RICHARD AND NORMA SMALL ATHLETIC
AND WELLNESS CENTER
Building off the rich athletic history of the past, the SAW has become a vital hub of health and wellness for our student-athletes and the broader Cornell community. The college worked closely with the architectural firm Kahler Slater and construction firm M.A. Mortenson Company for this $20.5 million renovation project, which was completed in August 2022. The design concept centered around creating an inclusive facility rooted in function that allows Cornell to recruit top students, athletes, coaches, and staff, while serving as a living showcase of the past, present, and future of athletics and wellness on the Hilltop.
The project includes a new wellness and fitness center with updated cardio and weight equipment, new athletic training room, an expanded lobby, new locker room facilities, centralized office and conference spaces, two new group exercise rooms, a 20-yard multi-purpose turf area for movement-based exercises, and much more.
The project was possible due to the early support of several lead donors who inspired others to invest in the future of Cornell, including Jean Russell ’65, Scott Ririe ’79 and Shelley Ririe, Richard Small ’50 and Honorary Alumna Norma Thomas Small, and the Hall-Perrine Foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
