While schools wrestled with how to build a new athletic facility in the middle of a recession, Tufts University's Athletics and Operations Departments worked with a Massachusetts-based developer called Stanmar Inc. to devise a creative solution to designing, building and financing a new sports and fitness center in just under 24 months. Tufts was able to present not only an idea to potential donors, including Tufts alumnus Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants--but also full plans and a fixed price budget, which was appealing to many of them. The final hurdle for the project was implementing the plan to not only build the facility to the school's specifications, but also meet the non-negotiable requirement of staying on budget. Stanmar's single-source responsibility, design and construction delivery model--which combines planning, design and construction under one roof, based on an established budget--was crucial for effectively managing costs from start to finish. The company's model and track record are based on its upfront fixed price commitment--a reassurance that building costs will be kept in check.