The Nicholas Recreation Center was an education project in Madison, WI. Completed in 2020, the 250,800 sq. ft. plan had an estimated budget of $65,871,200 .

The Nicholas Recreation Center (Nick) is a new state-of-the-art facility where the Southeast Recreational Facility (the SERF building) used to be.The SERF building, one of UW Madison’s Rec Sports Facilities, was initially constructed in 1983 for a campus of 43,075 students and required a significant overhaul to support the growing population of UW Madison’s student body and alumni. The facilities were deemed outdated and overcrowded and required extensive repairs and deferred maintenance due to failing infrastructure. To address the needs of the students and allow flexibility in the future, the SERF building needed to be demolished, and a new facility erected in its place, the Nicholas Recreation Center.The Nicholas Recreation Center, named for the late Albert “Ab” Nicholas, his wife, Nancy, and the Nicholas family, was completed in 2020. The new facility includes spaces for strength, cardio, and functional fitness areas, including a 9-basketball court gymnasium. The facility also provides a place for comprehensive wellness programming, an indoor walking and jogging track, several multi-purpose rooms, racquetball courts, and administrative areas. Beyond your average recreation center, this facility was fitted with a 50-meter competition pool and separate diving well, intended to be the home site of the UW-Madison Swimming and Diving program as it was designed to meet NCAA standards for a competition pool. It is outfitted for hosting special events with seating for approximately 1,500 spectators and support spaces such as restrooms, concessions, ticketing, and an entry lobby and concourse.MCC provided estimates at the conceptual and schematic design levels, as well as the design development and construction document levels.