FRANKLIN, Ind. — Franklin College will host a ceremonial groundbreaking for the renovation and restoration of the historic Elwood Fitness Center at 1:30 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. The event will take place on the east side of the facility located on Grizzly Drive. Building renderings will be on display as part of the event.
The ceremony marks the beginning of the public phase of the College's $9.5 million project to reimagine the historic facility. To date, over $7 million has been raised.
"The Elwood Fitness Center project is one of the most unique endeavors underway on any campus. It will at once preserve important institutional, city and state history which precedes even the iconic Wonder Five teams of the 1920s, while it also addresses recreational, intramural and athletic facility needs for our students," said Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather. "I have never seen a project capture the imagination of so many different constituent groups than this one has, and I am confident that enthusiasm will only grow with the excitement of watching the project begin."
Franklin College Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Nora Brems said, "We have quietly been raising funds for this project. We believe the time is right to invite our loyal community of alumni, families, friends and neighbors to join us in this effort that honors our past while building for the future."
Prather noted three generous families have played a pivotal role over this past year in launching the project. Franklin College Trustee Amber (Robbins) Elwood '99 and her husband John, of Columbus, Ind., served as lead donors, with their gift renaming the facility the Elwood Fitness Center. Roger and Jan Johnson of Scottsdale, Arizona, along with their two adult children, provided a gift naming the basketball floor on the main level the "Wonder Five Court." Trustee Jim Napolitan (HD '12), Ph.D., and his wife Sandy (Mock) Napolitan '60, Ph.D., provided funding to name the lower level of the facility the Drs. James and Sandra Napolitan Athletic Complex.
Originally constructed in the early 1900s and expanded in the 1920s, the Elwood Fitness Center was once a central hub for campus athletics and student life. It famously hosted the Franklin Wonder Five basketball team, which won the national championship in 1923 and brought widespread recognition to the College. In 2020, a state historical marker was installed outside the facility — one of only four in Johnson County — commemorating the team's legacy. In January 2025, a portion of campus, including the Elwood Fitness Center, was designated as a National Register Historic District by the National Park Service. The 19,425-square-foot building is currently used for limited practice space. Historically, it housed a pool, athletic offices and the entire physical education department.
The upcoming renovation will preserve the building's historic exterior and architectural integrity while completely transforming the interior into a modern facility designed to meet the needs of Franklin students. The restored gymnasium will support recreational activities, while the lower level will house athletic offices, locker rooms, and support services for the football, men's and women's soccer, and women's lacrosse teams that compete in nearby Faught Stadium.
The public is invited to attend the Oct. 10 groundbreaking ceremony.