The university became co-educational at about the same time, and the building was rechristened the Women's Gymnasium and was repurposed as a recreation center for the school's many new female students.

A large donation by UF alumnus Kathryn Ulster made it possible to completely transform the interior into modern classrooms, offices, and other educational spaces, and the university's Women's Studies Department moved into the newly renamed Ustler Hall in 2006.

Construction began in the summer of 1918, but the project went over budget, and Murphree solicited donations from the local community to complete interior details.

[3][4] The University Gym was designed to be a combination student recreation center, physical education facility, assembly hall, and sports venue.

It was the home court of the Florida Gators men's basketball team and all other university-sponsored indoor sport programs for about ten years.

[5] With a donation from UF alumna Kathryn Chicone Ustler in 2000, the long-vacant gym was transformed into a 14,700-square-foot (1,370 m2) three story academic building with modern classrooms along with faculty and administrative offices.