Future Of MSF Discussion

[RusskyHoya]

Oct 5, 2015 7:46:40 GMT -5 thebin said:

What is the long term plan with Yates? Totally rebuilt where Shaw is now? Presumably that is a 9 figure project decade(s) away from being funded if I know Gtown?

See slides 26 & 27: georgetown.box.com/s/02r0b5x42wm38pe3fzlqcnwk4qjcby3y

Preliminary estimate is $75 million, which seems unattainably high until you remember that we financed the Northeast Triangle dorm out of hide for $46 million and renovating the old Jes Res for $22.4 million.

[hilltopper2000]

Russky -

Are you sure both projects are being outright financed without any donations? You are probably right, but that is very disappointing--especially for a new dorm. I had hoped those days are were over at Georgetown. At the very least, I would hope possible targets are being identified, even if it fails. It is embarrassing to have major new buildings on campus that aren't named for lead donors. But I am not sure that is a good data point for a new student athletic center, which would not be built in such a hurry. There is no reason why the necessary funds could not be raised over time, as has been done for other major building projects on campus. I believe both the arts center and the business school building were entirely donor financed. The science center and the SWQ had significant donor contributions. If an alum wants to pony up the money, it will happen quickly. This is a good example, although I haven't seen any university announcement of it: www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2015/10/02/a-major-contemporary-art-space-is-coming-to-georgetown/

Also, I would not rule out a renovation of Yates. Here is one contemplated approach, which looks great to me (although it only appears to address the entry way): hgaarch.com/?p=184

[DFW HOYA]

Oct 5, 2015 19:08:31 GMT -5 hilltopper2000 said:

Also, I would not rule out a renovation of Yates. Here is one contemplated approach, which looks great to me (although it only appears to address the entry way): hgaarch.com/?p=184

Four decades of water damage leaves Yates in considerable structural danger. Throwing money on a new entryway doesn't solve the problem.

A soccer/track stadium in the dug-down Yates footprint would be a winner from the start, enabling Georgetown to build a modern fitness and recreational center on Shaw Field.

[aleutianhoya]

The other obvious challenge with anything involving Yates is that you really don't want to be without an on-campus recreational gym for any period of time if you can help it. And that means that you'd want to keep Yates open while you construct its replacement. But that, in turn, would mean going without a home soccer field for a lengthy period of time, which would itself be a problematic scenario. I wonder if once the Thompson Center comes on-line there's some ability to use McDonough temporarily for some aspect of recreational activities.

[DFW HOYA]

Oct 6, 2015 8:07:58 GMT -5 aleutianhoya said:

The other obvious challenge with anything involving Yates is that you really don't want to be without an on-campus recreational gym for any period of time if you can help it. And that means that you'd want to keep Yates open while you construct its replacement. But that, in turn, would mean going without a home soccer field for a lengthy period of time, which would itself be a problematic scenario. I wonder if once the Thompson Center comes on-line there's some ability to use McDonough temporarily for some aspect of recreational activities.

In this scenario, you build the new rec facility on Shaw Field and move soccer to the MSF--turf isn't the best choice but it's practical, and negotiate to play a few games at the new DC United place for exposure. When the new facility is up and running, you close Yates, demolish the facility, and rebuild the soccer field/track at grade level. Design wise, the rec center could look down on the new field.

[aleutianhoya]

Oct 6, 2015 8:23:40 GMT -5 DFW HOYA said:

Oct 6, 2015 8:07:58 GMT -5 aleutianhoya said:

The other obvious challenge with anything involving Yates is that you really don't want to be without an on-campus recreational gym for any period of time if you can help it. And that means that you'd want to keep Yates open while you construct its replacement. But that, in turn, would mean going without a home soccer field for a lengthy period of time, which would itself be a problematic scenario. I wonder if once the Thompson Center comes on-line there's some ability to use McDonough temporarily for some aspect of recreational activities.

In this scenario, you build the new rec facility on Shaw Field and move soccer to the MSF--turf isn't the best choice but it's practical, and negotiate to play a few games at the new DC United place for exposure. When the new facility is up and running, you close Yates, demolish the facility, and rebuild the soccer field/track at grade level. Design wise, the rec center could look down on the new field.

