Larkins Hall

Herrick Archives Number 346

1. Name

1.1 Officially named "Richard C. Larkins Hall" by Board of Trustees on June 4, 1976. In the same action the Board named major areas in the building the "Hike Peppe Aquatic Center" and the "Paul S. Benedem Recreation Center."

1.2 Alternate names noted:

1.2.1 Originally built as "Physical Education Building" and "Natatorium".

1.2.2 Often called "Hen's Gym" or "Gym"

1.2.3 First addition called "library Annex" or "library Storage Building"

1.2.4 Second addition built under title "Recreation, Physical Education, Intramural Facilities--Central Facility."

(Note: For many years, the Physical Education and Natatorium portions of the original building were considered as two separate buildings (Numbers 64 and 57, respectively).

2. Location 

2.1 Located at 337 W 17th Avenue. See map below. Natatorium portion has previously been listed at 321 W. 17th Avenue.

2.2 For greater detail, see Sheet 96 in the book of campus maps in the University Archives.

For identification of other buildings shown, see Appendix A.

3. General Description

3.1 Type of construction:

Reinforced concrete and steel frame with brick exterior.

3.2 No. of stories:

Varies -- see sketch.

3.3 Increments of construction:

Original building constructed under two separate sets of contracts. later enlarged twice. See sketch.

3.4 Present area of building as shown in inventory records of Division of Campus Planning:

366,389 sq. ft. gross;

3.5 Volume of building:

3.5.1 Original building and 1st addition

Natatorium 1,090,000 cu. ft. (PP)

Physical Education Building 2,436,200 cu. ft. (PP)

3.5.2 Second addition -- not available.

236,032 sq. ft. net assignable

B. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION -- ORIGINAL BUILDING

1. On June 2, 1930 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents prepared by Howard Dwight Smith and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on July 9, 1930 (T).

3. On July 15, 1930 the Board of Trustees approved the July 14, 1930 Cabinet action awarding contracts
for the Physical Education Building to the following contractors:

General: Boyajohn & Barr
Electrical: Electric Construction & Maintenance Co. Heating & Plumbing: Huffman Wolfe Co.

4. Due to the inadequacy of the appropriated funds, the Athletic Board agreed to pay for the Natatorium portion of the building. The bids received on July 9, 1930 were in two forms: (1) as a separate project, and (2) combined with the Physical Education building. On the basis of analysis of bids, Cabinet on
July 14, 1930 recommended that the Natatorium part be separately awarded and the Athletic Board on July 15. 1930 awarded contracts for the Natatorium as follows:

General: James I. Barnes
Heating & plumbing: Samuel A. Esswein Heating and Plumbing Co. Electrical: Brooke Electric Co.
These awards were approved by the Board of Trustees on July 15, 1930.

5. The Attorney-General ruled that the award of the electrical contract on the Physical Education Building was improper because of insufficiency of the bid bond. New bids on the electrical work were opened on September 2, 1930, and on the following day Cabinet again awarded the electrical contract to the Electric Construction and Maintenance Co. The Cabinet action was approved by the Board of Trustees on September 15, 1930.

6. On December 8, 1930 the Board of Trustees approved earlier Cabinet actions awarding the following contracts on the Physical Education Building:

6.1 Lighting fixtures and equipment: Henderson-Benner Electric Corp.

6.2 Steel office partitions: A.F. Hedges, Inc.

7. The award of locker contracts for the Physical Education Building was approved by the Board of Trustees on December 19, 1930.

8. Completion and occupancy:

8.1 It appears that the Natatorium was completed in 1931. The final estimate on the electrical contract was dated October 29, 1931 and those for the other two major contracts were dated January 13, 1932 (A). The Natatorium was dedicated in 1931 (Pollard, Ohio State Athletics, p. 194).

8.2 The physical education portion was completed in late 1931 or early 1932. The final estimate' for the general contract was dated November 25, 1931, and those for office partitions and lighting fixtures were dated December 6, 1931 and December 14, 1931, respectively (A).

The final estimates for the heating and plumbing contract and the electrical contract were dated March 2, 1932 and January 19, 1932, respectively (A). Final estimates on these contracts frequently are held up pending final adjustments after a building is occupied.

9. Cost

9.1 The total project cost for the Natatorium was $314,960.98 (A).

9.2 The total project cost for the Physical Education Building was $496,311.66 (A).

C. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION -- 1st ADDITION

1. On September 18, 1939 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents prepared by Howard Dwight Smith and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on October 26, 1939 (T).

3. On November 13, 1939 the Board of Trustees approved the October 27, 1939 action by Cabinet awarding contracts to the following contractors:

General: Trapp-Carroll Co. Heating: J.F: Oelgoetz Co.

4. Completion and occupancy:

Completed in April 1940, according to report by University Architect to Cabinet on April 15, 1940.

6. Cost:

Contracts awarded November 13, 1939 totaled $45,019 (T). University Architect's records give $46,393.95 as the total project cost.

D. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION -- 2nd ADDITION

 
1. On March 7, 1975 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents prepared by Sanborn~ Steketee, Otis and Evans, Inc., and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on April 22, 1975 (T).

3. On May 2, 1975 the Board of Trustees approved the earlier award of contracts to the following contractors:

General: Knowlton Construction Co.
Electrical: Electric Power Equipment Heating and ventilating: Limbach Co. Plumbing: Limbach Co.

4. Completion and occupancy:

4.1 The Peppe Aquatic Center opened on January 10, 1977 (L 1/11/77).

4.2 The 50 meter pool area (part D in diagram) was assigned for use January 18, 1977 (P). Other spaces in the building were assigned from time to time during the winter and spring quarters.

4.3 The building was dedicated on May 21, 1977 and exterior clean-up work was done by that date. However, a contractor's red trailer was still standing several hundred feet west of the northwest room of the building on June 8, 1977.

5. Cost:

Final figures are not yet available. but rounded figures as of January 1976 indicated a total of $8,212,930 for this addition.

E. PHOTOGRAPHS

1. In Photoarchives:

X 18413 original building
X 2202 original building
X 7914 1st addition
X 22762 2nd addition
X 22763 2nd addition
X 22735 2nd addition

2. Other

L 11/12/76 (second addition)

F. MISCELLANEOUS

1. The Natatorium portion of the original building was constructed by the Athletic Department. It was donated to and accepted by the Board of Trustees on June 21, 1943.

2. In 1958 the first addition (Library Annex) was remodeled to accommodate the Naval ROTC, which had to be relocated after the burning of the Armory (H 202) •

3. The second addition was part of a $10 million project which included Buildings 346, 347, 348, and 349, and some outside facilities. Half of the money was provided by legislative appropriation and half was
raised by private donations.

John H. Herrick
June 9, 1977

ADDENDUM NO. 1

A reference to this building as the "University Activities Center" has been found.

John H. Herrick
September 21,1979

ADDENDUM NO. 2

The following additional names for these buildings have been found on old campus maps:

Hen's Physical Education Bldg
Natatorium & Physical Education Bldg
Natatorium & Gymnasium for Hen

Many Campus Planning records and maps made by Campus Planning use No. 57 for the Natatorium portion of this building and No. 64 for the Gymnasium portion.

ADDENDUM NO. 3

Campus Planning records now show the following areas for this building:

368,279 sq. ft. gross

230,859 sq. ft. net assignable

John H. Herrick

November 13, 1984