Difference between revisions of "Francis S. Levien Gymnasium"
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Revision as of 23:33, 12 September 2007
The Francis S. Levien Gymnasium opened at the start of the 1974 season, replacing the University Gym, which continues to serve as an intramural facility. Levien Gym underwent a major upgrade over the summer of 2004 to improve its seating and now offers chairback seats in addition to bleacher-style seating. The facility is, as opponents will attest, one of the toughest gyms in the league in which to play due to loyal fan support for Columbia Men's Basketball. Women's Basketball and Volleyball games tend not to draw as large a crowd.
The gym is open for recreational basketball and other sports during times that it isn't scheduled for games, practices, classes, or other events.
The west bleacher's features the Lion's Den student section.
Levien Gym is the site of the annual Midnight Mania basketball kick-off event.
In the summer of 2002, a brand new state-of-the-art floor was built that provides better spring and cushion for Columbia's student-athletes. The project, a cooperative effort between Columbia University's department of facility management and its department of physical education and intercollegiate athletics, cost nearly $1 million. The improvements include a custom floor created by J.J. Curran of Connor Flooring Systems. The custom floor features 1.5-inch boards, different from the normal 2.25-inch boards. The thinner, more tightly-packed boards provide more stability for the surface.
