ANN ARBOR – Over the past nine decades in the world of intramural sports, activity preferences have evolved. And at the University of Michigan, a building that houses them is evolving, too.

When it opened in 1928, the U-M Intramural Sports Building (IMSB) was the first university-based recreational sports facility in the country. The long and narrow 106,000-square-foot building contained racquetball and squash courts, a swimming pool, weight training, an auxiliary gym and a "vast main gymnasium extending the width of the first floor," according to a modern description by the U-M.

Placed on a block-long parcel of land across from Hoover Street and west of State Street, over the years the building's lighting and electrical systems have been upgraded, as have shower, lavatory and communication systems, but the structure of the building itself has stayed the same. Until now.

"The IMSB that will update infrastructure and address contemporary programmatic needs for fitness and recreational spaces," the University of Michigan says about an ongoing $21.4 million renovation of the building. "The project will reconfigure existing space within the building to provide larger areas for cardio and weight training; new group exercise rooms, improved racquetball courts, locker rooms, and staff offices; and spaces for social interaction. Infrastructure upgrades will include accessibility improvements, plumbing and wired and wireless networking upgrades, exterior window replacement, new air conditioning, masonry repairs, lighting improvements, and gymnasium floor replacement."

The renovation work began in April 2015, and is expected to wrap up this fall. Construction work is being managed by Clark Construction, working with the design team of Integrated Design Solutions and RDG Planning & Design.

Modern users of the facility were polled and told project planners what they wanted. High on their list was larger group exercise rooms - and their wishes are being accommodated.

Intramural sports usually means recreational competition among groups at school or near campus. As early as the turn of the last century, there was a call on college campuses for more opportunities for sporting and physical activities - even for women, although the Victorian ideal of woman as being too delicate for physical activity still existed.

Driving the bus to build the Intramural Sports Building was school administrator Elmer D. Mitchell.

"The pleasure and enjoyment afforded by these new facilities might never have been realized were it not for the far-sighted planning and efforts of certain recreational administrators of the 1920's, notably Elmer D. Mitchell, rightfully called 'The Father of Intramurals.'" wrote Michael J. Stevenson, John W. Reznik, and Richard W. Pitcher in 1978, in a 50-year history profile of the building. "For, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the University of Michigan's first intramural facility, the Intramural Sports Building, the forerunner of all campus recreational centers in the country. It was Mitchell's dream that this building would provide a place "where a thousand students [can] enter daily to congregate, and to mix their exercise with sociability.'"

Construction of the facility began in July of 1927 and was complete by October of 1928 at a cost of $743,000.

Work by Palmer Construction on the Intramural Sports Building began in July 1927 and was complete by October 1928. The two-story building was designed in the "Lombard Romanesque" style by architects Smith, Hinchman & Grylls and cost $743,000. Big arched windows allowed in plenty of light, and the brick building had 4,000 lockers. U-M said at the time aid that "public interest in the building, which incorporated many features far ahead of the times, was so great that a number of open houses were staged in order to satisfy the curiosity of droves of spectators."

This renovation will reconfigure existing space to provide larger areas for highly demanded cardio and weight training, new group-exercise rooms, improved racquetball courts and locker rooms, as well as spaces for social interaction. "The IMSB is more than a heritage building, it’s an active part of life for so many in our Michigan community, particularly our students," said Loren Rullman, associate vice president for Student Life. "That’s why we took the time to really listen to users’ ideas to make the renovated building truly work for them."

Modernizing the Intramural Sports Building will involve the removal of the swimming pool in favor a new open-air fitness area. Historic elements of the pool, including tile work, will be retained. (Research by the university indicated that it had sufficient swimming lanes elsewhere on campus to meet student needs). Other improvements to the building, according to the U-M, will update infrastructure including mechanical, electrical, plumbing and Internet upgrades; accessibility improvements; exterior window replacement, stone and masonry repairs; lighting improvements, and gymnasium floor replacement. area for cardio fitness, stretching, and other functional fitness activities. We are planning to keep some of the historic tile work in that space, as well as use floor material and color changes to show the location of the pool.

"The University of Michigan is regarded throughout the nation as the founder of the campus recreation profession, and it is a tremendous honor to help assure that the first building dedicated to our profession is preserved for years to come," said Mike Widen, director of recreational sports.

COMPLETED IN 1928, the block-long Intramural Sports Building on the University of Michigan campus is in the midst of a $21.4 million renovation.

HEFTING A DUCT into place in a lay-down area in the former rowing room of the Intramural Sports Building at U-M are (l-r) Michael Porr and Dan Schemanske of Sheet Metal Workers Local 80. They’re employed by Ventcon.

RENOVATION PROJECTS usually mean jobsite gathering places for the trades are set up in some dark, dingy corner or backroom. Not so at Intramural Sports Building on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. The John E. Green plumbers and pipe fitters, at least, have a pretty sweet set up in the main gymnasium. “Not a bad place for an office, eh?” said Local 190 foreman Scott Kinsey, seated. With him are (l-r) Local 190’s Keith Jones and Mike Seyfried.