Stadium: Architecture, Engineering, and Design AWARDED!

[Dane96]

Yep...ADA requires access to all areas via ramps or elevators.

 

Your point about not connecting the grandstand, and being tall..is exactly why I think that they may build the suites on top of that press area in the future. Either just straight suites...or suites PLUS stands. My guess...just suites.

[Clickclack]

Why else would the elevator tower be taller by a significant margin than the rest of the building.

 

These digs would be the nicest in the NEC, correct? I haven't been to any away NEC games.

[Dane96]

Yah...the more and more I look at it...I can't imagine that extension of the elevator being for anything less than a second connector. That black box on top of the tower is the gear housing area. That 15-20 feet or so below it until you get to the "roof" of the press box is prime area to put a two tier level of suites.

[Dane96]

Yes Click, they would be bar none the nicest in the league.

[UAalum72]

And easily the largest in the NEC until Rhode Island joins, and they're close. More important, by phase 2 it'll be comparable to Stony Brook.

 

Actually what's shown is nearly identical to SB's home side except for LaValle's second row of windows in the mezzannine. They say they have six luxury suites, and there's a tower on each end. Ours extends the full width of the upper deck.

 

There will be changes. I'm sure that if "Home of the Great Danes" is off-center, the other end of the roof will have a sign that says "'Your Company Name Here' Stadium"

[Michigan_Dane]

Fantastic news. I'm just glad we're finally moving and there is considerable thought about future expansion built into the design. Our facilities are terrible, which is really hurting us. I think we need to keep up with Stony Brook. That's a minimum requirement!

[alum73]

The e;evator shaft goes up one level higher than the pictured suites , for future expansion.

[Michigan_Dane]

Why is this new stadium picture so crude relative to the Heely video that was released last year? The video was so smooth and this new web site seems a bit rough. Are we sure this is the new design? Could this website be something that was developed in the but never used? If I was the university, I would go back to Heely and ask for an image as well put together as the original video. I understand if the budget requires a simpler design but the asthetics of the image should be as equally finished.

[Dane96]

That is a typical design prior to FDR. Anything is possible, but I am not worrying too much about designs. Heck, it could change during the process.

[Clickclack]

The e;evator shaft goes up one level higher than the pictured suites , for future expansion.

 

Sounds great...

[Clickclack]

I just noticed that one of the pictures (right hand side) shows the opposite side of the field and there don't appear to be any stands from what I can see.

 

Does anyone know if this is the only planned upgrade to the website (.pdf) or will there be more information? If all the announcement we get is a pdf posted in the dead of night, that's pretty disappointing.

[Clickclack]

Can excavation work be started in Feb? Isn't the ground frozen solid?

[UAalum72]

Depends on the weather, some years the frost may be only a couple of inches deep, other years two or three feet. A good backhoe can probably break thru a little.

 

At one time there were issues if concrete froze before it could fully cure, but quik-krete may have solved that problem.

[Dane96]

Nice that somebody's working over the holiday weekend.

 

IF these drawings are accurate as to the number of rows, I can't see more than 4,600 in this setup (11 rows lower, 17 upper) depending on how many seats are counted on the bench sections. Just over 2K lower, 2,600 upper. A visitors side mirroring the lower level takes it over 6k, but then why isn't it shown here?

 

The tower looks a little shallow for suites, but that's an awful lot of windows for just a press box. Meeting rooms could be in the side tower, but why wouldn't they have some windows face the field?

 

Overall looks a lot smaller than last year's video, but I'll take it. We'll see what really gets built.

 

I just did the math, and I think your numbers are pretty close--

 

Lower Level- 11 Rows x 18 Seats x 3 Sections = 594 Chairbacks

11 Rows x 24 Seats x 6 Sections = 1,584 Bleacher Seats

Total Seats= 2,178

 

Upper Level- 5 Short Rows x 16 Seats x 6 Sections = 480 Bleacher Seats

12 Big Rows x 20 Seats x 6 Sections = 1,440 Bleacher Seats

UL End Sect- 17 Side Rows x 6 Seats x 2 Sections = 204 Bleacher Seats

Total Seats= 2,124

 

Add in the seating in the booth, about another 70 capacity.

Add in the handcap seats shown, about 35.

 

Total Seats= 4,407

 

Double that for the opposite side, and add in about 200 club seats, and you get 9,014 seats.

Endzones upper and lower should be approximately the same as the sides (field width plus at least 20 yards on each side with the wraparound).

 

Total Capacity = 18,028.

 

Where do the other 6,000 seats go? If the upper deck wraps and touches all around...maybe you add 4 more sections of 12 large rows and 5 short rows for a total of 1,280 seats...getting to 19,308.

[UAalum72]

BTW for anyone visiting the campus, Perimeter Road has reopened on the east side and now loops further east from the sculpture studio, around the formerly wooded area where the new dorms are rising, and rejoins the old road above the Western Avenue administration buildings near the baseball field.