Covelle Hall, on the OSU Institute of Technology campus, is getting a facelift this summer semester. The basketball gym floor is in the process of being replaced after 60 years.

Although the gym floor was resurfaced in the early 1990s, the original concrete subfloor was built in the 1960s. 

To maintain a surface safe for all, it was time for an upgrade after the wear and tear from day-to-day recreational and event usage.

"The biggest benefit of the new flooring will be the safety and versatility," said Kamie Crawford, director of Student Life. "While Covelle Hall is used for recreation on a day-to-day basis, we also host and house many campus and community events in that space. We chose a flooring system that could accommodate both uses while maintaining its integrity and versatility for hopefully another 20 to 30 years."

The new gym floor, which is expected to be complete in July, will have a new floor and a new look. The base color is gray, which will complement two sets of lines to accommodate recreational usage; black lines for basketball games and white lines for the volleyball. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the OSU Pistol Pete mark at center court.

This project has been in the works for more than three years, with funds accruing long before. The gym floor is the second phase of the Covelle Hall updates, following the North end renovation that took place during 2017-2018. 

"We continue to add updates and pieces to Covelle Hall all the time. They may not be as large of a scale as the current flooring replacement project, but we strive to create and maintain a facility that is accommodating in many ways and for all its uses," said Crawford. "If you haven't visited Covelle Hall in a while, stop by for a tour of the facility." 

Although the basketball court is currently closed, both ends of Covelle Hall are open to allowing all three workout areas and the racquetball court to be utilized.

This summer, there are many opportunities for outdoor recreation on campus, including; two outdoor basketball courts, a nine-hole disc golf course, walking and running trails and a fishing pond.

Many items are also available for checkout at the Covelle Hall South desk with a student ID, basketballs, discs, footballs, Frisbees or even a fishing pole for use at the pond on campus. Lawn games may also be checked out and used in the grass areas around Covelle Hall, which include; corn hole, ladder golf, spikeball, soccer golf, Kan Jam and Kubb. 

"We aim to have the basketball court back open for full traffic and use by mid-July," said Crawford. "We appreciate the patience the campus has shown while this project takes place."