Football Stadium Redo...
- Thread starter charcat
- Start date
I'd love to see the matching towers added to the east side. This was part of the original plan, I believe.
Complete teardown would be pricey and lengthy, especially considering the lakefront facility and the basketball arena expenditures. Minny was forced to build a new facility because they had torn down their former stadium in favor of the Metrodome. A nice redo could be accomplished, although space would need to be added to the interior of the various levels on the west stands and those areas would need to be completely updated (and heated) to something well beyond archaic. The basic form should be kept, with the towers, although with new exterior facing. The east and south stands need to be torn down and rebuilt in a very contemporary way, but in a form that matches that of the west stadium--really, there is no need to go completely modern as with the lakefront.
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There is a lot of misunderstanding on this board of what is involved in a renovation in terms of complying with user needs and the law. A major renovation will require bringing the stadium up to compliance with among other things, exiting and ADA. For example the women's bathrooms will need to be expanded by multiples and exit paths will need to be reconfigured including widening vomitories (entrances into the seating areas). Without getting into the specifics, to the extent that the modifications involve "cosmetics" (seat backs, etc.) and to the extent the overall construction is limited, then the modifications will not require other major reconstruction such as compliance with ADA. Bottom line, NU has three choices, cosmetics, major reconstruction or new construction. Cosmetics may buy the facility 10 years. I doubt that major reconstruction or new construction will vary widely on cost at the end of the day. NU will need to pick its poison. Ryan Field is a $300 - 500 mil renovation done right.
A new stadium designed to honor the old stadiums architectural heritage is what’s needed.
I have no idea under the West stands how - in a renovation - you can expand the concourses, make it flow better, brighten it up with out lights, etc etc
It just seems like in a renovation there would be so many limitations and work arounds about what you could do.
Bulldoz it down and start fresh.
Yes, may mean we play elsewhere for a season or two.
I want a top 10 facility - just like the lakefront new facility is top 10.
The entire athletic department and the university is FINALLY stepping up the commitment to be world class.
Why stop now???
I have no idea under the West stands how - in a renovation - you can expand the concourses, make it flow better, brighten it up with out lights, etc etc
It just seems like in a renovation there would be so many limitations and work arounds about what you could do.
Bulldoz it down and start fresh.
Yes, may mean we play elsewhere for a season or two.
I want a top 10 facility - just like the lakefront new facility is top 10.
The entire athletic department and the university is FINALLY stepping up the commitment to be world class.
Why stop now???
Come on stream stop being such an a--. This is a message board where ideas are proposed and discussed. BTW, just how much have you promised?
It is used 8 times a year. Let’s be serious, a new stadium is silly. Improve the bathrooms and food areas, maybe redo some of the skyboxes and premium seating. Clean up and renovate. You don’t need more seating. The university has lots of building priorities on campus. New Norris is essential. This is not worthy of the cost of a new stadium
Hey, Willy, I agree with everything you wrote. However, every message board needs an a--, too. I'm providing a service here. As to your question, I was thinking about 200 million. How does StreamCat Stadium sound?
All
Come ‘on - this is NORTHWESTERN !!!!
You know - excellence, first class, do it the right way, be the best, etc etc
GO BIG, GO BOLD
Or go home.
Let’s make a statement folks - not a whimper
It is used more than 8 times a year. Graduation is held there and some other things.
I love the way our stadium looks. Gameday in Evanston is like a relic from the 1950s. It’s magical and unique.
Only change I’d make is switching from bleachers to purple seats. Make the seats a little wider. (And of course restrooms/infrastructure/skyboxes.)
The walking moat in the end zone gives the place character, imo.
Only change I’d make is switching from bleachers to purple seats. Make the seats a little wider. (And of course restrooms/infrastructure/skyboxes.)
The walking moat in the end zone gives the place character, imo.
Same. Stanford’s re-do gets touted but it is so bland. I’ll take what we have. Charm makes the experience for me.
Step one - call the archs who did the TCU stadium
Step two - say - we want that.
Step three - do it.
Possible step one adjustment, calling other architectural firms and say, do it better than TCU did, but do it with the several levels of seating, the wide concourses, the ease of getting in and out, the great press box, the great locker rooms for both teams, the fact that all this can be put into the Dyche/Ryan footprint.
And screw all this talk about reducing seating, when Barnett won we had 42,000 a game or so. Just win and we will be as hot as Notre Dame just as a North Side team, ND being more of a South Side thing.
Step two - say - we want that.
Step three - do it.
Possible step one adjustment, calling other architectural firms and say, do it better than TCU did, but do it with the several levels of seating, the wide concourses, the ease of getting in and out, the great press box, the great locker rooms for both teams, the fact that all this can be put into the Dyche/Ryan footprint.
And screw all this talk about reducing seating, when Barnett won we had 42,000 a game or so. Just win and we will be as hot as Notre Dame just as a North Side team, ND being more of a South Side thing.
I don’t think anyone younger than 65 cares about the history or original plans of the towers. If we can change the name in 1997, obviously there isn’t a real tie to the past element that needs to be preserved.
I am for whatever can be done with the most amount ripped away. I don’t know if a tear down is actually easier or harder than a renovation here. I would have to think there are limits on the infrastructure, as it exists now, to make must have upgrades doable.
For those saying to keep the columns and build inside them, do you have to look further than 15 miles south to see what a terrible idea that is? We don’t need another stadium trying to capture the ‘nostalgia’ of the past (which I don’t think we really have much of anyway), with 21st century upgrades.
Only things I’d love to see are:
*seating for 35,000-40,000
*all seats (purple seats) and no bleachers
*bigger and easier to navigate concourses
*latest top of the line Jumbotron
*a nice overall aesthetic that looks traditional yet new and clean
I’ve got no idea of costs, township requirements or restrictions, time to complete, nuthin’. This is my Christmas list with less thought put into it than a 3 year old’s. So if you aren’t gonna go at your kid/grandkid asking how much he or she is willing to pay for their gift ideas, please don’t ask me the same.
But I think we have to get a higher percentage of the seats filled, and somehow exchanging the current unused seat space with more amenities for the fans to come in and enjoy seems the best combination to me.
I am for whatever can be done with the most amount ripped away. I don’t know if a tear down is actually easier or harder than a renovation here. I would have to think there are limits on the infrastructure, as it exists now, to make must have upgrades doable.
For those saying to keep the columns and build inside them, do you have to look further than 15 miles south to see what a terrible idea that is? We don’t need another stadium trying to capture the ‘nostalgia’ of the past (which I don’t think we really have much of anyway), with 21st century upgrades.
Only things I’d love to see are:
*seating for 35,000-40,000
*all seats (purple seats) and no bleachers
*bigger and easier to navigate concourses
*latest top of the line Jumbotron
*a nice overall aesthetic that looks traditional yet new and clean
I’ve got no idea of costs, township requirements or restrictions, time to complete, nuthin’. This is my Christmas list with less thought put into it than a 3 year old’s. So if you aren’t gonna go at your kid/grandkid asking how much he or she is willing to pay for their gift ideas, please don’t ask me the same.
But I think we have to get a higher percentage of the seats filled, and somehow exchanging the current unused seat space with more amenities for the fans to come in and enjoy seems the best combination to me.
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For those arguing in favor of tradition, this is a pretty good argument against. Since I am one of those... ouch! And well done.
Don’t get me wrong GlideCat, if there are traditional elements (maybe of which I am unaware as my fanship only goes back to ‘88) that can be preserved WITHOUT sacrificing the overall aesthetic or functionality of a new place, I’m all for it. Until I saw the Gothic uniforms or the UA brick design of the numbers, I had no idea those elements were part of the NU ‘tradition’. (To that point, I think it’d be super cool for the fascade of the new place to be all brick like the design honored in the original UA number design).
But I just think, with the stadium being the eyesore it has been for decades, the priorities should be 1) aesthetics, 1a) functionality, 2) adherence to traditional elements.
Goodness, so much of the new Soldier Field was sacrificed or compromised to maintain the columns, it’s a place almost nobody is happy with now. I’d hate to see that kind of mistake happen here.
But I just think, with the stadium being the eyesore it has been for decades, the priorities should be 1) aesthetics, 1a) functionality, 2) adherence to traditional elements.
Goodness, so much of the new Soldier Field was sacrificed or compromised to maintain the columns, it’s a place almost nobody is happy with now. I’d hate to see that kind of mistake happen here.
That was the architect's fault. No effort was made to match the style of the exterior of the new structure to the old exterior of Soldier Field. It would not have been difficult. There was no reason for what was done except arrogance.
An architect's favorite saying in historical renovation...
"If we try to match it, we can't. So the best way to match it is to make no effort to match it. It will match better than if we tried to match it."
This is very close to an exact quote. In this case, the ultimate results when the addition was complete was pretty much what you would expect with this start.
Did they have social media so you could tell your friends to get their butts on over to the game in those days? An exciting, winning offense will ignite a fire on the internet.
I think most people over estimate the power of social media in the hands of individuals with out algorithms and big money.
Not sure exactly what I just got volunteered for, but here are the before (and some before before) photos:
