Toscano Family Ice Forum Impressions

[Cooper11]

Farther away, but with better sight lines., not looking through two or three levels of plexiglass to the "corners".

Yeah...I so don't get that...how could they have designed an arena where so many of the seats literally do not allow you to see the entire ice surface..especially corners....it's hard to get into the game when the play keeps disappearing into area's that can't be seen....it's like a hockey magic trick..the puck suddenly appears and you have no idea why...never thought I would say I enjoy game experience more at xl center but so far I have.

 

[ableton04]

It isn’t a learning issue- the building is not wired up to cook food on site. It doesn’t have grills or ovens. Everything is made off site and brought in already done, in warmers.

It's an arena built in 2023 for - this shouldn't be that hard.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't think it's a very comfortable place. It seems every seat has an obstructed view.

 

[zls44]

It's an arena built in 2023 for - this shouldn't be that hard.

I 1000% agree. And yet!

 

[Viet Vet]

As much as I hate this place (make no mistake..........I do), if we win consistently it could be forgiven. If not........it will be a white elephant, and may become the laughing stock venue (supplanting Merrimack's) of Hockey East.

 

[zls44]

As much as I hate this place (make no mistake..........I do), if we win consistently it could be forgiven. If not........it will be a white elephant, and may become the laughing stock venue (supplanting Merrimack's) of Hockey East.

$70m for “it’s better than nothing!” is a heck of a thing.

 

[scotty0330]

I haven’t been to sacred heart but since they were essentially built at the same time and what you can tell from pics is that our private school neighbor got it right while UConn appears to have missed the mark. Haven’t heard many glowing reviews other than students are more into it but sheer location took care of that…

 

[John]

I haven’t been to sacred heart but since they were essentially built at the same time and what you can tell from pics is that our private school neighbor got it right while UConn appears to have missed the mark. Haven’t heard many glowing reviews other than students are more into it but sheer location took care of that…

looks very nice

Martire Family Arena

The Martire Family Arena is the crown jewel of Sacred Heart’s robust, multi-year building and expansion program reflecting the institution’s significant growth and national status.

www.sacredheart.edu

 

[kibblesnbits]

It's an arena built in 2023 for - this shouldn't be that hard.

It's a $70+M arena built in 2023 for - this shouldn't be that hard.

 

[zls44]

It's a $70+M arena built in 2023 for - this shouldn't be that hard.

And yet!

 

[John]

looks very nice

Martire Family Arena

The Martire Family Arena is the crown jewel of Sacred Heart’s robust, multi-year building and expansion program reflecting the institution’s significant growth and national status.

www.sacredheart.edu

Tour Builder

Create immersive 360° experiences with Concept3D Tour Builder

tour.concept3d.com

 

[Duncan Idaho]

looks very nice

Martire Family Arena

The Martire Family Arena is the crown jewel of Sacred Heart’s robust, multi-year building and expansion program reflecting the institution’s significant growth and national status.

www.sacredheart.edu

Oh look!, bench seating behind the goals. What a novel idea!

 

[Sea Goat]

I don't think it's a very comfortable place. It seems every seat has an obstructed view.

This is what happens when you hire an architect with little or no experience with building hockey arenas. For roughly the same money, Sacred Heart's arena works a lot better. Their arena was designed by an architect that had much experience designing (you guessed it) college hockey arenas...
Changes can made, like deleting the tall table lounge at the entrance end of the arena. It is pathetic and could be replaced with about 150 good seats.

Slight lines are screwed up, but that will be tough to change.

 

[Viet Vet]

This is what happens when you hire an architect with little or no experience with building hockey arenas. For roughly the same money, Sacred Heart's arena works a lot better. Their arena was designed by an architect that had much experience designing (you guessed it) college hockey arenas...
Changes can made, like deleting the tall table lounge at the entrance end of the arena. It is pathetic and could be replaced with about 150 good seats.

Slight lines are screwed up, but that will be tough to change.

This is what happens when built under public sector, union, prevailing wage constraints.

 

[zls44]

Nah. It’s the architect design inexperience thing.

