lockmat Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 A few years ago plans were scrapped to renovate it and now new plans are in the works again. Throughout the article it is argued that it's more architecturally significant than the Astrodome. I went to Rice stadium once when I was a kid and I don't remember the outside at all. It would be sweet if Rice could become the Stanford of the south in terms of sports - as unlikely as that is. Still, a renovated stadium would be cool. I don't see why they couldn't get a bowl game, host high school football games and other events. The article notes that they don't want to drastically change the architecture. new plans (no renderings - this is very premature): http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/At-Rice-future-of-another-stadium-also-in-5043101.php?cmpid=albtfp#/8 Old plans: http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article/Plans-unveiled-for-renovation-of-Rice-Stadium-2408811.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 For watching football games the stadium is adequate the way it is. It's the rest of it that needs renovating. High school stadiums have nicer dressing rooms then Rice. That's why I liked the last plan. They were going to preserve the main stadium and just tear down and rebuild the old outdated facilities on the south end zone. It was a good plan but apparently cost more then the school wants to spend. I'm afraid any new plans will just be a cover up, much like the slight renovations 10 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbcu Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Rice football is a niche sport over there...they rarely support their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasUltra Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Rice University has commissioned Diller Scofidio & Renfro to transform an existing parking lot between Alice Pratt Brown Hall, the home of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, and Rice Stadium into a 600-seat opera theater. Charles Renfro, a 1989 Rice graduate and the project’s lead architect, stated: “It feels really natural in a lot of ways to be returning to campus, a place I’ve spent so much time and love so much.” Completion is scheduled for 2018.Reference: Houston Chronicle, archdaily.com 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelTwoNews Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) The full piece from Rice...http://news.rice.edu/2014/03/17/rice-universitys-shepherd-school-of-music-announces-diller-scofidio-renfro-as-architect-for-new-opera-theater/ This project is one I'm looking forward to more than others in some ways, chiefly because it actually has a local person and Rice alum at the helm of the project team for architectural firm involved. I hope they actually do the university and their hometown proud on this one. Edited April 15, 2014 by ChannelTwoNews 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 They won't be doing nothing until they figure out what to do with the parking situation this building will compromise. The new Continuing Education building and Tennis courts have already depleted insufficient area parking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talltexan83 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I believe there will be a garage component to the Opera house plan. Net parking spaces should be unchanged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 The rush to get rid of the old Continuing Studies building makes more sense now, with more new construction planned for that end of campus. I would not be surprised if the Media Center was the next domino to fall, which IMO would be a far greater loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Story: http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121814aab.html Pictures: http://www.riceowls.com/view.gal?id=171772 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arche_757 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 So they moved away from... the proposed field house/gymnasium in that location? Or was I mistaken that the east grandstands were to be partially replaced by that proposed field house/gymnasium at some point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) So they moved away from... the proposed field house/gymnasium in that location? Or was I mistaken that the east grandstands were to be partially replaced by that proposed field house/gymnasium at some point?The previous plan was to tear out and renovate the south endzone facilities. The plan that is moving forward is to do the building on the north, so it opens on both the field and the practice facility. I don't think there was ever a plan to include a field house/gymnasium. Tudor Fieldhouse had a $23mm makeover in 2007. Edited January 23, 2015 by lokithebubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Actually the first plan WAS to construct on the north side but because half the campus electricity flows through the switchgear room located just outside the north side wall they shifted to a plan involving the south side. Now they are back to their original plan. I guess because they found the half million dollars to reroute the electricity. I'm assuming the existing Rice locker room will now become the visitors room, which would be a slight improvement other the existing visitors locker room which looks like a 50 year old middle school locker room. That's one reason marquee teams won't play at Rice stadium. It is embarrassingly small and run down. Love the photo renderings of a completely full stadium. Rice hasn't seen that many people for a football game since the 50's. Still, I'm glad to see they are moving on with this. Even though Rice football doesn't attract a crowd like they once did they deserve better. All the other sport facilities on campus have seen major upgrades in the last 20 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 An academic and research focused college is going to spend $30m on a weightlifting facility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 An academic and research focused college is going to spend $30m on a weightlifting facility? They are improving in football and lets remember that they are one of the traditional powers in baseball. They aren't going to be like the bigger sports focused schools, but they do have good sports programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 And they are one of the few schools in the state with student athletes that actually attend classes and walk away with real degrees. Having a good athletic program at Rice does not take away from the academic side. A good balance between nerds and jocks is important. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 If Rice has the money, and I think they do, let them at it. It is a private school after all and I don't think the University will let its academic reputation suffer. Alumni loyalty for Rice is second only to that of Texas A&M - maybe even tied with A&M depending on how it is measured. I did not attend Rice, nor has anyone in my family, but I have often enjoyed watching football and baseball games there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 First signs of the coming project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Tarp is off the north endzone in preparation. https://twitter.com/Chronicle_Owls/status/563834154865811457/photo/1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SidRich Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 http://construction.rice.edu/PattersonSportsPerformanceCenter/Its a project now on the Rice Construction website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Construction fence up as of yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Construction cam http://www.riceowls.com/ot/bpspc-construction-cam.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placoors Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Plan in works to "fully restore" Rice Stadium: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/03/rice-ad-plan-in-works-to-fully-restore-rice-stadium/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Plan in works to "fully restore" Rice Stadium: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/03/rice-ad-plan-in-works-to-fully-restore-rice-stadium/Restore it to what? It hasn't changed in 60 years. Go back to wood bleachers instead of metal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbcu Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 just take the upper decks down....done.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I'm enjoying watching the construction cam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryDierker Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 It's actual video. cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 just take the upper decks down....done.... If they could take down just the upper east it would be awesome. The front of the upper west is already a great place to watch football. Without the east the view of the campus and med center would be awesome. Alas, I don't think it's possible to take it off easily. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lokithebubba Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) I was able to ride into the stadium today. Edited May 16, 2015 by lokithebubba 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Urbannizer Posted July 14, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2015 http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2015/07/rice-arts-center-selects-guggenheim-leader-as-new.html http://www.mmaltzan.com/projects/rice-university-moody-center-for-the-arts/ Rice University has appointed Alison Weaverexecutive director of the Moody Center for the Arts effective Sept. 1.A former director at the well-known Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and a Houston native, Weaver will now oversee the $30 million, 50,000-square-foot art center that will include lecture and studio classrooms, a theater venue and gallery space on Rice’s campus. It is slated to open in the fall of 2016. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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