In 2021, the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
The Lee and Penny Anderson Arena project, including practice facilities, will serve as the new home for the school’s men’s and women’s hockey and basketball programs. It is scheduled to break ground in 2024, with a target opening in fall 2025.
Ryan Companies US, Inc., was selected as the design-builder, in partnership with Crawford Architects. The new arena complex will provide competition and training facilities for men’s and women’s athletics, and house commencement ceremonies, academic convocations, conferences, career fairs, and other events for the university and broader community.
Preliminary design concepts envision seating configurations that accommodate quick conversions between various athletic and university events. Spectators will be on top of the action, as intimate seating and balconies will create a home-team advantage that will enhance the game-day experience for players and fans.
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects North Quadrangle Day View](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20North%20Quadrangle%20Day%20View.png)
The exterior design of the sports arena will represent an intersection of the school’s collegiate Gothic architecture and a more modern aesthetic. LEED Silver certification will be pursued.
“St. Thomas has been evolving from small Catholic liberal arts college to a comprehensive national Catholic university, and the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena will be a powerful engine for that journey,” said St. Thomas President Rob Vischer.
The university recently announced that it received a $75 million gift from Lee and Penny Anderson of Naples, Fla., for the arena. The donation is the single largest monetary gift ever given to a Minnesota university.
On the building team:
Owner: University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.
Design architect: Ryan A+E, Inc. (design studio of Ryan Companies US, Inc.)
Sports architect: Crawford Architects
MEP engineer: IMEG
Structural engineer: Meyer Borgman Johnson
General contractor: Ryan Companies US, Inc.
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects St. Thomas - Basketball Practice Facility](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20St.%20Thomas%20-%20Basketball%20Practice%20Facility_Final%20R2.jpg)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Basketball](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%202023_0110%20-%20Basketball_Final_V1.jpg)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects - Graduation ceremony](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%202023_0110%20-%20Graduation_Final_V1.jpg)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Auxiliary Ice Arena](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20Auxiliary%20Ice%20Arena%20R2.jpg)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Enlarged Site Plan](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20Enlarged%20Site%20Plan.jpg)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Fireplace Gameday View](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20Fireplace%20Gameday%20View%20-%202023_0111.png)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Tower Entry Winter View](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20Tower%20Entry%20Winter%20View.png)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects North Quadrangle Night View](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20North%20Quadrangle%20Night%20View.png)
![University of St. Thomas Lee and Penny Anderson Arena Renderings courtesy Ryan Companies, Crawford Architects Grand Avenue Entry View](/sites/default/files/inline-images/University%20of%20St.%20Thomas%20Lee%20and%20Penny%20Anderson%20Arena%20Renderings%20courtesy%20Ryan%20Companies%2C%20Crawford%20Architects%20Grand%20Avenue%20Entry%20View.png)
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 17, 2023
Aurora, Colo., recreation center features city’s first indoor field house, unobstructed views of the Rocky Mountains
In January, design firm Populous and the City of Aurora, Colo. marked the opening of the Southeast Aurora Recreation Center and Fieldhouse. The 77,000-sf facility draws design inspiration from the nearby Rocky Mountains. With natural Douglas Fir structure and decking, the building aims to mimic the geography of a canyon.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 15, 2023
Georgia State University Convocation Center revitalizes long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood
Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2023
New 20,000-seat soccer stadium will anchor neighborhood development in Indianapolis
A new 20,000-seat soccer stadium for United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven will be the centerpiece of a major neighborhood development in Indianapolis. The development will transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis by adding more than 600 apartments, 205,000 sf of office space, 197,000 sf for retail space and restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.
Arenas | Feb 23, 2023
Using data to design the sports venue of the future
Former video game developer Abe Stein and HOK's Bill Johnson discuss how to use data to design stadiums and arenas that keep fans engaged and eager to return.
Arenas | Feb 14, 2023
A new communications platform aims to help sports and entertainment venues operate greener
GOAL (for Green Operations and Advanced Leadership) will give operators ways to gauge their sustainability journeys.
Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023
New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel
See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Steel Buildings | Feb 3, 2023
Top 10 structural steel building projects for 2023
A Mies van der Rohe-designed art and architecture school at Indiana University and Morphosis Architects' Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa, Calif., are among 10 projects to win IDEAS² Awards from the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 1, 2023
University of Houston opens 'game changer' wellness center at downtown campus
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) recently opened its new Wellness & Success Center (WSC). The $39 million, 75,000 sf facility greatly improves the quality of the school’s exercise programs and areas dedicated to them. It also establishes a dynamic core and recognizable landmark for fostering and nurturing an on-campus community, according to a news release from SmithGroup, which designed the building along with HarrisonKornberg Architects.
University Buildings | Jan 30, 2023
How wellness is reshaping college recreation centers
Moody Nolan, a specialist in the design of college recreation centers, has participated in the evolution toward wellness on college campuses.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 26, 2023
Miami’s motorsport ‘country club’ to build sleek events center
Designed by renowned Italian design firm Pininfarina and with Revuelta as architect, The Event Campus at The Concours Club will be the first and only motorsport-based event campus located within minutes of a major metro area.