Major weight room expansion set for basketball facility
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Chris Harry
Men's basketball strength and conditioning coordinator Preston Greene spots Chris Chiozza during a workout at the UF hoops facility, which will undergo a $1.2 million renovation starting next month.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The weight room at the Florida basketball complex is about to bulk up.
The University Athletic Association has approved an estimated $1.2 million renovation to the 14-year-old facility that houses the men's and women's basketball programs and serves as training base for Florida's golf and tennis teams, as well. The project will double the facility's current workout space, as well as expand office space for training coordinators and make room for a nutritional bar. 
Construction is scheduled to begin in April and targeted for completion in late August.
“The administration's commitment to the development of our student-athletes on this front is greatly appreciated,” said men's basketball strength and conditioning coordinator Preston Greene. “We'll basically have twice the floor space, allowing us to implement greater training methods and protocols. Also, the nutrition station is vital to post-workout supplementation and regeneration.”
The facility's strength and conditioning area currently measures at 1,525 square feet, but plans call for demolition of two walls that will allow the weight room to expand into space currently used for a laundry room on one end and storage on the other. The program coordinators, Greene and Tyler Stuart, will have their own offices and convenient access to the fuel bar.
When finished, the new weight room and area will measure 3,056 square feet.
“This project will enhance the top-tier training space for our men's and women's programs in that facility,” said Chip Howard, UAA's executive associate director for internal affairs. “When completed, it'll ensure our coaches can continue to recruit, retain and empower our student-athletes to perform at the highest possible level.”
