Binghamton University is moving ahead with a $35 million expansion of the East Gymnasium, a 75,000-square-foot addition that will give the Department of Campus Recreational Service more room in the oldest building on campus.

The project comes as the university looks to answer a long-running space problem for a student body of about 18,000, with the new work aimed at intramurals, club sports, outdoor education, fitness and nutrition needs, and aquatics-related programming. More than 200 student jobs are created in those recreation programs, and the campus also has 27 club sports teams.

The expansion will be paid for with internal money that does not come from SUNY, while a dedicated student fee and other fees will support the programming that fills the space. Binghamton also spent $13 million in 2011 to refurbish the East Gymnasium, underscoring how central the building has remained to student life even as the campus footprint has continued to grow.

The recreation program was established in 1991 as a separate entity within the athletic department and began as the Office of Campus Recreation in the East Gymnasium. Its stated purpose is to offer unique programs designed to support positive lifestyle choices and lifelong learning through physical activity, while also promoting social connection, personal growth and leadership development.

The addition also reflects a broader shift on campus that began a quarter-century ago, when Binghamton elevated its intercollegiate athletics program to legitimize its standing among peer institutions. Today, the university has 400-plus student-athletes and a recreation system that serves students outside that varsity structure, from casual fitness users to club teams and outdoor education participants.

What the project makes plain is that Binghamton was behind other institutions in space set aside for student recreation, and the university is now trying to close that gap with a permanent investment rather than another short-term fix. The question left for students is not whether the East Gym will change, but how quickly the new space can meet demand once construction is done.