Taylor Gymnasium (& Charles L. Taylor)

Taylor Gymnasium was made possible thanks to the generous donation of $100,000 from alumni, Charles Taylor, who graduated Lehigh as valedictorian of his class, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering, in 1876. Charles Taylor was a member of the fraternity Phi Kappa Sigma and the National Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi. Taylor was actively involved in extracurricular activities throughout his years at Lehigh. However, Charles Taylor had several problems with how the university maintained its facilities. In particular, he despised how the university handled its gymnasium, which pushed Taylor to donate money towards a new gym. He also had a problem with the lack of on campus housing, which lead to the first donation to build Taylor Hall, the first dorm on campus. Taylor held many important positions in the Alumni Association, and he was also a member of the board of trustees. Charles Taylor worked for Andrew Carnegie’s company, Carnegie Steel, and eventually became his personal advisor.

The university gym before Taylor Gymnasium was a reprehensible facility; the building was eventually renamed Coppee Hall and renovated into an academic building. With many athletic programs on the rise at Lehigh, the university knew it was time for a change. Charles Taylor stepped up in a substantial way, donating $100,000 to the university for a new gymnasium, stadium, and field house. Construction began in June 1913 under the supervision of the architects (and alumni) A. W. Leh and Henry F. Hornbostel. The gym was completed in February 1914 and put to immediate use. Taylor Gym was one of the finest athletic facilities of its time and was adored by the student body. The gym, in 1914, had a weight room, 25-meter pool, coaches’ offices, gym courts, and even a game room. The athletic teams used Taylor Gym to practice and to lift weights, and the swim team used the pool. However, the gym had many uses for students outside of varsity athletes. Many clubs would hold meetings at the gym, the intramural sports teams used the gym for their activities, and regular students would use the pool and game room.

Between the years of 1914 and 1989 Taylor Gym changed very little. There was some general upkeep and maintenance to keep the gym in pristine condition, but no real change modified the building’s structure or its facilities. For many years, however, Athletic Director Joe Sterrett and the athletic department had been hearing serious complaints from students about the lack of space and how outdated the gym was. There was significant pressure on the university to upgrade and renovate Taylor Gym. In 1989, minor changes were made: the gym was moved to the lowest floor at the front of the building due to complaints of poor lighting and lack of space, and the coach’s offices were moved to the third floor so they could be expanded. Additionally, in 1992-1995, after raising 6 million dollars, the university implemented a three-phase plan to completely remodel the gym. The three-phase plan added many fine amenities to Taylor Gym like racquetball/squash courts, more coach’s offices, a Hall of Fame, and a new wing for the student athlete lounge.

Taylor Gym also housed the Hall of Fame for Lehigh Athletics. The Hall of Fame holds all of the achievements that teams have attained and displays those awards and memories in a beautiful room. The Hall of Fame also has a detailed history of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry as well as NCAA Championship trophies. The coaches’ offices are also held in the gym on the third and fourth floor. Each team occupies their own suite for the coaching staff to talk amongst themselves, interact with recruits, and hold meetings with individual players on the team. It also houses an indoor rock-climbing wall, which, like the gym itself, has very elastic hours that allow students to utilize this area throughout the day. Across from this wall are multiple squash and racquetball courts that can be used at any time throughout the day. One of the hidden gems of this building is the newly renovated fifth floor. This area used to house the wrestling team but is now a studio that provides room for yoga and other various types of activities. The fifth floor allows someone a little more privacy if they are not comfortable being in the main gym, as this floor is relatively private. Taylor gym became a trademark for Lehigh athletics and is a storied facility on the Asa Packer Campus.

Steven Sanczyk '18 l Bo Lori '18