In terms of financial cost, the three biggest projects in the Campus Framework plan are renovations to the Carrier Dome, renovations to Archbold Gymnasium and the creation of the National Veterans Resource Complex.

Exact timelines for those projects were not discussed at Tuesday’s Campus Framework forum, but Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala made brief comments about the projects during the forum and in a post-meeting interview. Here is what he had to say about each.

 

Carrier Dome

Sala said the university’s goal is to not have any of the athletic teams that use the Carrier Dome have to move out of it during renovations. The university is planning to replace the Dome’s roof and make accessibility upgrades to the Dome.

The SU men’s and women’s basketball teams, football team and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams each play in the Dome for home games.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re forced to do something, so we’re weighing all the options and trying to do what’s best for Syracuse University,” Sala said.

Sala added that the university is looking to ensure that student events in the Dome, such as commencement, are not affected by the renovations. He said it’s possible that some schedules for Dome events will be adjusted, however.

Calling the Dome a “big, big project,” Sala said “it’s not something that’s being taken very lightly.”

“There’s still a lot of planning that needs to go into it,” he said.

 

Archbold

Sala said the university can’t move forward completely with Archbold renovations until Flanagan Gymnasium can stand on its own. Sala said Flanagan relies on Archbold for power, water and other utilities.

The university has to transition those utilities to Flanagan so it can survive when Archbold is forced to shut down for renovations, Sala said.

“That’s driving the timeline of the project a little bit,” Sala said. “It’s not an easy task by any means.”

The Archbold renovations will turn the gym into “The Arch,” the university’s new health and wellness center that will include an additional 7,000 square feet. New features will include a training swimming pool, four new basketball courts, a rock climbing wall and other facilities for indoor sports.

 

NVRC

The university is currently “wrapping up schematic design” for the pending NVRC, Sala said. From there, the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction will transition into engineering for the complex and engage with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families to “make sure we are on target with what they are looking for” in terms of program space, Sala said.

Sala said the CPDC is hoping to get approval in May to move forward with construction and then will have “quite a bit of work” going on in the proposed construction area after that. The complex will exist on Waverly Avenue, where the Hoople Building was located before it was demolished in January.

The NVRC will serve as a central hub of veteran life at SU. It will house the IVMF, SU’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and several other programs.

Published on February 28, 2017 at 10:52 pm

Contact Michael: mdburk01@syr.edu