While University students spend hours at the library studying for finals, the University will take another step forward on plans for the new basketball arena set to replace University Hall by April 2006.
On May 9, "we are taking the schematic drawings to the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Visitors," University Architect Pete Anderson said. The plan "will not change much from here on out."
The front door of the new "horseshoe" shaped arena will be only about 125 yards from the front entrance of U-Hall. The University chose V.M.D.O., a Charlottesville-based architectural firm that works in conjunction with Kansas City-based Elerbe Becket, to design the arena.
Architecturally, the arena will resemble many of the traditional buildings around Grounds with red brick and white trim. Fans will enter the arena through a colonnade, and architects plan to add another colonnade at the back of the arena which will be visible from Emmet Street, Anderson said.
The plans provide for 15,000 total seats and 1,500 new parking spaces on the arena site. Currently, U-Hall contains 8,457 total seats, approximately 2,800 of which are reserved for students.
The design also affords for 20 suites that corporations or individuals can purchase.
The number of seats reserved for students has not yet been determined. The decision ultimately will depend on the level of student support, said Jon Oliver, senior associate athletic director for administration.
"We want to give students as many seats as we believe they are going to need," Oliver said.
The Athletics Dept. will distribute an e-mail survey to randomly selected University students next week to find out why students do or do not attend athletic events and look for ways to improve attendance.
"We want to have the best home court advantage in the country," Oliver said.
The new arena will function as the main practice facility for Virginia basketball and will house coaches' offices as well.
"We are trying to make sure we create a practice facility that allows both the men's and women's basketball teams to recruit the best student athletes in the country," Oliver said.
The University hopes the arena will create a multi-purpose site that also can be used for concerts and other major events.
The University also will complete traffic improvements to the surrounding area before the arena opens, including a road that will connect Massie Road to the U.S. 250-Route 29 bypass.
A total of 3,900 parking spaces eventually will be available, including parking around the arena and the new parking garage to be built behind the Cavalier Inn on Ivy Road.
Officials cite $128 million as the project's total budget.
"At this stage of design, I think we are right on budget," Anderson said.
The Virginia Student Aid Foundation has been charged with the task of funding the project.
"All the money needed to build this arena is going to come from donors," VSAF Executive Director Dirk Katstra said. "So far we have two solid commitments of $20 million each."
VSAF will generate funds from large and small donations, as well as suite leases.
"We are happy with where we are, but there is still a long way to go," Katstra said.
Plans for any major project, such as the new arena, must be presented to the Board four times, which takes approximately 18 months. The Board first selects the architects that will work on the project, then establishes conceptual design guidelines after a second presentation.
Schematic drawings will be presented May 9, which include the project's major concepts, materials, site layout and plan elevations. The architects submit preliminary drawings to the Board as their final presentation.
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