Yup. Good option. I'm interested to see what opportunities there are for us to leverage the new stadium long term. You'd think there'd be an opportunity for a "DC Soccer Cup" with some combination of us, Maryland, AU, and Howard (or some combination of similar schools -- maybe even Virginia). Play two doubleheaders on Friday night and Sunday (or some such). You'd think it would draw a decent crowd (particularly if you just gave away a lot of tickets to local youth leagues), but I've been wrong before. Might even get CSN to put it on TV if you schedule it right without any obvious conflicts.

I'd have hoped we would have had the opportunity to use Nats Park for a local college baseball game (one game against Mason, or one with Maryland), but that doesn't seem to be in the cards. I believe Fenway is open to collegiate teams for one weekend a year.

I don't know how the finances of these things work for anyone involved, though. Obviously, the money isn't completely insignificant in soccer -- Maryland and we both draw well for games against each other. Clearly, we're not going to pay the Nats (or DCU) anything more than a nominal amount to use their field.

[RusskyHoya]

Oct 5, 2015 19:08:31 GMT -5 hilltopper2000 said:

Russky -

Are you sure both projects are being outright financed without any donations? You are probably right, but that is very disappointing--especially for a new dorm. I had hoped those days are were over at Georgetown. At the very least, I would hope possible targets are being identified, even if it fails. It is embarrassing to have major new buildings on campus that aren't named for lead donors. But I am not sure that is a good data point for a new student athletic center, which would not be built in such a hurry. There is no reason why the necessary funds could not be raised over time, as has been done for other major building projects on campus. I believe both the arts center and the business school building were entirely donor financed. The science center and the SWQ had significant donor contributions. If an alum wants to pony up the money, it will happen quickly. This is a good example, although I haven't seen any university announcement of it: www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2015/10/02/a-major-contemporary-art-space-is-coming-to-georgetown/

Also, I would not rule out a renovation of Yates. Here is one contemplated approach, which looks great to me (although it only appears to address the entry way): hgaarch.com/?p=184

I know that the projects moved through the approval process - including financing - without specific fundraising targets. The University's hand was forced down this path by the Campus Plan. Now, it's certainly not impossible that some donations - from the Student Life and Community Experience pillar, maybe - ended up being used to pay the bills. I'm wholly ignorant of the financing scheme. And for all I know, there's some donor being courted right now who will plunk down $20 million in debt payments over the next X years for the privilege of having their name on the new dorm. Point is, these projects were very different in design and execution from the Davis Performance Arts Center and the Hariri Building, which you cited. Much more of a time crunch.

I do think that the Yates/Shaw Field switcheroo discussed here - I've taken to calling it "Castle Yates-side," but I'm guessing not too many people get chess metaphors these days - would be a major fundraising effort in its own right. It's one that would play well with students and rally a number of constituencies.

If I was playing SimCampus, I'd put grass tennis courts (with heating coils underneath to keep the grass from dying, the way it does on Shaw) on the roof - eco-friendly AND super-distinctive. But, you know, if wishes were fishes, Katie Ledecky would stay close to home and attend Georgetown.

[Admin]

As John Thompson might say: "The MSF discussion is officially closed."

[kchoya]

Oct 6, 2015 17:38:48 GMT -5 Admin said:

As John Thompson might say: "The MSF discussion is officially closed."

So this ends the bitching by DFW?

[njhoya78]

Never. Not so long as kente cloth designs exist on Hoya uniforms.

[RusskyHoya]

Oct 6, 2015 18:35:58 GMT -5 njhoya78 said:

Never. Not so long as kente cloth designs exist on Hoya uniforms.

Just wait until he finds out about the kente cloth endzone design on Cooper Field...

[hoyadad19]

Has anyone heard of a final design for the new stadium and has it been posted somewhere on the GT website? I hope they are shooting for completion by 18 months from the first of October (I believe I saw 12-18 months when the gift was announced).

[RusskyHoya]

Dec 3, 2015 17:02:56 GMT -5 hoyadad19 said:

Has anyone heard of a final design for the new stadium and has it been posted somewhere on the GT website? I hope they are shooting for completion by 18 months from the first of October (I believe I saw 12-18 months when the gift was announced).

Nope. It's possible that they'll submit the design to the Old Georgetown Board first and assess their level of support/feedback before publicizing anything more broadly. The OGB met today and there was nothing MSF-related on the docket. Next meeting is January 21st.