The Nick: UW-Madison Southeast Recreational Facility

Originally built in 1983, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF), now referred to as “The Nick,” is the main recreation and fitness center for students.

The amenities were outdated, and the space was not large enough to accommodate student demand. After a cost-benefit analysis, the University decided that a replacement facility was the best option for its students.

GRAEF provided structural engineering for the $93 million project. The 250,000-square-foot facility occupies the same footprint as the previous SERF, but it has quadrupled the fitness space to 35,000 square feet, doubled the number of basketball courts to eight, and quintupled the number of studios for fitness classes to five. The new building also has a swimming pool that meets requirements for tournament competition.

The old SERF facility closed during the summer of 2017, then was demolished and construction began. The new, state-of-the-art facility opened in spring of 2020.