SUA: Indoor Practice Facility in Design Phase

[Faegan]

So true. Those that remember the Manley indoor track facilities back in the day know that they were once state of the art. Manley hosted the Big East Indoor Track and Field Championships many times, it hosted the HS sectional championships forever and it was extremely heavily used by runners during the fall, winter and spring. This includes athletes, students, faculty and even townies. Syracuse desperately needs a good indoor T&F facility, not just to remain competitive in this sport, but for the benefit of the entire community.

Seems like track/cross-country is always one of the first to get the shaft. Really hope we do something special as TC describes above.

 

[texascpa]

I didn't know about licensure requirements. Safety and quality issues I figured would be addressed with code standards and professor supervision, but that's why I asked. Thanks for the input.

An Architect needs to be licensed in New York. Most states require architects to apprentice a certain number of years before they can get a license.

 

[mountaincuse]

I didn't know about licensure requirements. Safety and quality issues I figured would be addressed with code standards and professor supervision, but that's why I asked. Thanks for the input.

As a former architecture student I would have loved the opportunity when I was in school (I would really love it now as a professional) but the professors probably don't know much better than the students in terms of life safety, etc...

 

[sufandu]

We had to do that for baseball. Wasn't bad, exactly, but tough on the knees. Those floors aren't very forgiving.

Yeah, I didn't feel it back then, but it's probably taking it's toll now.

 

[Ozcuse]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but with an elite architectural school, why pay an outside company to do the design? Couldn't some grad students design it under the supervision of their professors? It could've been a competition. Is there a legal requirement of having to use licensed architects? WVU has a very cool elevated monorail system on their campus that was designed by engineering students. It seems like SU could've done the same thing.

I thought this guy designed the WVU monorail?

 

[Whitey23]

they forgot to mention the new baseball stadium and hockey rink.

 

[Rocco]

79 feet is really low. definitely cant punt or kick in there. Uconn's IPF is 106 feet high

According to Shafer, his team will not punt under his reign; they simply won't have to.

 

[javadoc]

According to Shafer, his team will not punt under his reign; they simply won't have to.

Just wait until the GT game. No punts with Shafer and Johnson in the house.

 

[Chris02M]

any punting practice can be done outside in the elements hard nosed style

 

[Chris02M]

you can kick fg's in the IPF

 

[money3189]

According to Shafer, his team will not punt under his reign; they simply won't have to.

That will be hard nosed. lol. I actually did some research, 79 feet is better than average IPF's

 

[Orangeyes]

You can use the restrooms in Tennity if you're watching the Softball games, I used to let people in all the time. Just have to walk up the hill

There are restrooms next to the softball concession stand.

 

[Moontan]

According to Shafer, his team will not punt under his reign; they simply won't have to.

It's not the punting we're concerned about. Rather, it's the punt return team that needs the reps.

 

[WickedOrange]

Syracuse unveils plans for $17 million athletic facility


The football, lacrosse, and soccer teams get a new practice home.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/07/syracuse-unveils-plans-for-17-million-athletic-facility/

 

[GoCuse44]

Government approvals are expected by August 31st (hard to believe how many hoops they have to jump through to build a facility in the city) with groundbreaking shortly thereafter. Expectation is that the outside shell will be complete before the snow falls and the inside will be finished on or about April 1st. There is nothing set in stone in terms of the statutes in 44 plaza. All I can say is this facility will do wonders for recruiting. The design firm did a great job giving it a unique look compared to other IPF's.

 

[Jeepers]

Further on statues: another reason I'd prefer busts is that if you had multiple busts, it'd give players a goal to achieve some day. Slim chance anyone ever becomes big enough to be as famous as Jim Brown and Ernie with a statue, but it would be realistic if there were 20 or so busts. There are so many great players from SU that I'm sure most people don't even know.

 

[upperdeck]

you can punt fine.. you just cant practice the return part as well on high punts. i wonder what the avg punt by Su actually traveled in height the last few years,

goal posts are only 30 ft tall by rule more like 40 in reality..so double that

the dome is 165 feet high, there are a lot of punts that dont get as high as the top of the upper deck which is probably close to 100 ft up..

the tv screen in cowboys stadium was at 90 ft and they didn't hit unless they really tried to and they figured that could hit it only 50% of the time

the NFL set 85 ft as the minimum height.. so 79 is not really out of line..

