Ocean County Community College

Year Completed: 2020
Location: Toms River, NJ
Material: Padenpor™
Project Type: Campus Rec Facility
Area: 7,200 sq. ft.

OCC’s Search for a new Floor:

In 2015, Ocean County Community College was sadly left with no other option than to shut down their swimming pool, home to swim teams and community programs alike. An integral part of the Health and Human Performance Center on campus, this pool had been in service for many years, but had become too cost-prohibitive to keep in operation. While it is unfortunate that OCC lost their swimming pool, it has opened the doors for the college to reinvent that space, providing new opportunities for the students and community.

Fast-forward to 2019, OCC made the decision to fill-in the swimming pool and convert the space into a multipurpose gymnasium for their students, and specifically their volleyball team. The conversion process was well underway when Abacus received a call from the General Contractor. They had filled the pool with crushed stone/concrete and were ready to receive the specified padded polyurethane gym floor system. However, in the final hour, the flooring company they had hired went out of business and was unable to execute the contract.

Ocean County College Padenpor Gym Floor (4)

New Fitness Flooring in Whitney Athletic Center

In a testament to our experience and capabilities, Abacus was able to turn around and complete this project for the General Contractor in an expedited fashion, saving them costly delays on the project. This was no easy task, as the school wanted two large logos on their floor, with a total of 11 custom colors needed. Along with the logos, this new pad and pour floor features a two-color finish that accents the volleyball court, creating a unique aesthetic. Our brand name Padenpor system was the perfect fit for this project, and exceeded the performance needs of the space.

The college is thrilled with their new floor, which allows for not only volleyball, but also serves as a secondary lunch room, complete with lunch tables that foldout from the walls. OCC was able to take an unusable pool and convert it into a multipurpose space that serves their students and the greater community. Almost as soon as the project was completed, OCC was able to utilize the space as a COVID testing site, meeting the needs of the community in more ways than one.