnus, he’s taking more than a passing interest in the school’s future. Thanks largely to two donations from Cutler totaling $4.3 million, Olivet College will soon be home to the Cutler Events Center, a new multipurpose facility that will be added onto the existing athletic building at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

Groundbreaking was held in October with Cutler—now a noted software engineer with Microsoft and holder of more than 20 patents—in attendance. Student athletes presented him with personal items of recognition in gratitude for his continued support. And all students in attendance wore T-shirts that carried a simple, but moving, message: “Thanks, Dave!”

“They conducted a very classy and touching event,” noted Todd McDonald, Group Vice President for CSM Group. “It was really unique.”

The new 43,000-square-foot facility will be used not only for school events and athletic contests, but also for community uses like commencement ceremonies, conferences, guest speaker appearances, and more.

“Community relations is very important to a school like Olivet; we’d like the local population to benefit, too. There aren’t many facilities this size in the region,” said Mark Veich, Olivet Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

The Cutler Events Center will house a fitness center, 100-meter track, tennis courts, locker rooms and more. Olivet’s basketball, volleyball, and wrestling programs will use it for practices and competition, and virtually all of the college’s 18 NCAA Division III athletic programs will take advantage of it for off-season workouts and conditioning. But the Center is designed to meet the needs of the entire student population, and provide another plus in attracting future students.

“We expect it to be a gathering place for all students on campus, and help them live healthier lifestyles,” Veich added.

Creativity and flexibility key to construction.

The Cutler Events Center is designed to offer flexibility in the many purposes it will serve. But flexibility is a key component in its design and construction, as well. The college needed additional square footage, but did not have unlimited funds with which to add them. So several creative approaches have been utilized.

First, the college pursued the Design/Build delivery system to permit a seamless and collaborative approach to coming up with a financially feasible solution. The CSM/Design Plus team used a structured budget to help guide the owner through the design process, allowing for the selection of important components or design elements while staying within the proposed cost model.

Also, construction will employ a combination of conventional steel systems and PEMB (pre-engineered metal building) systems. This will speed completion and add important economic efficiencies in appropriate areas.

Other challenges.

The actual construction of the Cutler Events Center does pose some interesting challenges to the construction team, however. For one thing, the timing will require winter construction. And it is, of course, Michigan!

Also, the expansion is connected to the existing athletic offices, which need to remain fully operational throughout. CSM Group will be required to extend all utilities from the existing building, while maintaining full access to adjacent parking lots and athletic fields.

But two things are clear. The new Cutler Events Center at Olivet College will be a showplace in more ways than one. And one veteran Comet quarterback still knows how to make great things happen!