The demolition of Larkins Hall began yesterday at 7 a.m. in order to make room for Phase II of the new Recreational and Physical Activity Center, said Erik Riha, a spokeswoman for the Department of Recreational Sports at Ohio State.

Although Larkins Hall has been a part of the OSU campus for over 74 years, Riha said plans for a new building have been in the making for a long time.

“At first, we looked to renovate and had experts examine the building.” Riha said. ” (But they found) it would be pretty much virtually impossible (to remodel). She cited the building’s lack of air conditioning and disability accessibility as main reasons for a new building.

“Basically, it would cost more to renovate in the long run,” Riha said.

Project supervisor Mike Fry said the demolition will last up to eight weeks, with crews on site 20 hours each day. Fry said the trucking and removal of the rubble will be during the night, when traffic is lighter.

Fry said the actual demolition is being done by several different machines.

“Cranes will demolish the higher parts of the building,” Fry said. “The lower part will be done by backhoes.”

Also, the rubble will be hosed for dust protection Fry said. It will be seperated and taken to two different locations with the debris taken to the Frank Road Landfill and the iron will be recycled by Schlezinger I H Inc. Once Larkins is gone, crews will begin construction on a new building, which will be the home of the education and Physical Activity Educational Servies programs, Riha said.

Riha also said 10 percent of the building will be for recreational use, including two two-court gyms, four squash gyms, eight golf ball-hitting stations, putting gym, one multi-purpose gym and two gyms each having two courts.

The new facility will also be home to a new varsity and recreational swimming center, named the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion, Riha said.

Jennifer Toussaint, a first-year graduate student in education, has worked out at Larkins for three years.

“Yes, it’s sad, because (Larkins) was my favorite place to work out. I spent (a lot) of my time there. But the building was in bad shape, you could tell it was old.”

Toussaint said she will miss the people at Larkins the most but is excited for the new facility.

According to Department of Recreational Sports Web site, Larkins Hall was built in 1931, with an addition in 1977. It was named after Richard Larkins, who was the athletic director at OSU from 1947-1970.