Reminder: UCLA Announcing Pauley Renovations Plan Today

by Nestor on May 11, 2009 5:06 AM PDT Comment 24 comments

Around 1 pm this afternoon at Pauley Chancellor Gene Block and Dan Guerrero will give their first public presentation of Pauley renovation plans.

The LA Times has a story on the renovation plans today:

UCLA administrators wanted to preserve the history of their arena. Replacing it altogether would have been costly and difficult given its long, skinny footprint.

Still, the renovation is expected to address a number of issues.

A change in seating could eliminate the empty spaces behind each basket, increase capacity and make crowd noise more of a factor during games.

The three concession areas are squeezed into tight spaces with additional food booths set up outside.

Fans have complained about uneven steps and a shortage of restrooms; the teams use old locker rooms.

The building also needs upgrades in its disabled-access and safety systems.

According to a document filed with the University of California regents, UCLA plans to do significant expansion underground, increasing the size by almost 57,000 gross square feet.

Construction work would begin in February 2010 and be sequenced over the ensuing months so that teams could continue to use the building except for a period from April 2011 to October 2012.

During that time, the Bruins would compete at a yet-to-be-determined site.

Again I am going to wait to form my opinions until I have seen the presentation and have heard from Coach Howland and our players.

Doors (Gates 1 and 2 of Pauley Pavilion) open at 12:30 pm, announcement begins at 1:00 pm. If you are on and around campus, show up, check it out, and blog about it here on BN.

GO BRUINS.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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the website was up on accident for about an hour

and the video was there.

it has CJRW, Mike Warren, Marquis Johnson, Ann Myers Drysdale, CBH, Dan Guerrero and others. its a very, very well done video. I wish the plans were as good as the sales job.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on May 11, 2009 9:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

saw a preview at ucla day

I saw the video on Saturday and heard Ben Howland speak about it at UCLA Day (I met him and got his autograph as well!).

The video did look pretty interesting. Some takeaways:
-New concourse for indoor entrance into the stadiums
-Weight room, coaches and medical offices will be added underground underneath bruinwalk
-additional 1200 seats along baseline, no bleachers except for the den
-some contradiction about the scoreboard
-centering the court
-changing how the banners will hang

by kidro2001 on May 11, 2009 11:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm here at Pauley

Everybody is seated in the 2nd level between sections 202-215 with a few VIP’s in the 100 level. Chancellor Block, DG, CBH, Mike Warren and Donnie Daniels are all milling about on the floor. The cheerleaders and band are outside playing and dancing for those entering. I wanted to do running commentary in a post, but I can’t do that on an iPhone so I’ll do updates here.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

When we entered we were handed a flier

It has a photo of the renovations and the schedule of the announcement. It also lists some of the project’s highlights and facts.

Total renovation of the structure and resolved life safety, security and ADA compliance.

New exterior that provides better entry and connection to the campus architecture.

40,000 sq. feet of new concourse, new toilets that triple the current number and 25 more points of sales for concessions.

New aisle ways, seating sections, safety handrails and uniform steps.

1,200 new seats for a 14,000 seat capacity, new hi-def svorevoatd, LED ribbon board and a new playing surface with closer seats on each end.

New 21,646 sq. foot facility with new locker rooms for men’s and women’s, new film room, weight room, sports medicine area, student-athlete lounge and Pavilion Club for donors and campus events.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Following the announcement

We will be allowed down onto the floor to look at their gallery of images that are currently covered.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The announcement has begun

They’re showing the same video that was leaked a few weeks back. DG, Chancellor Block, CBH, Mike Warren, Ann Meyers-Drysdale, Matt Pauley and Chuck White (Pauley PA announcer) are all up at the front tables on each side of the podium.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Student courtside seating

Will be expanded to behind one basket in addition to the sideline seating already allocated to students.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Total cost in $185 million

That inludes construction costs, campaign costs, interest and displacement costs (which I believe includes rent and such for the year away from Pauley).

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Season ticket holders for basketball

They are finalizing plans for basketball season ticket holders from seating charts, how to select tickets, required donations and costs. They will be finalized by July 1st.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

CBH seems excited

He mentioned a few different aspects of the renovations and how much the renovation is needed. He didn’t get into too much detail about the renovation and his speech was short. He mentioned he’s extremely excited for a renovated Pauley, but I’m not sure how excited he is for these specific renovations.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Warren and Ann Meyers-Drysdale

Played the roles of cheerleaders. They took a trip down memory lane and let us know of their experiences here as well as the importance of a first-class arena. Both are members of the Campaign of Champions executive committee so it’s clear their goals are to get everyone excited and donating.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As always,

thanks a million Rye – we all appreciate your illuminating insider’s point of view. Glad to see that you are in Pauley; let us know how the Q&A goes.

B.F.

by eubruin on May 11, 2009 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did they say anything about their thought process

of why this was the best plan? What other options did they look at? Why this one?

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on May 11, 2009 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing at all

All we got was that they explored other options and this was the best one.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the website

they also mentioned that his plan leads to the least displacement, but other than that same as above

by Sideout11 on May 11, 2009 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Other Number heard

FWIW, On Saturday Chuck White threw the number $130 million out as the “cost”. Did you hear that mentioned as well? Or was that just construction.

by kidro2001 on May 11, 2009 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They just said that the total cost

including the campaign costs, displacement costs, planning costs, etc. were $185 million. They didn’t give any other numbers.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 11, 2009 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks

thank you rye for keeping us current on the happenings in Pauley. I know those of us who couldn’t make it out today because of the timing certainly appreciate your efforts.

HP
Class of 2006

by BruinBeer on May 11, 2009 2:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not totally satisfied

but if the final product can look like what I saw in the video, then they actually did a pretty good job given that they had to keep the structure intact

by Sideout11 on May 11, 2009 2:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

As leeked

will be great for those in the 100s, but those in the 300s and in the 200 endzones will be as far from the action as they are now.

I just don’t see how you can spend $180M and not resolve that issue and think you have done a good job? You still have over half the seating in the place being substandard for a modern arena.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on May 11, 2009 2:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs