SEFCU Reno

[cwdickens]

3 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

Glens Falls is a great spot for a basketball game, but unless the only games played there would be on a Saturday it would absolutely suck. I'm not driving an hour each way for a weeknight game.

Even with living in Southern Saratoga County.....at least 45 minute drive 🚗!

[jimbo]

11 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

This latest release says re UG "Construction for phase one of the project is set to be completed in March of 2023." So unless as suggested this is a misprint, there won't be games there this December. 

HVCC says their field house seats 3500, so I think that's a better option than Glens Falls.

I wonder if the old Albany High gym in the basement of what's to be the new School of Engineering is still around. Just to torture opposing teams and fans alike.

 

Is that where Milne used to play? I saw a sectional class A vs B game there in the late 60s between Ravena and Phillip Schuyler. Four big men (for the day), including Curtis Blackmore from Ravena, who set all kinds of records at UB. I was there to watch my HS team play Milne in a C vs D game.

 

[Eli]

This is why I said HVCC, Glens Falls is way too far for the people live in and around Albany. However, if they do end up going that route, I recommend avoiding The Hill or 787 and going the 90/Rt4 route. That hill sucks when traffic is present. 

[Eli]

Just now, jimbo said:

Is that where Milne used to play? I saw a sectional class A vs B game there in the late 60s between Ravena and Phillip Schuyler. Four big men (for the day), including Curtis Blackmore from Ravena, who set all kinds of records at UB. I was there to watch my HS team play Milne in a C vs D game.

 

Woooooo! Ravena! Brings back fond memories (graduated from there). 

[UAalum72]

1 hour ago, jimbo said:

Is that where Milne used to play? I saw a sectional class A vs B game there in the late 60s between Ravena and Phillip Schuyler. Four big men (for the day), including Curtis Blackmore from Ravena, who set all kinds of records at UB. I was there to watch my HS team play Milne in a C vs D game.

 

No. Albany High, later Schuyler Elementary School, soon to be the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is along Lake Ave. between Western and Washington. Milne is between that building and Page Hall.

IIRC Albany HIgh's basement gym had pillars that were right on the sideline, the scorer's table was behind one baseline, and the opposite baseline was narrower to make room for the stairs. I don't think the lighting was that good either. I only saw one or two games there when Amsterdam visited.

I'm sure they've found better use for that space now.

Edited May 14, 2022 by UAalum72

[GreatDanes06]

the concept photos in that "release" make me really happy.

[jimbo]

10 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

No. Albany High, later Schuyler Elementary School, soon to be the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is along Lake Ave. between Western and Washington. Milne is between that building and Page Hall.

IIRC Albany HIgh's basement gym had pillars that were right on the sideline, the scorer's table was behind one baseline, and the opposite baseline was narrower to make room for the stairs. I don't think the lighting was that good either. I only saw one or two games there when Amsterdam visited.

I'm sure they've found better use for that space now.

Thanks for straightening me out. It was only once and I just sort of remember it being a really small gym. Memory of the place fades, but coming from a small school with short kids it was fun seeing four guys between 6-6 and 6-8 battling it out. 

[dslyank]

16 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Ya'll can complain all you want but I'm just glad they are getting a much needed upgrade to facilities... 

 

 

I think we are ALL absolutely TRILLED about the facility upgrades. I for one am just disappointed in the usual secrecy and total lack of community involvement, marketing and promotion. Someone mentioned they do it "under the table quietly", not to upset the faculty? That is totally ridiculous . I guarantee the nay sayers KNOW exactly what is going on. They can complain all they want, but UA Athletics is not going to fade away; and money has to be spent there as well as in English Lit, Anthropology, etc. etc. In fact, instead of trying to do everything in secret, IMHO Benson & Company should be more open and MARKET to the faculty and the community what ATHLETICS brings to the University in exposure, research funds and student enrollment and participation. Of course there is always going to be nay sayers and opponents to spending money on inter-collegiate athletics, but trying to hide the investment in Athletics does nothing to change their minds.

I for one still think Benson has been a miserable failure in leading UA Athletics. Some on this blog now seem to want to give him props for these facilities upgrades and you all are certainly welcome to do so. I for one say the upgrades are long overdue, his secrecy, lack of marketing/promotion, lack of communication of the upgrades are just another example of his incompetency.

[Dane96]

43 minutes ago, dslyank said:

I think we are ALL absolutely TRILLED about the facility upgrades. I for one am just disappointed in the usual secrecy and total lack of community involvement, marketing and promotion. Someone mentioned they do it "under the table quietly", not to upset the faculty? That is totally ridiculous . I guarantee the nay sayers KNOW exactly what is going on. They can complain all they want, but UA Athletics is not going to fade away; and money has to be spent there as well as in English Lit, Anthropology, etc. etc. In fact, instead of trying to do everything in secret, IMHO Benson & Company should be more open and MARKET to the faculty and the community what ATHLETICS brings to the University in exposure, research funds and student enrollment and participation. Of course there is always going to be nay sayers and opponents to spending money on inter-collegiate athletics, but trying to hide the investment in Athletics does nothing to change their minds.

I for one still think Benson has been a miserable failure in leading UA Athletics. Some on this blog now seem to want to give him props for these facilities upgrades and you all are certainly welcome to do so. I for one say the upgrades are long overdue, his secrecy, lack of marketing/promotion, lack of communication of the upgrades are just another example of his incompetency.

