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LSU's historic Long Fieldhouse gets money for renovation work

5 years 5 months 4 weeks ago Thursday, September 20 2018 Sep 20, 2018 September 20, 2018 3:21 PM September 20, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE – While it won’t pay for repairs to wake up its dying legacy, a Thursday announcement by LSU of $1.8 million for the Huey P. Long Field House garnered some excitement.

Money will be used to design and plan for a future renovation of the 90-year-old building that was once the center of campus. Currently, a part of the building is used as the headquarters for the School of Social Work and the School of Kinesiology.

A 2015 article by LSU’s student newspaper highlighted the building’s history.

Perhaps the most famed feature is its dilapidated pool surrounded by a promenade. According to the Daily Reveille, the 1933 LSU yearbook suggested the pool was once the longest in the United States.

The building also featured basketball courts, racquetball courts and was the campus recreation center.

Construction of the student union in the 60s followed by UREC in the 90s contributed to a significant decline in the maintenance at the building just behind the PMAC.

Conditions became so grotty, the pool and gym were closed in 2000.

The emptied pool was used as a setting for an impromptu sing-off in the 2012 movie Pitch Perfect about competing collegiate choir troops.

In addition to the Fieldhouse, the Stephenson Pet Clinic was approved for money, too.

The state agreed to match a $5 million dollar donation for the School of Veterinary Medicine. The project will expand the training opportunities for veterinary students and enhance care for animals. 

The State Bond Commission approved the funding plans along with $3.4 million in deferred maintenance funds for the university to mitigate the $622 million deferred maintenance backlog.

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