WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — Warren City Schools announced in July that the district will be building a health and wellness center. On Monday night, those involved updated the community on what’s going to be inside.

Construction is underway for the new health and wellness center right outside of Warren G. Harding High School. Crews broke ground in July 2022.

They’ve had to expand how big it would be multiple times.

“The final number of square footage for the facility, as proposed, is about 136,000 square feet,” said Kim Phillips with Phillis Sekanick Architects.

It would take up the land space between the school and the football field. The idea came about when the district realized it needed new locker rooms, and the project evolved from there.

“It’s nice, because our kids, in football, are going to come on the field on the homeside,” said Warren City Schools Superintendent Steve Chiaro.

The band shell will now be where the soccer boosters stand sits. The facility will also include a bistro run by the students.

“Imagine if they could start a business, imagine if you could work on a business plans, be an entrepreneur, build something, create something, budget,” Chiaro said.

There will be a spot for both the robotics and e-sports programs and a medical facility for both the students and the public.

Through a grant from the state, the center will be able to provide a nurse practitioner.

“This facility has more academics to it than athletics,” Chiaro said.

In total, the project will cost over $23.5 million.

“This is going to be of no new tax dollars to the tax payers in the city of Warren,” Chiaro said. “We have been putting money away for improvements to make sure that happens.”