The Coles Sports Center, located at 181 Mercer Street, was opened in 1981 and named after NYU alumnus and benefactor Jerome S. Coles. The new facilities provided the University, which had recently returned entirely to its downtown campus, with a location for sporting events, team practices, health and wellness activities, and community recreation. The Coles Sports Center served as the home for NYU's NCAA Division III teams and also hosted a number of events including NCAA Men's and Women's National and Regional Championships in basketball and fencing as well as international wrestling and fencing competitions.
In 2014, NYU announced plans to demolish Coles and build a new facility in its place.
