New 7,000 sq foot football museum to be added to Schembechler Hall

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Per ESPN Michael Rothstein

http://proxy.espn.go.com/blog/collegesMichigan/post/_/id/1641/michigan-seeking-approval-for-renovations

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Two of the more well-known athletic facilities on Michigan’s campus are scheduled to be in line for facelifts.

Proposals for a $14 million renovation to Yost Ice Arena and a $9 million renovation to Schembechler Hall, which houses the football offices, are on the agenda for approval this month’s Michigan Board of Regents meeting, scheduled for Thursday.



The proposal for Schembechler Hall is to add 7,000 gross square feet to the facility for a new entrance area that would incorporate the Michigan football museum. The current museum sits off to the side of the main entrance of Schembechler Hall, which was built in 1990. The new plan would incorporate the museum, which houses rivalry trophies as well as national awards won by Mchigan football players, into the new proposed entrance.

The Yost renovations would look to renovate the seating on the east, south and west sides of the arena as well as improving both the east and west concourses and adding “loge boxes” on the fourth level, where the media currently sits. The media would be moved to the fifth level. The plan also calls for updating the fire alarm system and would be scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012.

Funding for both projects would come from athletic department resources.

 

I would absolutely LOVE this. I think it'll get approved.

RedondoWolverine

January 16th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^

I've been to the one at USC in their football building and it is beautiful. Apparently helps a lot with selling the tradition of the school. Quite frankly, as a school that touts it's position as the most storied program, I think this will go a long way in helping to sell that aspect of the program to recruits.

Section 1

January 16th, 2012 at 4:20 PM ^

and rebuilt it.  It might be the ugliest building built on the Ann Arbor campus in a generation.  Nothing aginst the idea (it is essential) or the namesake (heaven forbid).  In fact, a rebuilt and rededicated Schembechler Hall could probably serve as a better memorial to Bo.

Section 1

January 16th, 2012 at 4:36 PM ^

... and the new Michigan Stadium concourses, and Ray L. Fisher Stadium.  All VERY high quality, lasting architecture.

Recall that Bo had to really fight to get funding for the football building (before it was given the only name that it could ever have -- Schembechler Hall).  It was, frankly, built on the cheap.  I actually hate the idea of spending a lot of money on an addition and leaving the monstrosity standing. 

I may have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about the Schembechler Hall site because the land that became Schembechler was such a beautiful little parcel.  It was roughly --within yards-- of where this iconic Alfred Eisenstaedt photo was taken for Life magazine:

 

 

 

 

Wave83

January 16th, 2012 at 9:31 PM ^

I love that photo (always have).  I couldn't remember exactly where it was taken in relationship to all the football buildings there now.  While I came along much later, I remember the area looking exactly like the photo 20 years later in the late 60's and early 70s.  I sort of wish it still looked like that.

UMxWolverines

January 16th, 2012 at 4:27 PM ^

Why are they adding more boxes to yost? The current ones aren't even close to filled. And they're really not that great for the money they cost. My uncle used to have season tickets up there but moved back down across from the student section. 

Bando Calrissian

January 16th, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^

They swear up and down that the Club Level seating at Yost is (and always has been) completely sold out.  Yet one wonders, when about 40% of them (give or take 10%) are full any given weekend, season after season, no matter who we're playing.  I can't fathom the idea that the people who pay to sit up there all have their old tickets down below that they continue to use.  It's true that some folks say the sightlines from up there are pretty bad, but even at that...  It's mindboggling how empty those things are.

I'm more than skeptical about this Yost renovation.  I tend to think it's a money-grab for consumers who simply don't exist.  Which is exactly what we've seen in the decade the Club Level has been up there.

MGoAero

January 16th, 2012 at 4:29 PM ^

Agreed on the football museum - I've never walked by Schembechler Hall and been able to get in through the locked doors to go inside and look at the trophies and what-not.  

As far as Yost, I haven't been to a game in a couple of years, but I remember there being wooden bleachers, particularly on the west side; am I imagining things?  If not, I hope they remain wood.  Not only good for that old-timey feel, but I can imagine that metal bleachers would make those sitting on them feel colder in an already somewhat cold building full of ice.

Raoul

January 16th, 2012 at 6:37 PM ^

According to the action request being submitted to the regents for approval, the $9 million will go to creating a new entrance that will incorporate the museum—and that's it. 7,000 square feet are being added and another 7,000 square feet are being renovated.

Completed in 1990, Glenn E. Schembechler Hall is the home of the University of Michigan football program. The facility contains locker rooms, meeting rooms, medical treatment rooms, training areas, weight rooms, administrative offices, and the Margaret Dow Towsley Sports Museum. The Athletic Department proposes a project that will create an appropriate new entrance for the home of Michigan football integrating the museum area. The project will add approximately 7,000 gross square feet to Schembechler Hall and renovate approximately 7,000 gross square feet. The scope of this project includes the architectural, mechanical and electrical work necessary to accomplish these improvements. This project will permanently displace seven parking spaces.

Side note to the OP: Copying and pasting an entire article from another site is well beyond "fair use."

UAUM

January 16th, 2012 at 6:07 PM ^

Definetly agree about the wooden bleachers.  I like the history they portray - the north bleaches feel so flimsy.  But Yost could be a little bit nicer on the inside.  I mean the visiting teams dress in a makeshift locker room under the south stands. 

Obviously, you trade tradition/classic feel for modern conveniences, like it being clean an nice.  While I'm torn, I would probably go for gutting the underbelly and putting in new nicer stands.

Drew Sharp

January 16th, 2012 at 4:37 PM ^

"Why didn't we think of this a long time ago" ideas. Mich is all about tradition but there is no premier showcase for it. This will fill a void we didn't realize was there.

HELLE

January 16th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^

I tried to visit Schembechler Hall's lobby about ten years ago. I called and spoke to a lady that said "sure, just call and let me know your coming and I will let you in". At the time I thought it was weird but I just assumed that was how it was done. Well, I never got a hold of that lady again and everyone else turned me down. I guess she retired or was fired for letting people in, lol. They definitely need a regular public schedule.

snarling wolverine

January 16th, 2012 at 5:26 PM ^

Good idea.  I hope they have more convenient hours, too.  Right now the museum is only open on certain weekdays, and not always in the afternoon.  It seems silly that you can't go in the museum on a football Saturday.

Wolverine Devotee

January 16th, 2012 at 6:42 PM ^

Bowl Trophies

 

1992 and 1997 Big Ten Championship trophies

 

1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004 Big Ten Championship trophies.

 

Schembechler era Big Ten championship trophies.

 

1997 National Champions display case featuring the 1997 AP Writers National Championship trophy, a championship ring, the pick axe players were given before the 1997 season and of course Charles Woodson's Heisman.

 

JustGoBlue

January 16th, 2012 at 7:49 PM ^

of Schembechler fool you, the inside is wayyyyy nice.  It's also bigger than it looks from the outside.  Or at least, I think it is.

And I definitely agree with whoever talked about making the museum part more accessible to the public.  I've actually been inside the players part of Schembechler several times, but I've never seen more of the museum than you can see when walking by down State Street and I would really like to, because I'm sure they have a ton of really cool stuff in there.  I think it would make a lot of sense to make that part of Schembechler very open to the public.  Actually, I would probably not be opposed to making a, uh, "mandatory donation" to the football program of like $5 to go through the museum.  Maybe it's all part of DB's master plan.

DY

January 16th, 2012 at 8:41 PM ^

Will bring the front of the building out to the sidewalk, doing away with the angled approaches of the current entrance and move the new entrance to the parking lot side. The north corner of Schembechler will have a rounded glass wall, IIRC. The interior will feature an updated presentation space but that's about all that was proposed at that point in time.

M-Wolverine

January 16th, 2012 at 9:06 PM ^

I think they were just too cheap to gave someone man it and have security for it. Because it became all but impossible to get in unless you were a recruit.