Warren G. Harding Wellness Center
Warren City School Board, Warren, Ohio | New Construction, Addition, Alterations, Improvements | Education, Recreation, Foodservice, Wellness, Medical | Construction Manager at Risk | $34M | 136,000 SF
The Warren G. Harding Student Recreation and Wellness Center in Warren, Ohio, designed by Phillips Sekanick Architects for Warren City Schools, represents a transformational approach to educational architecture by bringing academics, athletics, healthcare, technology, and student wellness together within one flexible facility. Developed through years of planning by district leadership and the Board of Education, the $34 million, 136,000-square-foot center was created to expand opportunities for students while strengthening connections between Warren G. Harding High School, Mollenkopf Stadium, and the broader community.
Phillips Sekanick Architects designed the Wellness Center as an adaptable educational, recreation, and wellness environment capable of supporting evolving programs and student needs. A large indoor activity area includes a 200-meter track and upper-level walking track, along with training and practice spaces, golf simulators, yoga and sensory rooms, and fitness facilities. Dedicated areas for FIRST Robotics and e-sports integrate STEM education and technology with traditional athletic and wellness programs, while study stairs, gathering areas, and outdoor classrooms encourage learning and interaction throughout the building.
Student and community health are also central to the design, with dedicated healthcare services and a community clinic. Phillips Sekanick Architects recently completed the build-out of a student-run bistro, further expanding opportunities for career-based and experiential learning. Sustainable and forward-looking features include provisions for solar energy, an adaptable green roof, reduced stormwater discharge, and a dramatic north-facing bird-friendly glass curtain wall overlooking Mollenkopf Stadium.
The project’s integration of education, recreation, and wellness earned a 2024 AIA Youngstown Design Awards Honorable Mention. At its opening, DeSalvo Construction President Joe DeSalvo predicted the facility would become “a source of pride for the community,” while Ohio Governor Mike DeWine observed, “Schools will come from all over Ohio just to look at this facility.”
Through educational architecture, wellness design, athletic facilities, healthcare integration, STEM learning, and sustainable design, Phillips Sekanick Architects created a new center of student life that expands what a contemporary school facility can provide.
