Location of new Hockey arena

[ETSA]

There have been previous indications that the university was pretty much settled on locating the new hockey arena at the corner of South Eagleville and Rte 195 on the current site of the Mansfield Apartments. That's were earlier the draft master plans placed it. Well, the 11/18/14 Draft Executive Summary mentions three possible locations.
1) The Mansfield Apartments site which the university apparently favors.
2) I-Lot adjacent to the Freitas arena
3) On the site of Guyer Gym
Looks like some Mansfield residents might be putting up a fuss about the Mansfield Apt. location.

See page 13 of this presentation:
http://paes.uconn.edu/MasterPlan/111814_Draft_Executive_Summary_web.pdf

(apologies if this has been posted before)

 

[ETSA]

Pages 23 through 27 of this presentation present a bit more detail of the ideas for locating the arena. This one is dated 11/12/14.
http://masterplan.uconn.edu/wp-cont...11/111214-Advisory-Committee-Meeting-_web.pdf

 

[CTBballfan243]

Is Storrs a separate entity from Mansfield? If not, can it be declared it's own entity by the state, like State College, PA? That way UCONN could tell Mansfield to go pound sand and put the hockey arena where it benefits the University.

 

[ETSA]

Storrs is a village within the town of Mansfield but does seem to have defined borders and is a census designated place. As far as I can determine it does not have any separate administrative organization other than that of the town of Mansfield. Just about all of the university lies within the borders of Storrs. but not all of Storrs consists of university owned land.

I think State College, PA, would be kind of just like Mansfield and University Park would be sort of the equivalent to Storrs in this equation. However University Park is not a census designated place as is Storrs. UP is not much more than a post office zip code to designate on campus mailing addresses.

 

[dbmill]

Storrs also has its own post office and zip code, 06268, but it is still a part of Mansfield. When I was a student at UConn, the school had the same zip code. UConn's zip code is now 06269.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Storrs is not its own entity, in that it has its own government, laws, etc. Hopefully Mansfield doesn't screw around too much on this and other things the university wants to do. What;s Guyer/Field House being used for now anyways though? That'd be a real nice central location.

 

[CL82]

I hope they don't take down Guyer. A lot of history there.

 

[Stainmaster]

Storrs is not its own entity, in that it has its own government, laws, etc. Hopefully Mansfield doesn't screw around too much on this and other things the university wants to do. What;s Guyer/Field House being used for now anyways though? That'd be a real nice central location.

Judging from what my personal sources in town government are telling me, the obstructionists are unfortunately going to raise a huge stink about it. Damn shame. I'm slightly partial to the nature preserve behind Mansfield Appts., but this is a bigger deal.

 

[zls44]

I hope they don't take down Guyer. A lot of history there.

Let's make more history there.

 

[huskyblooz]

Storrs also has its own post office and zip code, 06268, but it is still a part of Mansfield. When I was a student at UConn, the school had the same zip code. UConn's zip code is now 06269.

Thank you Cliff!

 

[CL82]

Let's make more history there.

You know, if tearing down Guyer is the difference between building the area or not, then tear it down. All things being equal however, I'd rather see it go elsewhere.

 

[zls44]

You know, if tearing down Guyer is the difference between building the area or not, then tear it down. All things being equal however, I'd rather see it go elsewhere.

Maybe go a Yost route and retrofit? Could work...seems more plausible than Gampel rink.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

You know, if tearing down Guyer is the difference between building the area or not, then tear it down. All things being equal however, I'd rather see it go elsewhere.

If it means going around the Mansfield complainer crew, it might be the best option.

 

[Waquoit]

I hope they don't take down Guyer. A lot of history there.

Yeah, a history of sprained ankles.

 

[Waquoit]

BTW, the fine people of Mansfield all suck.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

If it means going around the Mansfield complainer crew, it might be the best option.

From the UCONN file linked above, the Guyer location appears targeted as the favored, centrally located site for the new student rec center. The Mansfield NIMBY crowd can stuff it, accept the Mansfield Apartments site is where UCONN, the economic engine for the town and region, is where UCONN will likely put the new hockey arena, and go suck eggs, bark at the moon, puke, choke, and die. It's not 1970-something anymore Mansfield!

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Storrs is not its own entity, in that it has its own government, laws, etc. Hopefully Mansfield doesn't screw around too much on this and other things the university wants to do. What;s Guyer/Field House being used for now anyways though? That'd be a real nice central location.

