The University took another important step in the planning of the new basketball arena when the Board of Visitors Building and Grounds committee approved the schematic plans for the venue May 9.
The committee unanimously voted to recommend the plans to the Board at its next meeting to be held May 31.
The Board is not known to turn down recommendations made by the Buildings and Grounds committee, Assistant University Architect Connie Warnock said.
The schematic plans of the arena, the third phase in a four-part planning series, include the footprints, general massing and arrangements and approximate dollar value for the new venue.
"The plans are fairly well set although some of the details could change," University Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said.
The new arena will be located on Massie Road directly across from the current arena, University Hall.
It is designed to have a seating capacity of up to 15,000 people.
"We could determine that we don't need that amount of seats," Littlepage said.
The arena needs to be built at a higher seating capacity than it may need in order to plan for future uses and growth of the community.
"When we look at the future there might be a time that we will need that capacity," Littlepage added.
The schematic plans call for a full lower-bowl arena, with the upper-bowl only containing three sides.
The horseshoe-shaped design allows for a stage to be erected without losing a large number of seats behind the stage. The unique shape also allows the University to save money by eliminating two curved corners of the arena, the most expensive part of an arena to build, said Bob Moje, VMDO Architects president and principal in charge of the project.
"Most significantly this is an important building for the University and community at large," Moje said. "It will be able to host activities that certainly don't exist now."
A new parking garage also will be built adjacent to the arena. Together with a surface parking lot it will house 1500 cars.
In continuing with their designs, Charlottesville-based architecture firm VMDO Architects and the Kansas City office of Ellerbe Beckett, now will begin the preliminary planning phase.
Becket joined with VMDO in July 2001 as associate architects for the arena.
The schematic plans are scheduled for completion in early October, and will be drawn technically and specifically.
"The preliminary designs have a more developed interior and exterior and much greater detail," Warnock said.
The budget for the arena is set at $128 million, of which approximately $45 million has been raised thus far, Littlepage said.
The funding of the basketball arena will be drawn from private sources, rather than state and university money. The funds will be gained from private gifts, corporate relationships, premium seating and the 20 suites included in the new plans of the arena, Littlepage added.
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