Campus Center Improvement Plans

[GreatDanes06]

http://media.www.albanystudentpress.org/media/storage/paper1019/news/2009/09/22/News/Big-Plans.For.New.Campus.Center-3780258.shtml

 

wow...$31 million. Amazing that we also have a football program and other sports that can bring "entertainment" also. However, I still like the ideas.

[danefan]

I was talking to an Admin the other day.

 

We got $31 mil for the campus center and $40 mil (I think) for the business school.

 

They don't expect to even break ground until 2011 at the earliest with the business school not open for classes until the fall 2013.

 

What a joke it is to run a University in NY.

[Clickclack]

My first question is where is the money coming from....second point is this is a huge need. I'm on campus a few days a week taking part time classes and we need this upgrade BADLY! Good for the student body and WILL help lure talent both academic and athletic to the campus. The current facilities are way below an acceptable standards, cramped, dingy etc.

[MRSGDG]

What a joke it is to run a University in NY.

 

its called state contract with state laws. (state public school = state fiscal laws).

 

its also called cash..which the state has barely any of. so... many projects needing actual cash on hand now, that have not already been started ..or many projects not in contract yet are on hold.

 

im not saying it doesn't suck, but this is the way it is being a public institution during a terrible economic downturn, in a state that depends on wallstreet to fund many state programs.

 

why complain? we got good money to help the school. were you expecting stuff to be built in a year?

[Dane96]

Meh...beg to differ, but you bring up valid points.

 

I am working with NYS from a totally different angle now than my Assembly days. These projects are all run on bonds and dont come out of cash reserves. There are usually minimum milestone payments upfront...it takes usually a year for pilots (even in Construction projects they wrap up stuff like T1, new techniques of sewer lines, etc. in the form of pilot work in order to stave off bulk payments). Bottom line- outside of basic operational funds (read: raw materials), the time and labor costs--which is where the contractors make coin by putting in HUGE risk costs for profit-- usually dont get paid until they are scrubbed down...and that is YEARS out.

 

This is likely a design-phase issue and has NOTHING to do with laws or slowness of the State; they are probably hammering out the contracts, running site variance testing, going through multiple design and engineering phases, prepping CDRL's, discussing things with the insurers and suretys and developing the scope of work. As an example, we finally signed on the dotted line with the PA government in Pittsburgh nearly 1 and 1/2 years ago. Last week...we got our pilot and installation construction moving...nearly 2 years behind schedule. It is pretty typical of all goverments.

 

While I agree not there is no need to complain, I also agree with Danefan that boots need to be on ground and working soon; we are lobbying within NYS to get the funds to finish a project that was started 10 years ago. When things drag on, no matter the Phase, you will always have cut-backs, issues, litigation, etc. The sooner UA gets this done...the better.

 

And I would bet any amount of $$$ is that part of the delay was caused by the lack of President to approve the designs. Now that we have a President...I would be things move quicker. That said...HE BETTER NOT GIVE UP HOPE ON THE STADIUM AND GO HALF-ASSED. I have offered the services of the NUMBER 1 DEMOCRATIC LOBBYIST UNDER THE AGE of 40 in the NATION to OUR DANES; HIS TEAM IS BEYOND POWERFUL. School still hasnt taken a meeting.

 

Oh...sorry...I guess Hillary Clinton's number one fundraiser is just not good enough for the school. Yawn.

[Michigan_Dane]

Looking at the plans, I'm concerned it's adding more concrete to a campus that has too much concrete as it is. The planners really need to consider lighting and green space.

 

I have to laugh when I hear the current debate about needing a "public option" in health care. When has the government ever been more efficient at anything? Any company I've worked at would have that building up before these plans were even approved by the first bureaucrat. The state is a real cluster. Free these universities to make decisions and sign contracts. Git r done!

[Michigan_Dane]

One thing UAlbany really needs is a damn parking garage. Every morning I drive into work and park in a 1,000 car garage owned by the company. It looks nice, its functional, its what Albany needs. Rip up all that blacktop that litters the campus and plant some trees. One parking garage would do wonders for that campus' appearance. I park in parking garages in Atlanta and San Diego where there is no real need for one. Albany gets tons of snow and these kids have to park on black top? Come on!

[uofalbany]

Darn right that President Philip better not give up on the stadium idea.

96, thanks. Quality clarification.

From your perspective, would there ever be a way of going the NON STATE GOVT route

to get stadium funding - in a relative short amount of time?

 

Also, if you've got the authority, how about lending your lobbyist free-of-charge

for exchange for season FOOTBALL tickets at the new UAlbany Stadium?

 

The parking garage mention is actually a fine idea.

Maybe even 2 parking garages on the OUTER reaches of University Drive. It would HAVE TO be OUTSIDE university Drive.

 

Speaking of freeing up the uninversity:

What's up with the SUNY University Center Innovation and Economic Growth Act

Introduced by Sen. Stavisky S.5836?

[danefan]

As for the dormitory authority doing a bond issuance for the stadium I don't think its going to happen because no one can guarantee an income stream. The Dormitory Authority isn't interested in a funding a project that on paper could sit idle for all but 5 days a year. We have no track record of football attendance.

 

 

I know Construction projects take time.....sure. But, IMO, when the money is in place there should be boots on ground and dirt moving. This isn't a skyscraper in Manhattan guys. This is a 50,000 sq ft. concrete structure. If these projects didn't have to go out to bid they would be completed in half the time wouldn't they? Thats what I think is a joke. Its a prime example of the need to get SUNY out of the nightmare of being considered a state agency.

[Clickclack]

Here's a question that I've been kicking around in my head....lots of space up there unused....

 

Option A: Renovate UF, installing bleachers, new concessions etc. and never get a full blown football stadium

Option B: Wait indefinitely....5,10 years for a state of the art world class facility with the expectations that at some point down the road it WILL be built.

[danefan]

Here's a question that I've been kicking around in my head....lots of space up there unused....

 

Option A: Renovate UF, installing bleachers, new concessions etc. and never get a full blown football stadium

Option B: Wait indefinitely....5,10 years for a state of the art world class facility with the expectations that at some point down the road it WILL be built.

 

 

 

I choose Option A.

 

My reasons:

If you do the first Phase right you can always add seats to University Field to have a really really nice FCS stadium down the road. There is the room.

 

 

And Option B is the football programs worst nightmare. Ford won't be here another 5-10 years. Without Ford and a stadium this program is in trouble.

[uofalbany]

And Option B is the football programs worst nightmare. Ford won't be here another 5-10 years. Without Ford and a stadium this program is in trouble.

 

And I TRULY hope that is understood throughout the entire athletic department and university!

Heck, throughout the entire alumni base for that matter!

 

We need to use our trump card, and we need to use it now!

[UA_MA_2000]

Stavisky is a hoodlum.

[danefan]

Stavisky is a hoodlum.

 

 

 

I'm guessing you are talking about the the completely stalled "SUNY innovation and economic growth act"

[UA_MA_2000]

Here's a question that I've been kicking around in my head....lots of space up there unused....

 

Option A: Renovate UF, installing bleachers, new concessions etc. and never get a full blown football stadium

Option B: Wait indefinitely....5,10 years for a state of the art world class facility with the expectations that at some point down the road it WILL be built.

 

Option B. Option A is unacceptable and will, at the least, put off a real stadium for years and years, IMHO.