After months of speculation, the university announced on Monday that Coles Sports Center will officially close on Jan. 22.

In an email to alumni members of the gym, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics Christopher Bledsoe said the Coles Advisory Committee has developed a plan to facilitate a smooth transition during the interim.

“We developed these plans in as responsive a fashion as we could, while also accomplishing our three main goals of: permitting student athletes to continue to compete; enabling others to exercise and stay fit; and minimizing lay-offs for Coles employees, both student and professional,” the email reads.

The destruction of Coles is part of NYU’s 2031 Plan for future growth to address the university’s concern for lack of space.

NYU spokesperson Matt Nagel previously said to WSN that although there will be inconveniences during the construction period, the new gym will be part of an academic building that will also provide classrooms, spaces for performing artists and student and faculty housing.

“The Coles facility, itself, has become outdated and did not meet the needs of the university going forward,” Nagel said.

NYU has provided several substitute gyms to replace Coles, including Palladium Athletic Facility and the Brooklyn gym at Tandon’s campus. In addition, the new fitness facility at 404 Lafayette St. will open on Jan. 25.

The email stated the Athletics Department would start selling spring memberships to the NYU Fitness Network on Monday. These new memberships will grant access to all three facilities for faculty, students, administrators, staff and alumni.

Email Lexi Faunce at [email protected].