Athletic Master Plan Update

[UCONNJACK]

Request for bids for a Construction Manager for the Athletic Complex Development was posted today. The Athletic Complex is now out of the planning stage and into the construction stage. Construction to start March 1, 2018 with a $45-50 million dollar budget and an 18-24 construction time frame. Doesn't appear that a hockey arena is included in this bid request.

http://media.procurement.uconn.edu/...6-RFQ/Invitation-to-Prequalify-CM-1_31_17.pdf

 

[CL82]

It will be impressive. Think they can find a couple million to fix the Gampel roof as well?

 

[4in16]

It will be impressive. Think they can find a couple million to fix the Gampel roof as well?

That's a separate project that should be fixed this summer. I believe they budgeted 10-11 million for it.

 

[CL82]

That's a separate project that should be fixed this summer. I believe they budgeted 10-11 million for it.

Really? It was scheduled for last summer and they put a temporary hold on it, but I thought the price tag was couple of million.

I guess reanimating Patoni was expensive.

 

[CL82]

See renderings for the various parts of the athletic complex here.

 

[4in16]

Really? It was scheduled for last summer and they put a temporary hold on it, but I thought the price tag was couple of million.

I guess reanimating Patoni was expensive.

Last I read the BOT was supposed to vote to approve the update for this summer either this month or next after it was pulled from last summer. I guess we'll see. Can't find the article or meeting notes at the moment.

 

[dbmill]

Request for bids for a Construction Manager for the Athletic Complex Development was posted today. The Athletic Complex is now out of the planning stage and into the construction stage. Construction to start March 1, 2018 with a $45-50 million dollar budget and an 18-24 construction time frame. Doesn't appear that a hockey arena is included in this bid request.

http://media.procurement.uconn.edu/cpca/BID DOCUMENTS/201696-RFQ/Invitation-to-Prequalify-CM-1_31_17.pdf

No surprise at this point that the hockey arena upgrade is not included. Fundraising for both soccer and baseball facilities is much farther along, and it seems that the fundraising for hockey is just at the beginning stages. Hockey will no doubt be a huge part of a future phase of athletic facility expansion.

 

[huskymedic]

Last I read the BOT was supposed to vote to approve the update for this summer either this month or next after it was pulled from last summer. I guess we'll see. Can't find the article or meeting notes at the moment.

Gampel Roof Repair On BOT January 25th Special Meeting Agenda.
http://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/wp...vilion-Dome-Ceiling-Project-Budget-Att.-1.pdf

 

[huskypantz]

Interesting notes on the hockey renovation. Basically, it's EOL, don't waste money on it unless it's going to be your practice facility.

Populous’ Recommendations  Renovating on the south side is the most viable option. However, it is a short term fix with minimal ROI. At the end of the day, you may be looking at $25M to $35M renovation (total project cost) on a building reaching the end of its lifecycle. This scope would include new structure over the ice hockey rink, adding new seating bowl/second level with restrooms and stairs/elevators and renovation to the existing single story locker room structure.  Another option may be to demolish the facility and build new if you keep the facility as a competition venue. If the facility is for practice only (no additional seats), renovating would be the best option.​

 

[Adios]

There's obstructed view seats in that Freitas expansion, but it looks unique as heck! I think that would suffice for an on-campus facility.

 

[ct06111]

40 million for only 2500 seats?

No way. Build new.

 

[FDNY99]

2500 won't meet the HE requirements which recently Cav was quoted as saying they have to meet. IMHO they will end up tearing that place down and building new...you will see HE minimum (4500) seating. This allows them to have a practice facility/playing facility in one. Don't forget the ticket surcharge the BOT voted to institute on tickets to pay for facility upgrades. I have heard from friends of mine who work in public safety at UConn that there may be a push to close off Hillside to vehicle traffic from the student Union to the new Rec Center.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Bingo, no point in dumping money into a facility that'll be below conference standards. It seems Populous is indirectly telling UConn don't do this, build a new arena.

