SEFCU Reno

[cwdickens]

Whoa, what a week .... Earlier in the week ... Heard about $10 million in the state budget to build a hockey and entertainment arena @ Harborside Schenectady.... Basically to replace Union College's Messa Rink.... I thought what about SEFCU Arena....well prayers answered.

[godanesgo99]

Are the images earlier in this thread new or are they the old renderings? Does anyone see any areas for corporate? Not sure that the school would be able to sell many at the current time, and the arena will be small enough where it may not fit, but I know the school has them in Casey Stadium, I think Stony Brook has for their arena. Just curious if there are plans now or if there is room for future expansion. 

When I went to UA there were a lot of events in the RACC. I saw Dave Matthews, Primus, Green Day, and a bunch of other big shows at the RACC. It's been a long time since I remember hearing about a show on campus. If they plan on using SEFCU for events like that after the renovation in addition to sports, selling corporate boxes that include all sports and all events in the arena can raise a lot of money. 

Edited April 16, 2022 by godanesgo99

[Eli]

8 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

Is there anything in there about the outside of the arena, any changes to ticketing and entrance from the SEFCU parking lot? And specifically handicap access into the arena. Currently if you park in the SEFCU lot you have to go down six steps and then thru the doors for your ticket scan. Or if you go to the handicap parking west of the PE building you have to push a wheelchair up a 120-foot ramp to the main entrance (or hold it against ice/snow downhill when leaving.) 

When the then-RACC was built my wife asked about access, the answer she got pissed her off against AD Bill Moore for a lifetime (Irish Alzheimer's - forget everything except grudges). Too late for her now, but if there's a way to improve ADA compliance it should be done now so you can amortize the financing over the life of the arena instead of something tacked on later at extra cost,

Lack of ticketing on the lot side was certainly a gripe of mine too when bringing friends.

[Dane96]

More details.  

• Ticket Seat Capacity is 3,579.  Seat breakdown as follows: 1,295 Fixed Seats; 1,630 telescopic seats; 498 Telescopic bleacher seat; 28 Wheel Chair Seats; 28 Loge Chairs (ADA Companion); 98 folding chair Seats; and 9 ADA seats.  
• Total Capacity on gameday, and this is how all arena's get their actual capacity, will be 3,767.  My guess is official sellouts will be called at 3, 800.  From the plans and due to 9,706 total capacity allowed, It looks like you can easily sneak 500-750 more in SRO.  
• Accoustic levels will be even better than before based on construction setup.  The place is deafening when packed.  
• By flipping the court, we don't lose seating, which surprises me.  The length of the new orientation 234.6 feet long by 189.10 wide.  This is the length of construction area.  That surprised me a little bit.  
• The stairways in the building I think will be made larger however as for ADA upgrades, I could not find any. This makes sense (I work with ADA law all day) because we are calling this a rehabilitation.  If it were new construction or a COMPLETE gut renovation, very expensive changes would need to be made throughout.  This is very typical of construction, the way we are going about this.  However, the new Annex building will absolutely be ADA compliant and it has an elevator design per the plans we have see on the Master Facilities planning.
• It's been awhile since I've walked the core section of SEFCU so I am not sure where the current basketball lockerooms are now.  However, it looks like the new ones will be build where I remember the media room and equipment room were on the old design.  Additionally, it looks like they are actually using that area PLUS building out to the current arena area under the current lobby entrance (NORTH) stands.
• Due to this, there are actually MORE fixed seats than previously planned, mostly on the north side, East to West Length of the main stands.  This is excellent to have this many fixed seats.
• The team area (lockers, film room, showers, and lounge area) will run 57' long by 31.2' wide.  That's significant space at just under 1,800 sq feet.  
• More specifically, the locker room is 18'1" long by 31'2" wide.  The lounge is 38'11" long by 17'2" wide.  The film room is 18' long by 14' wide. These are really nice spaces.
• There will be storage for four goal stanchions and baskets under the West Side Fixed stands. The same setup under the East Side Fixed stands.  Including the competition floor, there will be 10 total stanchions in the building. 
• The South Side fixed stands will have  3 storage areas that will each run just under 32' long and maybe 10' wide. 
• The benches will be on the North Side Stands (current Lobby Side).  Same with the scorer tables and Daktronic Boards. The South Side will have Daktronic Courtside tables. 
• The Corner Seats in the NE and NW corners are considered Club Seats and will have access to the NE Capital Club and NW Capital Clubs.  Plus seats, I believe. 
• The ONLY bench seating will be on the NW goal wall, likely student seating. 
• Each lockeroom will have 16 lockers and an ADA bench.  
• The film room features 21 plush seats and will be carpeted.  It will be theater seating, three risers.  Each seat will have a tablet arm and will be 22" wide .  The LCD touch screen will be 84"
• There will be a large TV in each of the Capital Club Locations (NW and NE). The brackets are 19' long, which means we are getting LARGE TV's added.  Interestingly the face the people who theoretically would be in line for concessions.  My guess is it is either solely for concessions or multiple screens including game play.  
• A new, synthetic floor is being installed under each stand, coming up the floor.
• My length was wrong yesterday.  The HEIGHT of the top seat is 21'6 along the main stands (North and South).  The length is about45-50' feet from last chair up top to last chair on floor.  The math majors can do the algebra from visual distance from last seat. 
• I don't believe this will be Volleyball ready. In fact, it looks like they will be infilling the long jump pit and volleyball inserts.  
• They will replace the competition court, inlaying it with the old flooring (it  seems).  
• There will be East, West, North and South camera platforms at the Lobby Level. 

