Sewall Center to UPMC Events Center

[GoRMU]

I drove onto campus yesterday to see the construction site. I was expecting to see Sewall Center mostly or totally gone. I was surprised to see that most of shell of the building is still standing and apparently is being used as part of UPMC Events Center.

 

[ColonialCrazy]

That is interesting...surprised by that.

 

[RMU_Fan]

I've heard that. The renderings show the new building being at street level. Without major excavation there must be only a lower lobby and the rest is a facade.

 

[Original_RMC]

I had heard that they had to use some of Sewall as they didn’t have the full budget for a completely new build.

 

[RMU_Fan]

Maybe the final version will be a little different than the video presentation.

 

[ColonialInsider]

If you check out a couple of the renderings on the architect's page (https://rossbianco-architect.com/portfolio/upmc-events-center/) it looks like the half-circle or oval part of the Sewall Center is incorporated into the new events center. There's just a lot around it.

 

[ColonialCrazy]

Great link

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

If you check out a couple of the renderings on the architect's page (https://rossbianco-architect.com/portfolio/upmc-events-center/) it looks like the half-circle or oval part of the Sewall Center is incorporated into the new events center. There's just a lot around it.

Sweet link.

Explains how about a third of it will be renovated Sewell...which will probably be majorly just the foundation/structure/walls for a lot of that part.

Hopefully it will turn out really good.

 

[pierre15208]

If they are retaining part of Sewall to build the new gym in order to save money, I wonder how much more they would have needed to put ice-making equipment in there and add a hockey facility. Obviously not going to happen now, but, they could have possibly killed two birds with one stone.

 

[Original_RMC]

I would like to see RMU buy the current K-Mart lot as I'm sure its going to close one day with the new Wal-Mart just built.
That would be ideal location for a new hockey arena.

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

If they are retaining part of Sewall to build the new gym in order to save money, I wonder how much more they would have needed to put ice-making equipment in there and add a hockey facility. Obviously not going to happen now, but, they could have possibly killed two birds with one stone.

Are you taking about sharing one arena with hoops/hockey? Or two separate arenas within 1 large facility?

 

[ColonialInsider]

I would like to see RMU buy the current K-Mart lot as I'm sure its going to close one day with the new Wal-Mart just built.
That would be ideal location for a new hockey arena.

That KMart is already closing. It'd be perfect for a hockey arena. I just don't know if RMU has the money at this moment. Maybe they can buy the land and wait to build the arena.

 

[pierre15208]

I would have also guessed that by using part of Sewall in the new design, the builders are making up for the fact that they were behind schedule in starting construction. Sewall was supposed to be torn down right after commencement, they didn't start demolition until a few months later, and they want to have the new gym open for volleyball season, which begins in September.

 

[RMU_Fan]

As I recall the original schedule didn't have the new facility open until January 2019.

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

As I recall the original schedule didn't have the new facility open until January 2019.

Ya is that date still the same???

 

[RMU_Fan]

I've asked and no date change that I'm aware of. I highly doubt they would change the building plans to try to make up for a late start in construction.

 

[ColonialCrazy]

yea that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense? the only team truly effected would be men's hoops right? I know it isn't ideal but all other programs can continue to use the rec center as they are now I would think?

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

yea that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense? the only team truly effected would be men's hoops right? I know it isn't ideal but all other programs can continue to use the rec center as they are now I would think?

True. Rec works for most of the teams that use the gym.

 

[ColonialInsider]

Guys, that portion of the Sewall Center has always been in the design. Nothing has changed other than the time that it took to start the project. That's why I shared that link. It has the actual blueprint that was approved prior to the announcement.

Here's the actual image - https://rossbianco-architect.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SP-100-Sewall-Site-Plan-770x455.jpg

You can see it matches the video. The half circle of Sewall is obscured in the video but visible there.

The delays on the UPMC Events Center were due to the extended construction time on the rec center. They couldn't begin tearing down Sewall without having the rec center built because they needed a place for teams to practice. I'm not sure why that build had delays, but they were off by about three months.