Exercise facility plans scrapped for HRS rooftop

Due to the changes in Gimbel, new plans call for smaller rec centers to be built in each high rise. Beginning in September, High Rise South residents in search of a hard-core workout will have to walk a little farther than expected. Instead of simply lacing up their sneakers and hoping an elevator to the high rise's rooftop lounge, students will have to throw on a jacket and make the trek to Gimbel Gymnasium on the 3700 block of Walnut Street. Citing the new $1.2 million Gimbel fitness center set to open September 1, University officials have decided to scrap plans for the construction of a large-scale workout facility in the rooftop lounge of HRS. "We have shifted the plan a bit because of the opening of Gimbel," Associate Vice President for Campus Services Larry Moneta explained. "This will allow us to retain the rooftop lounge for other uses by the College House system." Plans for the HRS facility had been in the works since the spring of 1997 and was set to open this fall. And all University students, not just high rise residents, would have been able to use the equipment free of charge -- at least in the beginning, according to officials. But to those less die-hard high rise residents out only for a quick workout session -- do not fear. Moneta also announced plans to construct three smaller-scale fitness centers -- one in each of the high rises. "Students can do their quick workouts in-house and save the big one for Gimbel," Moneta said. The state-of-the-art Gimbel facility -- already under construction -- will include new weight and cardiovascular equipment as well as video and audio systems. The proposed workout space in HRS was the result of a collaborative effort between the Residential Advisory Board and the student-run Tangible Change Committee aimed at finding new uses for the rooftop and Rathskellar lounges in the three high rises. But with the debut of Gimbel, RAB Chairperson Emily Pollack said the lounge would be put to better use as a study space -- with drastic improvements in lighting and furniture. "[To build the rooftop facility] would be replicating the same thing and wasting some of the resources that could be used to improve the study spaces in the high rises," the College junior explained. And the identification of suitable locations for each of the smaller fitness facilities will be left up to the individual deans of each of the three high rise college houses, according to Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee. "The equipment is a gift to the College Houses from Business Services," Brownlee said. "Larry Moneta has been very generous." Brownlee called the decision to refrain from constructing the rooftop facility "perfect." "The Gimbel facility is going to be wonderful and far better than anything we could have constructed in High Rise South," he said. With the construction of a new dining area in the basement Rathskellar Lounge, Brownlee said residents of HRS were concerned about the additional loss of the rooftop study area to make way for the proposed fitness center. "The big gain is that the house won't be robbed of all its public spaces," Brownlee said. "Occasionally things just happen to work out right? because of the generosity of the Gimbel donors, the college houses will gain three new fitness centers while maintaining lounge space." The individual fitness centers should be up and running by the start of fall semester, according to Brownlee, and are expected to include exercise bikes, treadmills and other cardiovascular machines. And the construction of the HRS dining facility is right on track, according to both Moneta and Brownlee. "It's an absolutely done deal," Moneta said. "It will happen by September." As the 21st Century College House system calls for each of the 12 college houses to have a designated dining area, the new Rathskellar Lounge facility will service HRS. Food for up to 200 people will be transported through the lounge's back doors each night from the Class of 1920 Dining Commons.