Unions rule.

This is what happens when built under public sector, union, prevailing wage constraints.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Ice level lounge is also up for naming rights too. its was turned into a white elephant for naming monies.

 

[zls44]

Ice level lounge is also up for naming rights too. its was turned into a white elephant for naming monies.

I dont even think they need to get rid of it- they clearly could’ve fit at least a couple more rows of seating above it and not lost anything of note.

Access to the lounge is heavily regulated now. I can’t imagine anyone actually buying regular tickets at high prices to sit at a high top at ice level.

 

[Sea Goat]

This is what happens when built under public sector, union, prevailing wage constraints.

It's not that simple. There are spectacular public buildings all around our state. I am sure union labor built most of them.I am also sure the architects designed a number of them. College hockey arenas are unique in that the focus of the action is a 200' x 85' sheet of ice with the code requirement of protective glass/netting around all of it.

Then you have to maximize seating with a vertical component that necessarily brings the glass/netting into the sight line. But, go to other arenas and check out and compare. One thing for sure is the tall table lounge is a loser.

 

[zls44]

What kills me about the lounge is that while the other 90% of the arena is great because the lowest floor of seating is above the glass, in the lounge, the floor is at actual ice level. So you actually have the WORST view in the place. They should’ve put the lounge at board level.

It’s little things like that which reveal either a lack of planning or a lack of care.

 

[Sea Goat]

What kills me about the lounge is that while the other 90% of the arena is great because the lowest floor of seating is above the glass, in the lounge, the floor is at actual ice level. So you actually have the WORST view in the place. They should’ve put the lounge at board level.

It’s little things like that which reveal either a lack of planning or a lack of care.

They should've put the lounge in Downtown Storrs...

 

[DblCrossbar]

They should've put the lounge in Downtown Storrs...

It’s not like they didn’t design and implement another exclusive lounge upstairs that give the best view of the game. How many of these features does a tiny arena need? Revenue > fan numbers and experience never equates to a good game day atmosphere. These design choices are the reasons why the vibe at Toscano is sadly lacking in energy. All this is sad considering that many of us are cawlidge hawkey fans - where atmosphere is everything - and fans of UConn - and we’re hoping for the two to merge in a special way on campus. Now it’s once again the XL games that I circle on the calendar since the amenities and roar there have been way better so far.

 

[Brunoblue]

All this talk about Toscano lacking the right vibe would change drastically if the Huskies would just pound some pucks into the net the next time they play in Storrs. Some of you guys will never be happy….

 

[The Viking]

You know what else the place is missing?
A nice pint of Guinness. No need to give me several IPA options as the temperature drops.

Give me a pint of black gold.

And I’ll take a win. Seems we lose more often than not there.

Those are the two most important things. We can work on the other stuff after.

 

[Kolumbo]

UConn's Architect

Toscano Family Ice Forum, University of Connecticut

”A Great Old Barn”…That’s how hockey people describe an arena full of energy, memories and character. Every player and coach...

www.jcj.com

Sacred Heart's Architect

Sacred Heart University Martire Ice Arena | JLG Architects

Sacred Heart University (SHU) will soon be unveiling a new world-class collegiate ice arena to be a permanent home for the University’s men’s and women’s hockey, figure skating, and club teams. With a design led by JLG Architects, the 122,580 SF project is slated to be the “crown jewel” of...

jlgarchitects.com

 

[Viet Vet]

UConn's Architect

Toscano Family Ice Forum, University of Connecticut

”A Great Old Barn”…That’s how hockey people describe an arena full of energy, memories and character. Every player and coach...

www.jcj.com

Sacred Heart's Architect

Sacred Heart University Martire Ice Arena | JLG Architects

Sacred Heart University (SHU) will soon be unveiling a new world-class collegiate ice arena to be a permanent home for the University’s men’s and women’s hockey, figure skating, and club teams. With a design led by JLG Architects, the 122,580 SF project is slated to be the “crown jewel” of...

jlgarchitects.com

Toscano is not a "great old barn'.

It is an ice playground for donors.