Brian Morris wrote:
 
>This morning's T-U reports that RPI will embark upon a major
>renovation of athletic facilities to include a renovation of the
>Houston Fieldhouse and the construction of additional buildings.
 
<snip>
 
>Th plan would entail reconfiguring the stands to form a complete
>oval around the ice surface.  The result would be to bring the
>fans closer to the ice, and increase seating capacity.  The plan
>would necessitate the closing in of the seats on the east side of
>the Fieldhouse and the installation of bleachers in the area the
>band currently occupies.  Ducatte inidicated the ice making
>system would also be replaced.
 
I am trying to envision what this means with vision clouded by not
having been at the Houston Field House much since the 1982
renovation.  The stands on the north and south sides of the Field
House extend beyond the east end of the ice surface to the extent
that the last section or two is actually facing the side of the
band.  Memory tells me that these seats weren't usually sold.
However this entire area is built of the same thick concrete that
the rest of the north and south stands are.  The question is what
exactly will happen here when they install sections that wrap
around the corners as was done in the southeast and southwest
corners in 1982.  Are they going to remove all of that concrete or
start going around the corner on top of the last sections?  The
north and south stands did not extend beyond the end of the ice in
the west end like they do in the east end.  So there wasn't the
same problem back in 1982.
 
>The plan also includes the construction of a building to be added to
>the Fieldhouse to house a 200 meter indoor track and a basketball
>gymnasium with maple hardwood floors.
 
It's off topic, but does this mean that the RPI Basketball games will
be played there?
 
>And maybe even new concession stands!
 
You know, when I was at the Field House in December, I thought that
the concessions were much improved from when I was last there -- at
least as far as quality of food is concerend.
 
One or two more renovations, and there won't be any of the original
Field House left. :-)
 
Ralph Baer
rPI '68, '70, '74
 
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