Withrow Court demolition met with disappointment from many
By Sarah Knepp, For The Miami Student
This June, Withrow Court, the multi-use athletic facility on Talawanda Ave. near North Quad, will be demolished.
The decision was met with disappointment from students who currently use Withrow regularly.
"I'm really disappointed about Withrow being torn down," said Hailey Barr, a sophomore member of the weightlifting club.
This project has been a long time coming, even though the community at large has not known about it until fairly recently.
"This isn't a new thing," said Doug Curry, executive director of recreational sports. "It may be new to the students, but it's been talked about for a long time. Eventually, we knew it was going to happen."
The decision to tear down the building this June is because the cost of making necessary repairs would total around $15 to 20 million, said Steve Cady, senior associate athletic director.
Withrow needs a new roof, pipes, heating and air conditioning repairs.
"Bringing Withrow up to accessibility codes would cost significantly more than to build a same-size facility brand new," said Ron Siliko, senior director of customer services and facility management.
Demolition of the building itself is predicted to be complete by the time students return for the fall semester at the end of August.
The fate of the on-campus real estate Withrow currently occupies is still unknown. Cady said the space could be used for a new residence hall or academic building.
The plot of land will stand empty for several years, said John Seibert, director of planning, architecture and engineering.
The removal of the Withrow facility will displace around 107 groups, including club sports, varsity athletics and external organizations.
The university's recreation and athletic departments, have been working to find new locations for these groups.
Some will be moving to the Yeager Stadium complexes, others will relocate to the Talawanda site and the gymnastics program will move to Sawyer Gymnasium on Western Campus. Seibert said Phillips Hall is also being revamped to accommodate several groups.
According to senior director of recreational programs Mike Amos, some of these new locations are actually better than the Withrow option. For example, Arnos said, the rugby team will be practicing on turf fields at the complex on Chestnut St., a step up from the gym floor they used at Withrow.
Nevertheless, the closing of Withrow marks the end of an era for students that know the building well.
"Lifting in the Rec Center is super congested, and the atmosphere isn't as welcoming as lifting in Withrow," said Barr.
In order to accommodate some of the demand for workout facilities on campus, a new fitness center is being introduced next year in the basement of Martin Dining Hall on North Quad.
The facility will be open for all students, not just those in club athletics, and will primarily cater to students who live further from the Rec Center. It will have a scaled-down version of the cardio and weight equipment in the Rec Center.
Curry said the recreation and athletic departments are committed to serving students, despite the dissatisfaction some express at the closure of Withrow.
"We know our role is to provide the students what they're asking for and what their needs are," Curry said.