Some ask about expansion.

I can't see any other structural way to expand other than UP to the roof along the walls because I believe there are load bearing supports every 15-20 feet that extend to the roof of the main part of the complex. To do that, you would have to do what SBU did and build a small concourse over a fixed stand. 

If you do it on the main South Fixed Stands, you could go 130-ish feet by 15'.  Based on my reading of the specs, if they are fixed, chair back seats...then you would get maybe 6 rows of seating.  Based on the new South Fixed Seating specs, that would result in 375-500 seats depending on design.  This could be done when they add the Annex Building since that will be on the South Wall (parking lot) side.   

Additionally and theoretically, it looks like each corner could technically be expanded...maybe by 120 seats per corner, for a total of 450-500 seats depending on design, by putting concrete elevated fixtures that fans would need to walk under. Or you can do that plus a raised expansion on the East and West behind the basket wall.  I find that less likely do to value for seat game view (less value placed by fans purchasing tickets) than either the corner expansion or South Fixed stands expansion. 

If they did either East or West side raised fixed seating, not including corners, you would have around 90 feet and a depth of around 14'.  That would result in about 4 rows and 160-180 seats per East and West Wall...or 320-360 total.

If they did all those above, you could potentially build approximately 1,145 to  1,360 to bring total gameday non-SRO capacity to 4,912 to 5,127 and non-SRO ticket sales only to 4,724 to 4,939. All are unlikely given the cost and demand.  However, if the demand was there, e.g. we had a consistent season ticket based of 3,000, then someone would have to do a serious ROI on that to figure out if adding that many seats would result in the multiple millions likely required to construct that set-up versus playing a few games at the MVP.

If we need 500 more seats...we have a good problem and they could sell SRO regularly.  

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by Dane96

[UA1882]

Amazing information my Dane96 . Awesome.  

It appears Howard will be added to the CAA. I believe that gives them 15 for football, 14 for everything else. I know they want to get to 16 teams. Add another southern school for football (getting them to 16) / basketball to 15. I wonder if the Sefcu Renovation was moved up to accommodate a potential move? Making it 16 in both Football/ Basketball. Make us look more attractive? Maybe , maybe not.  Just a thought. 

Edited April 17, 2022 by UA1882

[alumni '92']

I like your theory UA1882 ... not unreasonable ... but, not surprisingly, remains all about our athletic budget (state $, fundraising + faculty/administration support) ... we can all keep looking for credible news + leaks 

[B9j2j6s]

This rehab needs to be done regardless of conference affiliation.  3800 attendence is about right for our size.  Having seat backs will make for a more comfortable experience also easier to sell season tickets.  When we were most successful in the early to mid 2010's the seat backs were mostly sold out.  Bench seating is just not comfortable, glad to see things moving in a positive direction with regards to facilities.

 

 Now a parking garage would help a lot as well.  

[UAlbany09]

I think the trend with building new college basketball arenas is to go smaller. The new Texas arena is going to seat 10,000 compared to the 16,000 capacity in their current building. Baylor’s new arena is going to seat 7,500 compared to the 10,000 they currently have. I agree 3,800 is a good size. 

[Dane96]

Not sure if they are shortlisted or just bidding, however there are at least three firms involved...all with arena experience.  All three are solid and at least two have had UA projects...and both of those companies are the ones I favor based on personal experience with each.  Bids are due next Tuesday. 

