Cary Street Gym

VCU's main gym is now the Cary Street Recreational Complex, a 126,000-square-foot renovation and expansion to the historic gym. This building and the new basketball practice facility have paved the way for the Franklin Street Gym to be torn down and replaced with new, more modern buildings.

The original building for the Cary Street Gym started its existence in the early 20th century as Richmond's Third Market. It later became the City Auditorium; the remains of the original painted name can still be seen on the building's sides. After a couple of decades of disrepair, VCU obtained the property and converted it into the Cary Street Gym in the 1980s. VCU Recreational Sports operated this facility as well as one in the Stuart C. Siegel Center, until 2007, when the Cary Street Gym was closed for renovation. The interior was gutted, re-roofed, and the exterior restored to reflect the building's historic design. A large addition was added on two sides of the historic building. The renovated building now contains an Aquatic Center with a leisure pool and activity pool, two floors of cardiovascular, strength and free weight equipment, 4 court hardwood gym, indoor turf Multi-Activity Center, 40-foot (12 m) climbing wall, exercise studios and locker facilities. The renovated building was awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification.