Massive U-M athletic campus renovations continue (videos/photos)
Just a quick update on some things with the "South Campus project".
- Ocker Field is being turned into a true stadium as I type this and will be ready for Field Hockey season this fall. A new scoreboard, grandstands, a press box and a new team facility replacing South Ferry Field.
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Schembechler Hall has obviously been completed
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- Ray Fisher Stadium and Alumni Field turf has already been broken in with a season under its belt.
- Next up is the Lacrosse team facilities and stadium (no photos yet for stadium)
- After that will be a 3-point project: TWO Strength & Conditioning High Performance Centers, an Indoor Rowing facility and team offices/locker rooms for Men's and Women's Soccer
In what looks like will be a 2015 date, the demolition of the U-M Indoor Track Building and historic Ferry Field will begin along with the construction of new Indoor & Outdoor Track competition facilities out near U-M Soccer Stadium.
At some point in 2015 or perhaps 2016, the Yost ice plant will be replaced at an estimated cost of $3.2M
The crazy pace of these renovations will slow for a year, but right back to it in 2017. Canham Natatorium will look like a brand new building by the time its facelift is through-
Cliff Keen Arena will be demolished to make way for Weidenbach Hall expansion
In what looks to be the final project (at least that's in print) for the ADept's building renaissance, a new sports arena will built on the site of the demolished U-M Indoor Track Building. It will house Volleyball, Men's Gymnastics and Wrestling. It will also serve as a home for Cheerleading and Dance which are both now under the athletic department's guidance.
Oh yeah, and this fancy arch thingy called the Walk of Champions-
Perhaps you've noticed the new 'boards featuring HD technology at Alumni Field and Ray Fisher Stadium that were installed for the 2014 season. It seems like each facility that isn't being completely re-done or built is getting a new scoreboard. U-M Soccer Stadium is in the middle of getting a very nice new one right now-
The facilities war rages on.
| Project(s) | Est. cost | Est. start date |
| Scoreboard replacements | $4M | In progress |
| Lacrosse Stadium/team facilities | $12M | Fall 2014 |
| Strength & Conditioning/Rowing/Soccer | $25M | Spring 2015 |
| Indoor/Outdoor Track Competition facilities | $90M | Spring 2015 |
| Yost Ice Arena Ice Plant | $3.2M | 2015/2016 |
| Canham Natatorium | $20M | Spring 2017 |
| New sports arena | $30M | Spring 2017 |
Love what they've done with Schembechler Hall. The Bo statue is top notch and you can finally go inside the Towsley museum. The only disappointment for me was the lack of Bowl trophies on display (no Sugar or Orange Bowl). Here are some photos from my trip: https://www.flickr.com/photos/123947732@N08/
glass is 1/2 empty sort of person.
Looks cool. Our field hockey, track, and volleyball/wrestling/gymnastics facilities are one of the worst in the country. The only sport we aren't renovating is Tennis. They must already top notch facilities.
I know that he must be WD's grandpa.
But the real question is, when are they getting around to the NCRB?
I like the fact that the NCRB is old and outdated. Means I don't have to fight the crowds when I'm there.
but I would LOVE to have a gym where the dumbbells and barbells are not on different floors. More than one squat rack would be nice, too.
Boooooooooooo.
How big are Lacrosse stadiums? Hopefully it gets done quickly... it must suck playing in a mostly empty Michigan Stadium.
Nice to see the facilities arms race moves ahead at full speed. It's all a bit much at this point.
The facilities, the facilities, the facilities.
Isn't Rec Sports in charge of all of that?
So, no, rec sports is not in charge of facilities. As you mention, the Div. of Student Affairs is.
They are related though - athletics proper and rec sports share facilities. They are not in competition with each other, but benefit from each other so it is a little annoying to see the CCRB and NCRB still absolute dumps. The IMSB can stay old and historic in my book.
If you go to OSU's rec building, you'd immediately be embarassed.
All this said: Rec Sports facilities are also getting upgrades, but at a much slower pace. This very moment they are laying field turf at Mitchell field. It's a step, but still I would like more focus given to the 44k students in Ann Arbor that don't have letter jackets.
Related maybe, but I think the move means the funding comes from completely different sources (University as opposed to AD), which explains the timelines.
I don't know why people are negging me - I stated facts, but maybe poorly. So, just to clear up incase I wasn't clear:
It is (obviously) correct that Athletics is funding its own capital projects. I was simply pointing out that historically, Athletics and Rec Sports have had a mutually beneficial relationship. Like I said, they often use each other's facilities.
I'm not claiming Athletic money should necessarily go towards building a new CCRB (but I would be a huge proponent of it), I'm just saying that I want SOME money from SOMEWHERE to go to a new CCRB.
And it's starting to happen, thanks in part to - you guessed it - Dave Brandon. Part of the football student ticket price increase will be used for the Mitchell Field renovation (currently ongoing) and other renovations.
And if I was negged for the OSU comment: Seriously, their rec facilities put ours to such shame. Here's some pics. Compare to the effing CCRB.
The RPAC (google it) is state-of-the-art amazing. And we have the CCRB and NCRB.
But you know what? At the end of the day you can still get a good workout at the CCRB. Yeah, it's old and kind of grimy, but when you're in college, you don't really care.
I always thought there was a certain charm in having to "rough it" a bit in college. I visited East Quad recently, where I lived my first two years, and I hardly recognize the place anymore. The pre-renovation place was a little dingy, but had character. It has more creature comforts now, but feels sterile. But I guess when you charge what we do now for room and board, you have to justify it with fancier digs.
For the life of me I can't figure out why you're getting negged. I agree 100%
"And it's starting to happen, thanks in part to - you guessed it - Dave Brandon. Part of the football student ticket price increase will be used for the Mitchell Field renovation (currently ongoing) and other renovations."
Don't jump to thanking Brandon so quickly. Your thanks to Brandon for renovations to CCRB and other student rec facilities is misguided. All rec sports facilities were under the supervision of Athletics for decades and Athletics spent as little money as possible on them. That is how they ended up being so dilapidated compared to other Big 10 universities' facilities. When the decision was made to move rec sports from Athletics to Student Affairs, the deal included a requirement that Athletics had to pay money in the future for rec sports facilities upgrades because of the neglect they had given the facilities for decades. Brandon was on the hook to pay Student Affairs and he figured the easiest way to do it was to charge the students rather than actually take it out of his budget. So please, reconsider your thanks to David Brandon.
I fully support renovations to all the rec sports facilities for all students but Athletics is not the savior, they were the problem.
Is the Lax stadium going to be the one right next to Schembechler Hall on the corner of State & Granger?
I think that was Ferry Field before but it's definitely gone now. They are working quickly on whatever it'll be.
That would create the perfect storm.
Where is the jai alai facility going to be?