The volleyball and basketball courts on north campus near Taylor Tower are getting a necessary makeover.

Renovations for the volleyball courts took about two weeks to complete and the basketball courts are expected to be finished by the end of November, except for color coding.

“The basketball courts were built in the 1950s, and there really hasn’t been any renovation since the mid-1950s,” said Bruce Maurer, associate director of recreational and intramural sports.

The basketball courts were demolished and replaced with two side-by-side courts. A new lighting system, rims, poles, four benches and a drainage system were also installed on the west side. Because the color coding requires four 50-degree days, it will probably be completed during the spring, Maurer said.

“Before the courts were split. Now they’re consolidated and there’s a hillside to sunbathe, throw a football or catch a baseball,” Maurer said.

The volleyball courts were constructed two years ago with an additional six inches of sand, an 18-inch retaining wall to keep the ball in play, and a place for spectators to sit.

Because the courts were mired in bad sand, incorrect dimensions and a poor location, they were moved across College Road, said Steve Kremer, director of housing and assistant vice president of Student Affairs. He also praised the removal of a chain-link fence that had been surrounding the courts since the 1960s.

“Nobody liked it, but nobody took the initiative to get rid of it,” Kremer said.

Even though students had limited time to use the courts before the weather changed, the renovations have not gone unnoticed.

“I have some friends that live in Taylor Tower, so I hang out there a lot,” said Tara Ogg, a sophomore in business. “The new sand on the courts is so much better than the old sand, I can’t wait until warm weather rolls around again to play more.”

“We have far more recreational facilities in the north residential area than ever,” Kremer said.

The volleyball court construction costs $42,000 and the basketball court construction costs $120,000. Most of the funding came from Student Affairs, and the engineering consulting was done through physical facilities. Recreational sports provided technical assistance.

“I like to look at ways we can improve campus facilities at all times for students,” Kremer said.