UW–Madison has no shortage of neat buildings, but few have as heartwarming of a story as the Nicholas Recreation Center. The building — “the Nick,” for short — is named for the project’s lead donors: lifelong Badger fans and philanthropists Albert “Ab” Nicholas ’52, MBA’55; his wife, Nancy ’55; and their family. The Nick replaced the outdated and overcrowded Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF), a decades-old concrete giant that sat next to the Kohl Center.
There’s a quote from the musical Hamilton that says a legacy is “planting seeds in a garden you never get to see,” and that’s what the Nick is to Ab Nicholas. He passed away in 2016 during the planning phases; the building opened on September 14, 2020. Ab truly embodied the Wisconsin Idea, so it’s no surprise that the building named for his legacy does the very same. From environmental efforts to experiential upgrades, here are 10 facts about the remarkable Nicholas Recreation Center.
LED motion lights throughout the building conserve energy and add flair.
The Nick’s 27-lane pool has seating for 1,000 spectators — that’s 1,000 more than the SERF.
Reduce, reuse, recycle:99.12 percent of the building’s materials (41,000-plus tons of stuff) were diverted from landfills.
Who says indoor cycling is boring? The Nick’s cycle room boasts movie-theater-style audio, video, and lighting.
Let the sunshine in: electrified SageGlass windows tint when sunlight is detected, which regulates light, heat, and AC usage.
There are eight full-size basketball courts, each named for a Nicholas family member.
The Nicholases wanted to “support many students,” and they sure have: 11,736 students participate in rec sports.
Stormwater retention systems send rooftop rainwater down to landscape beds.
The building features a one-sixth-mile suspended track. Only 157 laps for a marathon!
Where the SERF had less than 9,000 square feet of fitness space, the Nick has 30,000.
LED motion lights throughout the building conserve energy and add flair.
The Nick’s 27-lane pool has seating for 1,000 spectators — that’s 1,000 more than the SERF.
Reduce, reuse, recycle:99.12 percent of the building’s materials (41,000-plus tons of stuff) were diverted from landfills.
Who says indoor cycling is boring? The Nick’s cycle room boasts movie-theater-style audio, video, and lighting.
Let the sunshine in: electrified SageGlass windows tint when sunlight is detected, which regulates light, heat, and AC usage.
There are eight full-size basketball courts, each named for a Nicholas family member.
The Nicholases wanted to “support many students,” and they sure have: 11,736 students participate in rec sports.
Stormwater retention systems send rooftop rainwater down to landscape beds.
The building features a one-sixth-mile suspended track. Only 157 laps for a marathon!
Where the SERF had less than 9,000 square feet of fitness space, the Nick has 30,000.
LED motion lights throughout the building conserve energy and add flair.
The Nick’s 27-lane pool has seating for 1,000 spectators — that’s 1,000 more than the SERF.
Reduce, reuse, recycle:99.12 percent of the building’s materials (41,000-plus tons of stuff) were diverted from landfills.
Who says indoor cycling is boring? The Nick’s cycle room boasts movie-theater-style audio, video, and lighting.
Let the sunshine in: electrified SageGlass windows tint when sunlight is detected, which regulates light, heat, and AC usage.
There are eight full-size basketball courts, each named for a Nicholas family member.
The Nicholases wanted to “support many students,” and they sure have: 11,736 students participate in rec sports.
Stormwater retention systems send rooftop rainwater down to landscape beds.
The building features a one-sixth-mile suspended track. Only 157 laps for a marathon!
Where the SERF had less than 9,000 square feet of fitness space, the Nick has 30,000.