 

[ct06111]

Populous says the requirement is 2500 minimum with 20% chairback (500). It says it right in the document under "building code" and also right here:

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/pdf/M & W BY-LAWS/Revised Men's By-Laws September 19.pdf
(Page 6)

This HE document however says 4,000 min (20% chairback)
Current members must have 2,000 (20% chairback)

I'm just posting to clarify the requirement, so the 2,500 would meet it, but it would be a waste of $$$ for only 2.5k

Go all out and make a 5k w/ 1k SRO
to make 6k capacity.

 

[FDNY99]

Populous says the requirement is 2500 minimum with 20% chairback (500). It says it right in the document under "building code" and also right here:

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/pdf/M & W BY-LAWS/Revised Men's By-Laws September 19.pdf
(Page 6)

This HE document however says 4,000 min (20% chairback)
Current members must have 2,000 (20% chairback)

I'm just posting to clarify the requirement, so the 2,500 would meet it, but it would be a waste of $$$ for only 2.5k

Go all out and make a 5k w/ 1k SRO
to make 6k capacity.

I just saw that too. When they admitted ND they held them to the 4ooo minimum..and I remember that being the terms UConn agreed to. Any school who was in the league could have a smaller rink. I agree 100%...with so many things needing to be replaced including the building itself..they should just start from scratch and reposition it over there. They own all the land to South Eagleville Rd (Separatist Tract) so they can do what ever they want. A parking lot could be multi use for Hockey, soccer, baseball and softball.

 

[FDNY99]

Populous says the requirement is 2500 minimum with 20% chairback (500). It says it right in the document under "building code" and also right here:

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/pdf/M & W BY-LAWS/Revised Men's By-Laws September 19.pdf
(Page 6)

This HE document however says 4,000 min (20% chairback)
Current members must have 2,000 (20% chairback)

I'm just posting to clarify the requirement, so the 2,500 would meet it, but it would be a waste of $$$ for only 2.5k

Go all out and make a 5k w/ 1k SRO
to make 6k capacity.

That would be my dream size...I would go with 4500 (expandable to 5K by adding 250 seats on each end) with a concourse that was open allowing a lot of SRO.

 

[Adios]

Bingo, no point in dumping money into a facility that'll be below conference standards. It seems Populous is indirectly telling UConn don't do this, build a new arena.

Dammit, that rink looks so cool. Has unique character.

 

[FDNY99]

Dammit, that rink looks so cool. Has unique character.

They can design a rink that has some character and meets what they need. That place needs way too much work for that kind of upgrade.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Dammit, that rink looks so cool. Has unique character.

It'd also be an enormous waste of money. Why would you ever invest millions into an arena that your conference has told you would not meet attendance requirements? It makes absolutely no sense.

 

[FDNY99]

It'd also be an enormous waste of money. Why would you ever invest millions into an arena that your conference has told you would not meet attendance requirements? It makes absolutely no sense.

Never mind would basically be putting lipstick on a pig..as it would be at the end of it's life cycle not too long after the upgrade was completed.

 

[CL82]

2500 won't meet the HE requirements which recently Cav was quoted as saying they have to meet. IMHO they will end up tearing that place down and building new...you will see HE minimum (4500) seating. This allows them to have a practice facility/playing facility in one. Don't forget the ticket surcharge the BOT voted to institute on tickets to pay for facility upgrades. I have heard from friends of mine who work in public safety at UConn that there may be a push to close off Hillside to vehicle traffic from the student Union to the new Rec Center.

The notes on the linked rendering seems to suggest a 2,500 seat target.
Building Code  The current code footprint on record with the State of CT shows a seating capacity of 1,635 bench seats based on 18” of bench space per person. 865 additional seats are needed to meet the requirements of Hockey East (2,500 seats) with 500 (20% of 2,500) being chair backs.

If we need to go to 4,500 here are two cost of new rink examples:

Pegula Ice Arena - Pennsylvania State University
Address 250 University Drive, University Park, PA 16802
Type Indoor Arena
Capacity 5,782 (Ice hockey)
Scoreboard center hung
Construction

Broke ground April 20, 2012
Opened 11 October 2013
Construction cost $88 Million

​

Gene Polisseni Center - Rochester Institute of Technology
Location 200 Lomb Memorial Drive, Henrietta, New York 14623
Capacity Ice Hockey: 4,300
Construction

Broke ground October 19, 2012
Opened September 18, 2014
Construction cost $38 million
​

If we could actually spend around $40M for a new rink it makes no sense to invest $30-$35M in a one that has reached the end of it's useful life.

