Baseball scoreboard going up

[UAalum72]

about half of it is up, although they weren't working at noon, whether because of the rain or lunch, I don't know

[UAalum72]

and here are pictures, there should be another section of the scoreboard atop what's already there

[Dane Pound]

Thanks UAlum. The pictures are terrific.

When can we expect you to post the Sasaki Associates blueprints for the stadium?

[Dane96]

What do you think is going on top? That is a big spot....A simple Home of the Danes....would seem small. I wonder.

 

Great shots...and it is unbelievable how far it has come since I took BP there in 1992. Obviously you can bet your butts that the pressbox and stands will be there sooner rather than later. I would say that the stands will be probably done in two parts (or at once depending on $$). I would guess 500-750 will go up immediately behind home and the box will go on top. Another 500 will probably be added on each line....bringing it to 1500-1750. Not so shabby.

 

Very disappointed with the "HOME" and "GUEST THING....Couldnt they have pained "ALBANY" in?

 

Dr. McElory...if you read this...send the painters over and please put our team name in!

[Dane96]

One last thing...who would have thought that one of the most beautiful views on campus would be the baseball diamond (w/ the trees in the background. Now imgagine if UA could ever add lights...spring ball/ w the trees and lights. You could get the H.S. championships up there (Sectionals)!

[uafootballLI]

The stadium is going to be either 10,000-15,000, and will be behind the current RACC where the parking lot is. Then theres also going to be an artificial turf stadium also i believe, but only like 2,500 i think it was. They had 2 blueprints, 1 to have it all on campus (i mean directly on campus) or like a short distance away and have like an entire stadium complex type of thing, but they chose to build on the land around the racc,etc. dont ask how i found the info

[Dane96]

Ummm, how did you come about this info....Sasaki is completing there plans now. Interesting if you are correct. Little disaapointed on the size...I want 15-20k

[UAalum72]

What do you think is going on top?  That is a big spot....A simple Home of the Danes....would seem small. I wonder.

 

Walking by at lunch today I saw BamBam, and as I suspected, there will be ads on the upper panels (the old scoreboard has Coke and Powerade logos). He also said the tough years are over, but then like me he's a Red Sox fan.

 

Adding seats to the baseball field will be tough working around the un-dugouts they've got, unless you put them on the roof of the dugouts.

 

The artificial turf stadium would be for lax and/or field hockey.

 

12K would be OK, at least for a start, especially if they put in footings that could support a later expansion. Putting it off-campus or in the parking lot would go against a hope to bring the stadium closer to the podium and dorms.

[uafootballLI]

yea the artificial field will be for lacrosse/field hockey..the stadium i was told will be 10-15k. The blueprints are done, and actually the stadium being built behind the RACC iis still pretty close to everything, no? Im 100% positive thats the spot where they will be putting it.

[Dane96]

The baseball field, according to the site, will be getting stands, so I guess they have it figured out.

 

I am a little perplexed about the football stadium. How can they build it on that parking lot area? Even if they dig in, don't you guys think that it is a rather "tight spot" I wouldn't think you can expand much. The poisitve, is that you can build and play ball at the same time. If that happens, look for the football stadium to become the new, and larger, parking lot.

[statefan]

I am also a little surprised to hear of this location for a football stadium. I had heard the more likely spot was near the new sculpure studio, on or adjacent to the State Office Campus. The University is very well represented on the Board that Gov. Pataki appointed to look into development of the office campus, and even after former Pres. Hitchcock resigned, her spot on that Board was taken by another University representative.

 

Also, it is my understanding that any new stadium has to have the field run north to south, which is perpendicular to our current field. Given the residences on Western Avenue, the location of the RACC , and the need for a road, it just doesn't seem to me that there is enough room. I am assuming that if the report of this location is accurate, the parking lot will be replaced by one or more multi-level parking garages.

 

I also read in one of this morning's papers a short article indicating that the Presidential Search Committee still is not ready to schedule preliminary interviews. I had heard that it is impossible that we will have a President until January at the earliest, and I personally wouldn't be surprised if not until July1, 2005. I very much doubt that any significant facilities decision will be made before a new President (and for that matter Provost - remember that Provost Santiago has left also) is in place. There is significant grumbling amongst faculty regarding budget cuts and the circumstances leading to former President Hitchcock's resignation that I cannot forsee a decision being made to spend significant money on new athletic structures while academic department budgets are slashed. Also, I have heard that the fund raising campaign has lagged following the Hitchcock and Santiago resignations. I guess what I am trying to say is that it will take a new President to both energize the fundraising effort and to work with the faculty to create an environment where serious financial commitment can be made to new athletic structures.

[UAalum72]

The State Office Campus, with parking lots empty on weekends and easy interstate access, would seem a logical spot, but the whole point of moving the state offices out and renovating the campus is to attract businesses that would return the property to the tax rolls. A public university facility doesn't seem to fit with the plan.

[Dane96]

I agree, but I was under the assumption that UA had some sort of right of first refusal on parts of that land.

 

I am not doubting you UAfootballLI, but the area you suggest is simply way too small the more I think of it. Even if you go to Hofstra, the land area is much bigger than the parking lot of the RACC.

 

I would guess that from the end of the lot to the last spot by the RACC is no more than 60-70 yards. I mean just look at it in the PIC. The Old Gym Bldg would double the RACC lot up, and the OLD GYM is smaller than the field. Even if they dug in the ground....just not plausible in my opinion.

 

Unless they are using the land by the practice fields. Who knows, but the site seems way off to me.

 

http://www.albany.edu/sports/directions.htm

[Patch]

there should be another section of the scoreboard atop what's already there - UAalum72

 

I drove by the baseball field today and the scoreboard is completed. The section on top is not nearly as big as in the pictures. They must have raised the Board. The top section is big enough to be a nameplate for the field or for a single sponsors name. It's a 2-3' high section in white that runs the length of the board.

[GreatDanes06]

im still trying to picture how they will put stands, or what kind of stands (what will it look like and stuff - metal or cement) and how th heck they aare gonna do it. I hope its ready by baseball season next year.