Renovations of Allied Health Sciences Center, 1988

This is a photograph of the Springfield College's Allied Health Sciences Center. The building was being renovated, as is evident from the scaffolding surrounding the building. The photograph was taken during the winter and the ground and much of the scaffolding is covered in snow. There is a Springfield College sign in front of the building which does not exist today. The renovation took place in the spring of 1987, and was completed in the fall of 1988.The Allied Health Sciences Center was formerly the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. As the Basketball Hall of Fame, the building housed the history of basketball from its birth at Springfield College in 1891. The Basketball Hall of Fame was opened to the public on February 18, 1968. In 1986, President Falcone of Springfield College reported the decision that the former Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame building would be renovated to become the Allied Health Sciences Center. The decision was based on the fact that almost 50% of Springfield College students at this time were majoring in health related programs. Renovations that cost a total of $1,600,000 and the dedication of the building under its new name took place April 13, 1989. The leading donor for the renovations was Thomas B. Wheeler, a trustee of the Basketball Hall of Fame and President of Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company at the time. The Allied Health Sciences Center was designated to be a place that would provide students with an on campus practicum site and would also provide the community access to specialized healthcare. The Allied Health Sciences Center is currently home to the departments of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Health and Fitness, Athletic Training, Movement Sciences, and Exercise Physiology. The facility also houses classroom space, smart labs, computer stations, a research center, biochemistry and anatomy labs, including a cadaver lab and performance assessment labs, and an underwater weighing facility.The date was provided by the photographer Vincent S. D'Addario, 145 Homestead Ave. Holyoke, Mass. 01040, Tel. 1-413-538-801