Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the “New” Gregory Gym
Twenty-five years ago, on Nov. 12, 1997, Recreational Sports opened the doors to a newly-renovated Gregory Gym. The facility had been closed for 22 months while a major renovation was underway to transform the outdated building into a place worthy of its position in the center of campus.
At this time, it’s only fitting to look back and marvel at the amazing transformation that took place. New sources of natural lighting resulted in a modern, airy setting with a main concourse that united the heritage and tradition of old Gregory with a functional state-of-the art design. Strategically-placed open lounge areas encouraged social interaction and facilitated study breaks. The decisive addition of central air-conditioning vastly improved the participant experience.
For those who never knew the pre-1997 Gregory Gym, it may be difficult to imagine the facility without the Cardio Theater, indoor running track, Climbing Wall, Outdoor Center, modernized weight and locker rooms, racquetball, handball and squash courts, and much more.
Yet, today’s Gregory Gym is more than a place to work out. Since its reopening, the historic facility has emerged as one of the most popular campus venues for a wide range of events including convocation ceremonies, Texas Volleyball games, meetings, tournaments and hundreds of special events. Most importantly, Gregory Gym remains at the heart of campus life serving as a hub for student activity, and a home away from home for countless members of the campus community.
In November, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Gregory Gym renovation with two days of commemorative t-shirts and delicious treats. See all the photos from those events here.
Want to learn more about the historic renovation of Gregory Gym? Check out this episode of Living the Longhorn Life®, a podcast from the Division of Student Affairs.