 

[Adios]

It'd also be an enormous waste of money. Why would you ever invest millions into an arena that your conference has told you would not meet attendance requirements? It makes absolutely no sense.

I thought it would be more than 2400 seats. Didn't see that number at first.

Pegula Ice Arena is a freaking palace.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

I would like Min 5000 seats all chairbacks

 

[FDNY99]

The notes on the linked rendering seems to suggest a 2,500 seat target.
Building Code  The current code footprint on record with the State of CT shows a seating capacity of 1,635 bench seats based on 18” of bench space per person. 865 additional seats are needed to meet the requirements of Hockey East (2,500 seats) with 500 (20% of 2,500) being chair backs.

If we need to go to 4,500 here are two cost of new rink examples:

Pegula Ice Arena - Pennsylvania State University
Address 250 University Drive, University Park, PA 16802
Type Indoor Arena
Capacity 5,782 (Ice hockey)
Scoreboard center hung
Construction

Broke ground April 20, 2012
Opened 11 October 2013
Construction cost $88 Million

​

Gene Polisseni Center - Rochester Institute of Technology
Location 200 Lomb Memorial Drive, Henrietta, New York 14623
Capacity Ice Hockey: 4,300
Construction

Broke ground October 19, 2012
Opened September 18, 2014
Construction cost $38 million
​

If we could actually spend around $40M for a new rink it makes no sense to invest $30-$35M in a one that has reached the end of it's useful life.

Pegula has 2 ice surfaces that could explain the high cost...the facility RIT has would be perfect. Here is the seating issue...the 2500 number was for existing teams in HE. UConn will be held to..AND agreed as part of their membership that they would have a facility that seats a minimum of 4000.

ND paid $50 million for the Compton Family Ice Arena back in 2011:
The Compton Family Ice Arena is a 5,022-seat,[1] two-rink ice facility in Notre Dame, Indiana on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The arena saw its first game on October 21, 2011. The ice arena replaced the 2,857-seat rink in the north dome of the Edmund P. Joyce Center.

The new ice arena is located south of the Joyce Center, just north of Edison Road, and just west of where the new Irish track and field facility is being constructed. The majority of the general public arena seating is of the chair-back variety. The facility includes two sheets of ice (one of them Olympic-sized), with limited seating availability for the second sheet.[2] Offices, locker room, and training facilities for the Notre Dame hockey program will be located within the facility. The weight room within the building will be available for use by all Fighting Irish varsity athletes. Eight auxiliary locker rooms will be available for campus and community use of the facility.[3]
The Compton Family Ice Arena features two sheets of ice - the 200' X 90' Charles "Lefty" Smith Rink that serves as the home of the Notre Dame hockey program, and a 200' X 100' Olympic-sized sheet that also serves all patrons of the facility. The Lefty Smith Rink has a capacity of 5,022 (4,500 chair-backed seats and 522 standing-room spaces) while the Olympic-sized rink has seating for approximately 350 available.

 

[huskymike]

Seeing the manner in which it was presented, Populous is strongly encouraging UConn to build a new arena. I am a little surprised at the renderings and how they move the fields around. The renderings look great. One thing I did notice is the potential of shutting down Jim Calhoun Way between Freitas and Alumni Dr. Also, I may have missed it but no mention of parking, which we all know is a UConn trademark. The new arena RIT just built for $40M looks great. Just tweak it a bit to make it "ours." If anyone is interested in my opinion, if a new arena is the result, do more than 20% chair backs. I understand funding is an issue. I'm in no means an architect but I would like to see something similar to RIT, maybe arch the roof, like Gutterson, or maybe pitched like Yost. Just out of curiosity, what is the life expectancy of Gampel? Is it time to think of replacing Gampel with a dual facility, like Conte?