A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of work on the new Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center at Tufts University in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, US.

The 42,000sq ft (3,902sq m) venue - on College Avenue, Medford - will help the institution in its bid to promote healthier lifestyles and improve competitive athletics. Steve Tisch, the film producer and the chair of New York Giants, provided around US$13m (£8m) in donations, including a US$3m (£1.8m) challenge to alumni and friends.

Wayland, Massachusetts-based Stanmar will work with architectural firms RGO Partnership and DiMella Shaffer on the design and construction of the venue. Initial plans to renovate an existing athletics building and add a new facility have been altered, with a new facility to be built away from the existing property with a different floor plan.

Tufts vice president for operations Richard Reynolds said: "We're getting all the program components we originally wanted, but in a new building, and we're saving money, too."