I am wondering how they are going to find room for ramps in the facility. The concourses are already so congested.
Could they be planning on building them outside the building? Maybe circular ones like many NFL stadia have?
Also, let’s talk about this description of the addition on the east end of the stadium:
The 25,000-square-foot addition would be built on the east end of the stadium, filling in the vacant space between the stadium and the Barnes Center at the Arch.
SU told state officials they would allow law enforcement and first responders to use the building for free to conduct training for 10 years after its construction.
The university did not supply specific information about the building’s use but said it would directly benefit students at the neighboring SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and high schools across the state.
Now SU announced a building connecting the dome to the Barnes Center in 2019. The Mirons were announced as the donors and the building was called Victory Court.
It sounds like this is more involved that the ‘enclosed pedestrian thruway’ originally envisioned.
What kind of a building could be used for training by law enforcement and first responders? Maybe with top of the line remote learning capabilities?
I would think the first priority here would be to provide a big, open area for fans to spread out and relax. Maybe add some meeting rooms, more areas for food preparation. More bathrooms too. They added some on the lower concourse but I assume this building will have two floors and the second one will be at the level of the upper concourse and provide more restrooms behind the eastern end zone.
The needs for a large stadium and the usage discussed in Mink’s article are pretty different. But if a big part of it is to augment the education experience for students, it would probably make it easier to sell to professors who are against any attempt to spend money on athletics. This would align the use of the building more with what the Barnes Center’s purpose is.
It will be interesting to hear more about this building. I am intrigued.