Withrow Court demolition met with disappointment from many
By Sophie Whorf, For The Miami Student
In light of the imminent demolition of Withrow Court, Miami students, university faculty and Oxford residents reflected on what the historic gymnasium has meant to the local community over the years.
"I've been here for 15 years," said Senior Director of Rec Center Programs and Academic Partnerships Mike Arnos. "I was a student here who played intramurals in [Withrow]. I lived in that building for a long time."
When Arnos first began his career at Miami in 2002, he was told not to get too comfortable in his office in Withrow, as the possible demolition was already in discussion.
"People have been talking about tearing down Withrow for a long time --- even back [in 2002] we planned for what would happen if Withrow came down," said Arnos.
When it was officially announced that Withrow would be demolished in early 2015, it came as expected, yet sentimental, news for Arnos.
"As an alumni who has been here for years, it was kind of sad [to hear about the demolition of Withrow]. I was thinking about how I could get a brick from Withrow to take with me," said Arnos. "I went out and took all kinds of pictures of the inside and outside of the building so [I] could remember it."
Like Arnos, sophomore Christa Baumgartner has been connected to Withrow for a number of years. The building housed gymnastics practices from her childhood through her adolescence.
Christa started taking gymnastics lessons when she was just four years old. Long before Withrow held a gymnastics program, however, she traveled to the Hamilton YMCA to take lessons.
"I originally started [gymnastics] lessons at the Y in Hamilton, but it was a long drive. When my mom found Withrow, we said, 'Oh, we'll move there.' It was only a 10 minute drive from my house [in Oxford]," said Christa.
The Miami gymnastics program relocated from Phillips Hall to Withrow Court in 2007, offering both private and group gymnastics lessons for the public. That was when Christa began taking lessons at Withrow at the age of 9 and saw her skill set improve almost immediately.
"I was really excited [to start taking lessons at Withrow]. I advanced really quickly. I could [practice] so much more," said Christa. "A lot of times it would be empty --- just me and the coach."
Christa's mother, Marie Baumgartner, recalls taking Christa to Withrow, where Marie would observe the practices from nearby benches.
"[The program] had good coaches," said Marie. "[When] attending her lessons, I would see all kinds of Oxford residents. The lessons were quite convenient for the children."
Christa's passion for gymnastics began to grow as she continued to refine her technique and form close bonds with her coaches. For seven years, Withrow became a home away from home for Christa. She attended lessons from 2007 until 2014, the year she graduated from high school.
Today, Christa is a member of Miami's club gymnastics team as well as a coach for kids between the ages of three and eight.
"It's been a really fun transition to see what it's like to start out taking lessons and now, being a coach myself, it's definitely come full circle," said Christa.
Upon hearing the news of Withrow's demolition, Christa's reaction was similar to Amos' --- unsurprised, but reminiscent of the building's impact on her life.
"I wasn't surprised because the building is getting older. I guess it does have a lot of sentimental value ... I have memories there. I remember learning different [gymnastics] skills in certain parts of the building," said Christa.
The gymnastics club has since relocated to Sawyer Hall, where Christa plans to continue the sport she grew to love within the walls of Withrow Court.