There is a reason for it.  And if you can’t figure it out from all of the posts regarding the facilities required at the University and the facilities specifically required by athletics, coupled with the constant whining from the academic community about athletics, I suggest you really reread all the posts and figure out why the school would be quiet about this for now.  

[Dane96]

As someone who deals with over $1 billion in public projects in a given year, I can tell you this is not at all unusual especially on state university campuses.  There were three big ticket items that could be forthcoming for the athletics department and right now they don’t need any scrutiny. As you said, once the arena is fixed it’s going to be quite public but there’s nothing you can do about it or say about it once it’s done. This is pure politics and par for the course. I have been very vocal about perceived failures of Benson ( in my eyes and others).  So, I’m certainly not defending him. But I am saying is it is completely warranted in the circumstance to act the way they’re acting

[B9j2j6s]

I am just grateful that SEFCU and UG are being renovated.  I hope a new bubble is happening as well, but we will see.  

Now for an interesting question who has been the better AD in the D-1 Era, Benson or McElroy?  

[dslyank]

7 hours ago, Dane96 said:

There is a reason for it.  And if you can’t figure it out from all of the posts regarding the facilities required at the University and the facilities specifically required by athletics, coupled with the constant whining from the academic community about athletics, I suggest you really reread all the posts and figure out why the school would be quiet about this for now.  

Sorry I cannot agree with you. You are welcome to your opinion, as am I and everyone else. Believe me I have read this tread over; and in spite of your expertise and position with billions of construction $s, you have not convinced me that secrecy trumps promoting, communication & marketing. I fully acknowledge your expertise, but IMHO secrecy only fools for so long. IMHO better off meeting your opposition head on and try and sell them on your concept. Even if you cannot win them over; at least after it’s built you have not left angry nay sayers with “nothing to do about it or say about it. “

[B9j2j6s]

On 5/11/2022 at 9:41 PM, UAalum72 said:

I see an announcement was posted Friday with concept pictures of both the gym and arena renovations. Some of the arena pictures have been posted here earlier. If the gym isn't to be finished until March '23, I don't know where they plan to play volleyball or basketball next year. Looks like the gym may only have seats on one side

https://ualbanysports.com/story.aspx?filename=pe-renovation&file_date=4/21/2022

Love a line in there that the gym was home "even for the university’s basketball teams for a period of time. "  

Yea, only for about 27 years.

So it looks like the link to the announcement is down.  Hope this isn't a bad sign.  

[UAalum72]

There's still a link on a pdf file https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=009452333206896616693:abbjmkl5yry&q=https://www.albany.edu/facilities/documents/2022_Summer_Construction_Presentation_Q%26A.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjdu-_au5T4AhU5p3IEHZ1ZDHEQFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3QpqhxOf3S3ALdRzSDC_XX to a 33-minute Office of Facilities Management Zoom presentation on 4/26 on all the University construction for this summer.

Meeting:

https://albany.zoom.us/rec/share/lQcApLSk7-LpA7NNz4H_v0AUAfKg3Zu7-7Xh2ghvBTdRPv_hWD7KUfPnKamurpif.mVv4Nv0Ums6ku-fk

Password T&48H#GA

PE Building starts at 8:50, SEFCU Arena follows at 13:00

Concern: He said bids were out and were due May 3.

A question on the pdf file was

Q: Is it cost prohibitive to eliminate bleacher seating and go with all chairbacks in the reno of SEFCU Arena?
A: From the standpoint of staying within the budget we have committed to the project, we have decided to move forward with bleacher seating.

Unless he was only talking about not adding chairbacks to the students section instead of the bleachers.

Edited June 4, 2022 by UAalum72

[Dane96]

13 minutes ago, UAalum72 said:

There's still a link on a pdf file https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=009452333206896616693:abbjmkl5yry&q=https://www.albany.edu/facilities/documents/2022_Summer_Construction_Presentation_Q%26A.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjdu-_au5T4AhU5p3IEHZ1ZDHEQFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3QpqhxOf3S3ALdRzSDC_XX to a 33-minute Office of Facilities Management Zoom presentation on 4/26 on all the University construction for this summer.

Meeting:

https://albany.zoom.us/rec/share/lQcApLSk7-LpA7NNz4H_v0AUAfKg3Zu7-7Xh2ghvBTdRPv_hWD7KUfPnKamurpif.mVv4Nv0Ums6ku-fk

Password T&48H#GA

PE Building starts at 8:50, SEFCU Arena follows at 13:00

Concern: He said bids were out and were due May 3.

A question on the pdf file was

Q: Is it cost prohibitive to eliminate bleacher seating and go with all chairbacks in the reno of SEFCU Arena?
A: From the standpoint of staying within the budget we have committed to the project, we have decided to move forward with bleacher seating.

Unless he was only talking about not adding chairbacks to the students section instead of the bleachers.

I mentioned this elsewhere I think...but this IS concerning.  There were NEVER supposed to be chairbacks for the student section...only chairbacks for the rest of the arena, some chairs getting plush chairbacks.  So, I hope you are right...that this was the OLD choice just for student seats.  However, the budget for the seats was 2.5 million and I can tell you that construction costs have gone up a ridiculous amount with the economy.  So, I could see 2.5 million being cut to 1.5 to deal with cost overruns elsewhere.  This would be VERY troublesome.