 

[OttoMets]

you can punt fine.. you just cant practice the return part as well on high punts. i wonder what the avg punt by Su actually traveled in height the last few years,

goal posts are only 30 ft tall by rule more like 40 in reality..so double that

the dome is 165 feet high, there are a lot of punts that dont get as high as the top of the upper deck which is probably close to 100 ft up..

the tv screen in cowboys stadium was at 90 ft and they didn't hit unless they really tried to and they figured that could hit it only 50% of the time

the NFL set 85 ft as the minimum height.. so 79 is not really out of line..

One trouble: my understanding is that some of the guts of the facility (ductwork, lights, etc.) reduce the real height of the ceiling significantly. The roof height is 79 feet, but the height from field to peak of the ceiling is more like 65 feet.

Seems shortsighted to build a facility with this limitation.

 

[Moontan]

The roof height is 79 feet, but the height from field to peak of the ceiling is more like 65 feet.

Seems shortsighted to build a facility with this limitation.

Most facilities share this same limitation, including those at GA Tech, FSU, Clemson and UVA.

If the coaching staff really wants to have a practice that includes all punting capabilities, they can either head to the dome or simply go outside... you know like most practices around the country.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Shortsighted could describe many decisions made in the last decade at SU in Athletics and beyond.

Another one related to this project is relocating the track team to Skytop where the long-term plans are for a new stadium/arena. Not sure why they aren't planning to put the track at Hookway so you could spin it as being available for the community. It's going to end up there after the Skytop area is needed for parking, etc.

 

[OttoMets]

Most facilities share this same limitation, including those at GA Tech, FSU, Clemson and UVA.

If the coaching staff really wants to have a practice that includes all punting capabilities, they can either head to the dome or simply go outside... you know like most practices around the country.

If it's up to the standards of our peers, OK - no problem.

I fear that we're spending $17 million on something that's going to be painted as obsolete in 2025. That'd be bad.

 

[OttoMets]

Shortsighted could describe many decisions made in the last decade at SU in Athletics and beyond.

Another one related to this project is relocating the track team to Skytop where the long-term plans are for a new stadium/arena. Not sure why they aren't planning to put the track at Hookway so you could spin it as being available for the community. It's going to end up there after the Skytop area is needed for parking, etc.

I do feel that the Manley renovation was wasteful and short-sighted. I'm not, however, privy to the decisions behind the work. Would we have not gotten Marrone without a commitment to renovate immediately? Are there recruits on our roster right now who would be playing elsewhere were it not for our 80-yard indoor field?

Seems to me that we'd have $3+ million extra dollars to put toward the new building and a Manley with a brand-new 200-meter track and a passable surface for softball and lacrosse if we'd just waited a couple years and built the permanent indoor facility without diverting resources to gutting Manley first.

The track would never be built on Hookway. Fences and lights are one thing; building a facility over there is out of the question. It's a shame that the school isn't building a new track right away, but the location - though not ideal - makes sense. SU doesn't want to lose Manley surface parking and the teams want the track and the existing throwing facility to be consolidated. And the university isn't interested in a community benefit - this track is going to be for athletics use only (this was an early complaint about the Vielbig facility in the mid-'90s: even faculty and staff were finding themselves locked out when the track wasn't in use; they gave it the name "Alcatrack").

 

[Full_Rebar]

Good points about Marrone and recruiting and Manley has benefited other teams, but now every team is going to want to go to the IPF because it will be a full field. Do you know what happens to the field inside the track- can that be moved? It's only 3-4 years old now right?

SU doesn't have a throws program anymore- no coaches and maybe 1-2 athletes each year since the coach left. I agree about the community- but not sure how building a track is different from the practice fields. It might be an issue that my peeps haven't shared with me. Have to wonder if there would be issues with using Lower Hookway (other than rec services)?

It would be nice if SU had a place for faculty/staff/students to run. Locking a track anywhere makes me laugh- why would we want to keep people from having the ability to exercise?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Another one related to this project is relocating the track team to Skytop where the long-term plans are for a new stadium/arena. Not sure why they aren't planning to put the track at Hookway so you could spin it as being available for the community. It's going to end up there after the Skytop area is needed for parking, etc.

Plenty of room at Skytop for a track facility, potential 50,000+ seat stadium, and parking.

Drumlins West should be paved over anyways.

 

[Moontan]

If it's up to the standards of our peers, OK - no problem.

I fear that we're spending $17 million on something that's going to be painted as obsolete in 2025. That'd be bad.

It should be fine.

Having an IPF will be expected of all "BCS" programs that claim to take football seriously. Wake, NC State, BCU, Rutgirls and even Miami & UGA are on the clock.