EAST LANSING – For decades, the clock striking noon at IM West on Michigan State University’s campus meant sounds of basketballs dribbling and tennis shoes squeaking on the floor of an upstairs gymnasium.
During a lunch break each day, students, staff and faculty alike have made their way to IM West for a game, bringing enough players to fill two courts
But on Friday, April 24, the few dozen people played their last game at the center. After nearly 70 years, IM West’s doors will be closed.
Gone will be the days of walking into the building, struck by smells of chlorine or views of a skylight in the fitness room.
Instead, students will be making their way to the newly-opened Student Recreation and Wellness Center, which opened to students in April on the corner of Birch and Shaw. The building will be accessible for students, alumni, staff and MSU community members. The university prohibited the State Journal from visiting the building, saying while it is open, the public won’t see it until a more formal ceremony in the fall.
As IM West closes, the new $200 million, 293,000-square-foot Student Recreation and Wellness Center will operate under extended hours for students on finals week.
The MSU Board of Trustees approved a motion with a 6-1 vote during the February meeting to demolish IM West, which is expected to happen in Spring 2027. Trustee Mike Balow, R-Plymouth, was the vote against the motion, and said he wasn’t opposed to the demolition, just that he thought the vote was coming prematurely. Trustee Rema Vassar, D-Detroit, was absent at the time of the vote.
The building’s last day of regular operation was April 24, but it will remain open for a few last finals, and people will still be able to access the building’s pool while the work on the new building’s pool is put in.
Juan Flores said he’s been coming to IM West at the same time twice a week since 2010. A student success coordinator in the Multicultural Center at MSU, Flores said his time spent on the court was about more than just getting to play hoops. It helped him meet people from across the campus from various disciplines, expanding his and his students’ networks.
“I appreciate it because I got to meet a lot of people who became resources,” Flores said. “With ground-level student success initiatives, its been great to connect with these guys and girls and then bring them back to talk to our students,
A two-time MSU grad, Flores said he’s been using facilities since 2001, and worked in IM East as a student as well.
“I’ve hooped with department chairs, deans professors, IT – you name it,” he said. “Everybody’s out here, it’s been great.”
John Mugg said he’s been coming to play basketball on MSU’s campus since 1979, even playing as often as twice a day at one point. The group of players have been coming together since the 1990s, and he said he’s been mostly playing at IM West with them since the 2000s.
He said he’s looking forward to getting to play at the new building, but will miss IM West for the memories he has there, from playing with intramural and MSU legends alike.
“We’ve been actually wanting it for years,” Mugg said, “but I’m going to miss it.”
Contact Karly Graham at kgraham@lsj.com. Follow her on X at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: ‘I’m going to miss it.’ MSU’s IM West to close after nearly 70 years
Reporting by Karly Graham, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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