Renovations are set to replace the old basketball court at Jesse Owens North. Credit: Marlee Stollar | For The Lantern

Ohio State’s Department of Recreational Sports is set to spend up to $75,000 this spring to renovate Jesse Owens North, adding a turf section and a deadlifting mat.

Dave DeAngelo, senior associate director of facilities, said the goal of the renovations is to set the facility apart from other campus recreation facilities and to accommodate different types of training.

The first addition, the deadlifting mat, creates opportunities for group fitness programming and student organizations such as the Powerlifting Club, DeAngelo said.  

“Our Powerlifting Club doesn’t have anywhere to go right now, so they will be able to deadlift and do different lifts,” DeAngelo said. “There is really no place else on campus they can do that.”

Kurt Schooley, outdoor and satellite facilities assistant director, said that after the mat is installed, the L-shaped turf will be added.

“Mostly, what you’ll probably see are agility sprint training work,” Schooley said. “You might see some kind of walking lunges — whether they’re with weights, or some kind of farmer-style walk … basically (it) will fill the remaining space from the deadlifting area.”

Both the turf and a deadlifting mat is expected to be added in place of the old basketball court where the diving team’s equipment was previously placed. Once completed, only one basketball court will remain at the facility.

Schooley also said the renovations are to include new line of cardio and fitness equipment.

Tanner Matthews, a first-year in agricultural systems management, said he works out at JO North regularly and is looking forward to the renovations.

“I’m excited to see the new changes,” Matthews said.

Renovations are expected to be completed by the end of the spring semester.