New weight room to be a multiple-story addition connecting Schembechler Hall and the Ooosterbaan practice facilities
Anyone know how they are finding the space for this given the close proximity and connectedness of all the buildings? Thrilled that UM is finally updating the weight room (long overdue) but a little disappointed Oosterbaan isn't coming down. Place is ugly. Wonder if they plan on touching anything else inside Schembechler during this renovation in terms of player lounges, meeting rooms, hyrdotherapy and training areas, and the dated ramps that get you from the first to the second floor.
https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-football-warde-manuel-on-new-weight-room-night-games-more
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel touched on a number of issues in his sit-down with the media Aug. 23. One of the topics – a proposed new weight room in Schembechler Hall.
Sources have told TheWolverine.com it will be a multiple-story addition connecting Schembechler Hall and the Ooosterbaan practice facilities.
“We should get some more refined cost estimates by the end of this month, which would be sometime next week … if not, the following week,” Manuel said. “We’ll get drawings and be able to know exactly what costs are, where we are, where we need to be from a development standpoint and fundraising. They’re working diligently, the architects, on getting that.”
They could start working on that as soon as spring, he added.
“[That’s] probable depending on the cost. I think that’s the earliest it would be to start to put things in motion … next spring,” Manuel said. “As part of this project, the Oosterbaan roof needs to be replaced. Weather conditions, obviously, would not let us get started until spring … how it ties into the roof, all those things, and the building itself, we just need to figure that out.”
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:32 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2016 at 4:38 PM ^
IMO it would have been easier if they would have just tore the whole thing down and built a new facility. But Brandon had to go ahead and build that museum when he could have just waited a few more years to get the the funding in order to a proper reno instead of just a facelift.
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:46 PM ^
Soccer, Softball, Baseball, Field Hockey and Lacrosse all use that facility.
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^
Great. Still an eyesore.
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:35 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2016 at 6:19 PM ^
The new indoor track facility? If there's not enough space in there, build a bubble practice facility next to the Lacrosse stadium. Something like this:
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:01 PM ^
So spend donor money on something new that you don't need because you have an existing facility that can be fixed up for a lot less?
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:05 PM ^
The existing facility is a dump and looks extremely out of place next to all the new contruction in and around it. A new roof aint going to change that.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:17 PM ^
They designed the new buildings to "blend" with the existing architecture, which includes Oosterbaan. You don't have to knock down all of the old buildings and have everything shiny new, sometimes it's best to preserve some things from the past.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:27 PM ^
"They designed the new buildings to "blend" with the existing architecture"
The existing BRICK architecure on campus. Not Oosterbaan. It sticks out like a sore thumb. This doesn't need to be debated. It's a fact.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:02 PM ^
Yes, it clearly doesn't need to be debated...
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:24 PM ^
"A dump"........have you even been inside Oosterbaan before? It's a field house for non-football teams to practice.
Most schools have to play not first fiddle to football in terms of practice time.
It is what it is. An operating facility that will be fixed up. Just because it doesn't look like something from the 21st century (built in 1970) doesn't mean it's "a dump".
Buying MORE land, and building an unncessary facility that is away from over half the teams that will use it is a non-starter. It makes no sense.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:29 PM ^
Yes, a dump. Inside it's functional but outside is a complete mess.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:33 PM ^
Stop for a minute and think about that. An indoor facility should be torn down because it looks bad outside.
So..........we should just fix it up outside like Warde is doing? Basically that's the solution to your post right there.
It works, looks like a field house inside. Recruits for other sports (which are the ones that will actually be inside Oosterbaan) will be thrilled they don't have to share a building with football like they do it at 99% of other schools.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:37 PM ^
Were you not here for the Schembechler Hall or Crisler Arena renovations? Because that's exactly what happened in both those cases. Having an architecturally sound, uniform, and consistent athletic campus should be a priority, yes.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:44 PM ^
One is literally an arena and the other is the front porch for the football program.
August 24th, 2016 at 8:16 AM ^
Boys, boys, stop your fighting!
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:45 PM ^
Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion given the appearance of that or any other structure on the athletic campus.
Yet, you are advocating a far more costly "solution" to what you preceive to be an asthetic problem.
Just curious: Are you a donor to the Michigan Athletic Department? Or is cost not an issue to you when spending other peoples' money?
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:50 PM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:12 PM ^
Football pays the bills. Soccer can go practice at Pioneer (I am kidding, I think)
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:57 PM ^
We're Michigan. Striving to be the leaders and best in all sports.
August 23rd, 2016 at 11:19 PM ^
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August 24th, 2016 at 12:18 AM ^
August 24th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
Go look at the number of championships we raked in just this past year.
We have 7 national championships since 2012-13. Could've been 9.
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August 24th, 2016 at 9:56 PM ^
I'm sure you were pretty pumped about that gymnastics championship. Prolly got a hotel room and everything.
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:33 PM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
And to that I say good. This is the one area hardly any schools can compete with Michigan. When your state doesn't have the amount of blue chip players like Florida, Georgia, California, Ohio, etc do you build the biggest and best facilities to attract them.
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:32 PM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 6:12 PM ^
Are you pitching in and writing the AD a check to achieve this goal?
August 23rd, 2016 at 6:31 PM ^
I'm sure there are plenty of J. Ira & Nicki Harris folks out there who want their name on the new weight room. If Dave Brandon was still in charge, I bet he would already have shovels in the ground for this project. It's really not that hard to be a fund raiser at Michigan. I'm actually glad Warde is taking his time to get it right.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:34 PM ^
This is 100% accurate. I know a few people in the development office including a relative and you would be floored at the amount of money coming into this school. Gotten even easier since Harbaugh showed up if that was even possible.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:31 PM ^
Yes, it's called a PSL. Any more questions?
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:49 PM ^
You're kidding, right? The PSL we pay would not even cover the cost of replacing a window and moving a wall.
August 24th, 2016 at 7:55 AM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:33 PM ^
Toga party.
August 23rd, 2016 at 6:12 PM ^
That's gonna be over by the soccer stadium. It's taking shape right now.
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August 23rd, 2016 at 11:03 PM ^
Looks nice - but going down to the soccer stadium for a workout is a trek for most students. Any idea where the second facility is going to be?
August 24th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
Where's the mini golf course go? Full 18 holes or more, none of this amateur Clemson stuff. Oh wait, I guess "amateur" is the exact opposite of Clemson, my bad.
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:46 PM ^
I have to imagine that Harbaugh also killed any potential blueprints for the "nap room".
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:49 PM ^
I doubt it, pretty much every strength and conditioning coach preaches naps like crazy. Get in your work and get in your rest whenever you can.
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^
I must be the only person on the internet who does not want to see Oosterbaan torn down.
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
You aren't. That place is more important to other sports than Football. Football has its indoor facility.
Baseball and Softball especially need that place as their seasons begin in February, so where do you think they're practicing at?
There's nowhere else to build a new one nearby. The Edwards Bros. site that was purchased is where the Lax stadium/performance center/rowing facility/Track stadiums will be.
A roof replacement is the least they could give the place. Get a new Block M to put on the side, too given the old one mysteriously (fell off?) disappeared some time ago.
August 23rd, 2016 at 6:27 PM ^
It's also used sparingly by the marching band
August 23rd, 2016 at 4:53 PM ^
We can't talk about upgrading the workout facilities until we beat OSU and MSU.
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:20 PM ^
August 23rd, 2016 at 6:12 PM ^
I can't tell you any more about that until we beat MSU and OSU.
August 23rd, 2016 at 5:20 PM ^
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