[Dane96]

And here is your public confirmation for all those who may have been worried:

Poughkeepsie Journal

Attention: MBE/WBE/SDVOB Construction Trades Consigli Construction is soliciting subcontractor proposals from New York State Certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB) for the University at Albany, Rehabilitate SEFCU Arena - Building 105 project located in Albany, NY (Albany County). Major trades include but are not limited to the following: demolition, concrete, structural steel & misc. metals, finish carpentry, passage doors, overhead doors, aluminum storefronts, metal framing, drywall & ceilings, wood athletic flooring, resilient flooring, painting & wall coverings, division 10 specialties, appliances, bleachers & audience seating, fire protection, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and site work. This project is tax exempt and subject to NYS prevailing wage rates. For more information or to receive a formal invitation to bid, please email mseckler@consigli.com. All bids are due by April 25, 2022, at 2:00 PM. 5213782

 

This is one of the three bidders I mentioned.  Bidders are required to meet DBE/MBE/WBE Goals in public contracts, if listed, and part of the good faith effort is public announcements like these.    Current construction fund budget in publicly available documents is 12.5 million (2.5 for the bleachers).

Edited April 20, 2022 by Dane96

[dslyank]

On 4/17/2022 at 9:29 AM, UA1882 said:

 I wonder if the Sefcu Renovation was moved up to accommodate a potential move? Making it 16 in both Football/ Basketball. Make us look more attractive?

I HOPE NOT.

[godanesgo99]

On 4/17/2022 at 2:38 PM, B9j2j6s said:

Now a parking garage would help a lot as well.  

A few years back the parking situation was my number one item to help get more people to games in one of the famous "butts in the seats" threads. I know a lot of people complain about the cost of parking, but in my mind costing has nothing to do with it. It's the walk from Dutch Lot in the winter. I know they added the shuttle, but frankly that doesn't help much. 

My suggestion was to add parking on the other side of University Drive around SEFCU. A narrow multi-story garage there like the one at NYS OMH on New Scotland Ave could add spots for 300-600 cars depending on length/height of the building, then add a walkway overpass directly into the renovated SEFCU Arena with an exit before the arena to go down to the SEFCU lot for entrance to Casey Stadium. That leaves the SEFCU lot for VIPs and GDAC members and tailgating, Dutch Lot could be maintained for tailgating during football, but no one would have to deal with the walk from Dutch to SEFCU in the winter. 

I know before I had SEFCU lot passes and season tickets for basketball and football the weather and the walk from Dutch was a major factor in if I decided to go to a game or not. The $10 for parking had a 0% impact. With a car of 4 or 5 people that was just a $2-3 addition to the cost of each ticket.

I think expanded access to adult beverages in the Arena and stadium was my #2 item. Being able to bring a beer to your seat instead of sitting in the HoF room or now needing to be a top donor for the floor area would help a lot.

Edited April 20, 2022 by godanesgo99

[UA1882]

For me it is the people who run the parking.  It's atrocious. People not knowing that you need to be a season ticket holder to go to the Sefcu lot. Holding up the line. It's really bad. Have someone out front to direct people !!!!!! It's not that hard. 

The athletic department has to see this and the fact they do nothing about it is mind boggling.  Simple things like this are the reason I dislike our AD. 

Edited April 20, 2022 by UA1882

[cwdickens]

41 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

For me it is the people who run the parking.  It's atrocious. People not knowing that you need to be a season ticket holder to go to the Sefcu lot. Holding up the line. It's really bad. Have someone out front to direct people !!!!!! It's not that hard. 

The athletic department has to see this and the fact they do nothing about it is mind boggling.  Simple things like this are the reason I dislike our AD. 

LOL ... not at you .... how many times does this topic come up .... I and many others have spoken to Vic and Mark each about this issue this year ... many follow up with emails .... I even discussed with Nat ....shows how bad the current system is when they issued the old card hang ups for the Syracuse Lacrosse game .... we all have a "love/hate" relation with Mark .... better signage would help

[B9j2j6s]

I feel like this is being kept on the DL because the school doesn't want a backlash from the academics and anti athletics people on campus for the price tag of 11-12 million.  Granted this is still likely to happen after it is announced thanks TUseless. 

But let's be honest the arena needs rehabbing.  The price is reasonable and it is the largest indoors seating capacity on campus.  It makes sense and it is time.