HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) dedicated a new 55,000 square-foot gymnasium at President Theodore Roosevelt High School during a special event Wednesday. Student-athletes greeted lawmakers and invited guests before the blessing and lei ribbon-cutting. The $35 million facility features a double-height indoor gym court, locker rooms, mat room, weight room, first aid room, guest amenities, instructional spaces, offices, viewing mezzanine and support spaces.
“The opening of the new gym positions Roosevelt as a true gathering place. For the first time, our entire school can convene together — not outside, not in double assemblies — but meet comfortably indoors as one,” Roosevelt High School Principal Sean Wong said. “We now have enough bleachers to host playoffs and state tournaments. It is exciting to see how this gym will benefit our school, students, families and fans.”
The state-of-the-art gym allows the school to hold indoor assemblies with the entire student body. The court has retractable seating for 1,500 fans and elevates the spectator experience with a box office, concession stand, spacious restrooms and 54 new parking stalls. Girls and boys varsity and JV athletes have locker room areas, and there is a dedicated mat room for sports such as wrestling, judo and cheerleading to expand the school’s athletic curriculum.
The gymnasium is the first phase of an overall master plan that upgrades the gym to meet current HIDOE standards. The new building was also built as an Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area to provide shelter for the school and broader community during emergencies, and the design meets the requirements of the Punchbowl Special District.
“The new gymnasium facility at Roosevelt High School will be a centerpiece of student activity and bolster pride for all Rough Riders,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “Also designed as an Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area resiliency hub, we are proud to serve the community as a shelter in time of need. During emergency situations, this building stands to keep our families safe.”
Leading the master plan of the project took special meaning for Ferraro Choi architect and Roosevelt High School alumnus Jason Takeuchi. Thoughtful design elements that respect the community and students the gym serves were incorporated, such as the unique, custom concrete pattern on the face of the building, which is an abstraction of a pahu drum. Research of area place names Kewalo Uka and Kāʻeleloli recall themes of resounding sound or echoing calls reminiscent of the repeated pounding on courts during sports practices and competition.
The striking translucent gym exterior is a Kalwall panel system that mimics the whiteness of sharkskin used for a pahu drumhead. The panels are hurricane- and missile-impact-rated and allow natural light into the gym. Using a combination of intake louvers and large, high-volume, low-speed fans, the gym is ventilated naturally.
The inside of the facility gives a nod to the traditions of Roosevelt High and the surrounding community. School colors of red and gold run boldly throughout the building and are reflected in the yellow hue of the bamboo plywood wall accents. A large school seal hangs on the lobby wall and a glass trophy case waits to be filled with team accolades. The stark stairwell graphic is an enlarged historic map of the area and, along with an intricate mezzanine screen pattern, adds to the eye-catching interior.
Construction is underway on Phase II of the Roosevelt High School master plan — an 8,100 square-foot music building. The $18 million building is estimated to be completed in 2028.
The school will host an open house for the public on July 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