UConn's on-campus population is about 50% greater (+10K) than it was when I was a student in Storrs, yet, the square footage available to students for recreation purposes is up about 10% (late 1990's renovation of the Fieldhouse complex). The students need more space, not less. Plus, I beleive that Track & Field uses the Fieldhouse in the winter ans some teams still have offices/practice areas there, such as soccer and crew. Thus, while I am 100% on-board with a new on-campus arena, that location is not best unless the school is building a very large rec center elsewhere (X lot?).

And, yes, the Mansfield townies are going to have a meltdown putting the new ice arena at the corner of S Eagleville and Route 195. With a new arena on one side and the Arts complex on the other, and Storrs center in front, Mansfield town hall, which is right in between, will scream like its the Battle of the Bulge and UConn is the German army.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I have said it elsewhere, as unlikely as it it, I would prefer to see a combo on-campus basketball (12K), hockey (6K) arena possibly as part of Storrs Center as it would kill both needs - a new ice rink and renovation/expansion of Gampel and hopefully cost less money up-front and in terms of on-going maintenance to have 1 facility than 2. I don't think an ice rink can be added to Gampel nor can it be enlarged due to it's structure, the classrooms under the stands and as the south corner overlaps with the pool. Thus, a new site is needed. UConn has practice space with Freitas and the Basketball center and the XL can be used for the 2 years while it is built. Plus, adding a 12K arena to Storrs Center could really make that a fun place drawing in a few more bars/restaurants and likely a hotel and conference space.

 

[CL82]

I have said it elsewhere, as unlikely as it it, I would prefer to see a combo on-campus basketball (12K), hockey (6K) arena possibly as part of Storrs Center as it would kill both needs - a new ice rink and renovation/expansion of Gampel and hopefully cost less money up-front and in terms of on-going maintenance to have 1 facility than 2. I don't think an ice rink can be added to Gampel nor can it be enlarged due to it's structure, the classrooms under the stands and as the south corner overlaps with the pool. Thus, a new site is needed. UConn has practice space with Freitas and the Basketball center and the XL can be used for the 2 years while it is built. Plus, adding a 12K arena to Storrs Center could really make that a fun place drawing in a few more bars/restaurants and likely a hotel and conference space.

But the traffic, the traffic!! You can't get an additional 2000 people in and out of Storrs!! It would cost billions of dollars. Why every highway for hundreds of miles around would need to be expanded to at least four lanes!! Society as we know it would collapse oh my god ....the humanity.....

 

[SubbaBub]

It's real simple. Build on 195, get 1000 people parking, eating and spending money in and around Storrs Center.

Build in the center of campus and those same 1000 people park in the north garage and get in their cars and go home after the game.

Add those same 1000 people driving up and down N. Eagleville road playing dodge the coed who is surfing tinder.

It's a no brainer.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

But the traffic, the traffic!! You can't get an additional 2000 people in and out of Storrs!! It would cost billions of dollars. Why every highway for hundreds of miles around would need to be expanded to at least four lanes!! Society as we know it would collapse oh my god ....the humanity.....

LOL. You should have seen the press when the Pat's first plan (before Providence and then Hartford) was to build Gillette in Seaport or the prior Red Sox's owners to build a new Fenway either in the Seaport or next door to the current stadium.

 

[Pudge]

Since Celeron Square (circa 1985), UConn has sent all third party development within its Land through the Town of Mansfield. (YES ... Celeron is on a Ground Lease) That means all the stuff on campus has abided by the Town's economics review. The University does NOT have to do this ... it is kind of a courtesy.

Further, does anyone know about the adjacent town of Willington? I heard they just had a sewer & water referendum. And Development is coming.

 

[jdb50]

I think they are undersizing the capacity and it should be 6,000 seats. It will have no impact on the nature sanctuary. The town has allowed houses to be built South of there that chewed up a lot of raw land. The present site is already built on so no loss of raw land and the Nimby crowd will use this as a red herring. The biggest threat to open space in Mansfield is all the backlots they allow to be put in as well as the one acre zoning in the residential areas.

 

[IceBus]

Put it right off of I-84 somewhere. It needs to be easy to get to for people who work.

 

[zls44]

Put it right off of I-84 somewhere. It needs to be easy to get to for people who work.

The Hockey team for the University of Connecticut needs to be in the best location for the University of Connecticut.