I'll ask it again: is there one person who thinks it prudent to have the RecPlex reconstruction and the Alumni ?Hall reconstruction as separate projects? I think it borders in idiocy.
Gut Alumni Hall Rebuild with top quality (2,500) - $40 Million.....
That option makes the most sense which is probably the problem. I don't know how accurate the $80 mil, $40 mil and $15 mil numbers are but a lot would depend on what is ultimately built. Quinnipiac's TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, CT was built for $52 mil ($59.1 mil in 2014 dollars) but that is really two 3,500 seat arenas (basketball and hockey) in one building. However, every year that AH is neglected it will just get more expensive to fix the problem. Looking the other way and making excuses doesn't work. I'm afraid that the cheaper cosmetic option of paint and new seats will be the University's choice (...Frassinelli expressed the hope to someday install air-conditioning in Alumni Hall, which would make Commencement-related ceremonies and other events even more enjoyable. Long-term, plans include upgrading Alumni Hall’s seating....). Hopefully the architects have also designed a renovated AH plan now in conjunction with the Rec Plex addition and renovation because they are effectively one unit. Considering the modern Rec Plex addition/renovation and the location of it and AH from the University's Main Entrance off North Benson Road, at the very least there should not be a giant 1959 quonset hut style building tacked onto it like a neglected after thought.
Unfortunately the AH problem has not gone away after moving both of the Stag basketball programs off campus to Bridgeport and then moving most of the women's games back again. The renovation of AH is not a Stag Men's Basketball issue (but the program would benefit with some games being played on campus in a renovated AH) because those 13-15 home games are only a small part of AH. It is the home of NCAA Division 1 Stag Women's Basketball and Stag Volleyball, intramurals, Prep Jesuit Basketball and it is the largest capacity venue on campus. Sadly it's appearance at the heart of campus is a negative not just to Joe Frager's recruiting efforts but also to the University itself. Having a AH with peeling paint and window AC units in 2014 is embarrassing or at least it should be to the administration and trustees, especially when the students are being charged almost $57,000 a year to attend Fairfield University.
...think it is a money issue. That being said, why can't we get creative with financing a bigger project?
"Money issue" - that's why the University has a capital campaign. FvA told me that more will be done with AH when "funds are available". If not now when a capital campaign is ongoing then when?
The last capital campaign that had it's public launch in 2000 initially had a target goal of $100 million which was revised later to $125 million and ultimately finished above that number at $137.9 million. Whatever the cost to gut and finally renovate AH along with the Rec Plex addition/renovation should be part of the current capital campaign or revised into it. If not now then when?
IMO, the powers that be have tunnel vision. What is the logic behind having a state of the art RecPlex CONNECTED to a dilapidated Alumni Hall? Is that a good investment for the future of the University?
Post by brokenboat on Apr 18, 2014 14:17:49 GMT -5
Any renovation seems like a squandering of the donation. These lip stick improvements fool no one. This building is one of the most visited areas of campus for the students and is a focal point when entering the campus.
JS how would a new alumni hall cost us $80 million when the rest of these magnificent "Health Centers" cost about half of that? Are we just prone to getting ripped off? Why not bring in one of these constructions companies from the Carolina's to do the work?
I think you are both onto something. That Queen University building looks great. Let's just build that. Call those guys up! House them in the houses the University bought across North Benson. Cost $30mm, is 145k square feet, and was completed last year. That is $206 a square foot. That $900 number seems way off to me.
Btw - Queens University got that done with a $8mm lead gift. I hope the University puts more thought into this. No reason to be afraid of town planning and zoning. Something like this would keep kids on campus and would be great for the community. That is the way you need to sell it.
Any renovation seems like a squandering of the donation. These lip stick improvements fool no one. This building is one of the most visited areas of campus for the students and is a focal point when entering the campus.
JS how would a new alumni hall cost us $80 million when the rest of these magnificent "Health Centers" cost about half of that? Are we just prone to getting ripped off? Why not bring in one of these constructions companies from the Carolina's to do the work?
The $80 million comes from what Stag74 estimated as 60-65 million, and thats not taking into account Ancillary Costs. All those Ancillary Costs come into play when the footprint is bigger than Alumni Hall (Demolition, Asbestos, Parking Garage, Internal and External roads, Re-cabling from what is behind AH. The cheaper way is to build it on some Tobacco Farm or Corn Field, but that does not exist on campus.
To avoid some of these Ancillary Cost, the University has to ask itself if we really need Lessing Field to house our Soccer teams, especially since it sits in a prime location. An Arena would be perfect there, and the Soccer Field could be relocated. Even with that, something would have to be done with Alumni Hall..... and that could be $10Million.
I agree that Money is the biggest factor, but deciding how big the footprint should be, and where it is certainly would have a major affect on the University and the Total Cost.
Post by Stagophile on Apr 19, 2014 11:39:29 GMT -5
It was too late long ago when the University abandoned the original Master Plan and adopted this haphazard short term utilitarian approach to developing campus. Our campus is very nice and certainly a major attraction for applicants. And I am sure the refurbished RecPlex will be very functional and serve an important need. However, it pains me to think of what could have been when viewing Fr. Dolan's original vision. We really could have had a campus that rivaled the architectural beauty of Boston College to go along with its natural beauty. The RexPlex will now greet visitors to campus with yet another fascinating facade of glass and concrete.
Last Edit: Apr 19, 2014 11:46:55 GMT -5 by Stagophile
To avoid some of these Ancillary Cost, the University has to ask itself if we really need Lessing Field to house our Soccer teams, especially since it sits in a prime location. An Arena would be perfect there, and the Soccer Field could be relocated.
I assume that there is some sort of planning process (hopefully) but I doubt that Lessing Field would have been updated last Summer with a renovated press box, new fencing, landscaping, stone piers and a new Main Entrance stone archway if any thought was to someday relocate it and to where? The rest of the MAAC schools don't have a separate lax stadium, field hockey field, soccer pitch and a rugby field but then again they don't have to share these facilities with an on campus prep school's football, soccer and lacrosse programs. Another reason why selling off the University's contiguous properties was shortsighted and a "lack of vision" issue by past administrations and the trustees that approved it. Unfortunately, Alumni Hall is still a problem that is not going away.
To the critics and cynics. Lets shoot for Queens University as a role model. Are you kidding me. I have never heard of the school. Desperate schools will spend in desperate ways. Fairfield has made some mistakes, but has prospered and is moving up in rankings. We are a survivor and a winner for the long term. Maybe we could do better but we are not doing badly and good gyms are not the only measure of a university. if you have so much vision, smarts and talent, you must be in position to make a lead gift to get Alumni Hall up to grade. In fact, ill match anything posted on this board to build a gym in the next week. Lets go. Lets see some leadership, vision and stones.
Sobro, FU, Broken boat, Tmaac. I can't hear you. I'm here to match your gifts to improve AH when we do the Recplex. And to sit down with you and the Pres, Reed, Lawlor and Chair of trustees to discuss vision. I'll set it up.
Sobro, FU, Broken boat, Tmaac. I can't hear you. I'm here to match your gifts to improve AH when we do the Recplex. And to sit down with you and the Pres, Reed, Lawlor and Chair of trustees to discuss vision. I'll set it up.
Don't know why you are calling me out for this, but cool. I'm kinda neutral on this subject. Let's get to the NCAA' s and win a few...
