New Auxiliary Gym at Roosevelt High Will Expand Indoor Sports Capacity

Work was underway in mid December on a new auxiliary gym for Roosevelt High School, a project intended to expand indoor space for physical education and athletics on the campus. The facility, which measures more than 13,000 square feet, is sited between the school pool and theater and is designed to serve the needs of a student body of more than 2,000.

Principal Michael Allen said the additional gym space will allow teams to practice at the same time and will provide an indoor option for classes and events during extreme heat or bad weather. Those operational benefits are especially salient in Fresno County where summer heat and intermittent poor air quality can limit outdoor activity for students and community athletes.

Architect Jonathan McMurtry outlined key elements of the planned layout, including a large lobby, a snack bar oriented to the outside, administrative offices, and two classrooms that can double as team rooms on weekends. The inclusion of classrooms with flexible use signals an emphasis on weekend and after school athletic programming in the building design.

Construction began during the district's Thanksgiving break and is expected to continue through the school year with a targeted completion in spring 2027. School and district leaders have emphasized the timeline and floor plan as part of efforts to improve scheduling for physical education classes and competitive teams, and to reduce disruptions from weather related cancellations.

For Roosevelt students the new gym will expand opportunities for simultaneous practices and provide additional controlled space for curriculum based physical education. For athletics programs it will create more predictable practice windows and ancillary rooms that can function as team spaces during weekend games and tournaments. As construction proceeds over the next year and a half, Roosevelt will maintain existing facilities while integrating the new building into campus operations when it opens.

The project reflects a local investment in school infrastructure aimed at improving student experience and supporting athletics programming across the Roosevelt campus.