New Athletic Center To Open This Fall

Stepping into the Murr Athletic Center, it's hard to know if the building is Harvard's new sports headquarters or a cryogenic freezer.

That's all right, because the heavily air conditioned building--it feels to be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit--is being preserved for the fall semester, when its doors will officially open to undergraduates.

The new center, which was made possible by a gift from Michael C. Murr '73, is more or less complete save a few finishing touches.

Located at the apex of Harvard Stadium's horseshoe, the Murr Center is meant to unite the sports administration with most campus athletic facilities under one neat umbrella, said Assistant Director of Sports Information Paul J. McNeeley.

"Game days are going to be a lot easier for us as far as lugging things across the river," McNeeley said. Previously, the sports administration was housed at 60 JFK St.

Within its whitewashed walls, the Murr Center has 16 state-of-the art squash courts, six indoor tennis courts and a new weight room for athletes.

"It kind of puts this facility among the elite collegiate facilities for indoor play," said Jeremey L. Gibson, assistant director of sports operations.

The courts will be used mostly by the varsity team but may become available forgeneral student use at various times, McNeeleysaid.

Also included is a new ticket office on thebottom floor and a third floor loft, where sportsadministrators have sunny offices and a lounge.

Forget screen savers--when administrators wanta nice view, all they need to do is glance outtheir office windows and take in a spectacularview of Soldiers Field.

The best vista is from the lounge, whichdirectly overlooks the center of the field. Asweeping balcony is located just outside.

Gibson said it is unlikely that administratorswill use their offices as skyboxes to watchfootball.

"We're going to be strict about people sittingin their offices and watching the games," Gibsonsaid.

A "Hall of Fame" shrine to the feate of Harvardathletes is located next to the center's lobby.Still under construction, the hall will containgiant pictures of each of Harvard's 41 sports, aswell as trophies to commemorate past triumphs,McNeeley said.

"We've never really had a place to show off allour trophies and stuff like that," McNeeley said.

McNeeley said he has one regret about the newMurr Center. In his old office on JFK Street, theHarvard Square restaurants were merely a hop and askip away. Now he must get a little exercise andwalk across the river.

However, McNeeley said it isn't really such aproblem. "We can deal with going a little bitfurther for lunch," he said.

Overall, McNeeley said he is extremely pleasedwith the Murr Center.

"It's beautiful. It really is," he said

Also included is a new ticket office on thebottom floor and a third floor loft, where sportsadministrators have sunny offices and a lounge.

Forget screen savers--when administrators wanta nice view, all they need to do is glance outtheir office windows and take in a spectacularview of Soldiers Field.

The best vista is from the lounge, whichdirectly overlooks the center of the field. Asweeping balcony is located just outside.

Gibson said it is unlikely that administratorswill use their offices as skyboxes to watchfootball.

"We're going to be strict about people sittingin their offices and watching the games," Gibsonsaid.

A "Hall of Fame" shrine to the feate of Harvardathletes is located next to the center's lobby.Still under construction, the hall will containgiant pictures of each of Harvard's 41 sports, aswell as trophies to commemorate past triumphs,McNeeley said.

"We've never really had a place to show off allour trophies and stuff like that," McNeeley said.

McNeeley said he has one regret about the newMurr Center. In his old office on JFK Street, theHarvard Square restaurants were merely a hop and askip away. Now he must get a little exercise andwalk across the river.

However, McNeeley said it isn't really such aproblem. "We can deal with going a little bitfurther for lunch," he said.

Overall, McNeeley said he is extremely pleasedwith the Murr Center.

"It's beautiful. It really is," he said