Renovations at Georgia Southwestern State University’s historic Florrie Chappell Gymnasium focus on student wellness and recreation
February saw the official ribbon cutting of the Florrie Chappell gym at Georgia Southwestern State University. The communal space has been the epicenter of campus gatherings since it was built in 1939. It’s served as the auditorium and hosted everything from sporting events, concerts, student activities like dancing and fencing, and it’s even been the site of graduations past. The landmark space, which had not been renovated in over 80 years, finally got a new lease on life and Advantage was excited to be part of the project.
““It was really important to us to honor the past with Florrie Chappell because it has such an incredible history at this institution and bring the modern feel to a place where students want to gather.””
Laura Boren, Ph.D.,
Executive Vice President of Student Engagement and Success
John Marcotte, VP of Sales & Marketing at Advantage, assisted in the planning and design process. With a high regard to the history of the original gym and alongside GSW faculty and Choate + Hertlein Architects of Atlanta, Marcotte took a balanced, comprehensive approach to design and equipment choices. Understanding the diverse needs of students, faculty, and members, he felt it was important to select a variety of equipment to fulfill a multitude of programming and exerciser needs.
Florrie Chappell brings together a mixture of strength and cardio equipment, and a beautifully branded and turfed functional fitness area, including a custom Escape frame with accessories for a wide range of workouts. Exercisers can enjoy everything from treadmills, full and half racks, strength machines by Precor, and free weights. The recreation center also features a Sports Lounge and Chill Lounge so that students can enjoy the feeling of community this space has always embodied.
““I cannot speak highly enough about John and the Advantage team. John paid attention to our dreams and wants. We spent hours with him developing a vision for the space that included the smallest details to make it special. He understands that the smallest details make the biggest difference.””
Laura Boren, Ph.D.,
Executive Vice President of Student Engagement and Success
A 3D FLOOR PLAN RENDERING BY OUR IN-HOUSE FACILITY DESIGN TEAM
Florrie Chappell is now officially open for students, faculty and staff. Community memberships will be available this summer!
