Iowa Field House (please don't move to ISR)

[tm3308]

I'm writing a profile story on the Iowa Field House for my final story in my sportswriting class, and was wondering if there are any ISU fans who saw either some basketball games or wrestling meets there, and what their experience was like? I'm just looking for some input from an opponent's perspective, as I've already got tons of sources from Iowa's corner.

*I posted this in the basketball forum because I know it gets more traffic than ISR, so please, don't move the thread, at least for a little while.

 

[rebecacy]

I'm writing a profile story on the Iowa Field House for my final story in my sportswriting class, and was wondering if there are any ISU fans who saw either some basketball games or wrestling meets there, and what their experience was like? I'm just looking for some input from an opponent's perspective, as I've already got tons of sources from Iowa's corner.

*I posted this in the basketball forum because I know it gets more traffic than ISR, so please, don't move the thread, at least for a little while.

I did see MBB games there and went in on Sunday Mother's day as we were camping at coralville damn and I went to find some supplies -- still a dump. You can email me at [email protected] for details.

 

[PabloDiablo]

I have seen several swim meets there if that helps out at all

 

[CtownCyclone]

I have seen several swim meets there if that helps out at all

I have competed in high school swim meets there (State Championships) as well as water polo playing for the Cardinal and Gold.

 

[DeBruzzio]

It was larger version of my junior high gymnasium. A real dump.

 

[GoSTATE71]

I go to school at Iowa and have seen a couple sporting events there, PM me if you want details but overall Iowa fieldhouse is a dump except i really like working out there because its never that busy compared to the new rec center which is always packed

 

[Wesley]

The picture of the dump.

 

[Senolcyc]

I'm not going to participate in your final paper, but I will say it was a great old arena. And what it is now is irrelevant; they gutted it and remodeled it as a rec center which ruined the building. Same as what ISU is doing right now to State Gym.

Iowa packed over 13,000 into the old fieldhouse and it was LOUD. The Hawkeyes have never had the same kind of home atmosphere/advantage since moving to Carver Arena.

 

[IcSyU]

I'm not going to participate in your final paper, but I will say it was a great old arena. And what it is now is irrelevant; they gutted it and remodeled it as a rec center which ruined the building. Same as what ISU is doing right now to State Gym.

Iowa packed over 13,000 into the old fieldhouse and it was LOUD. The Hawkeyes have never had the same kind of home atmosphere/advantage since moving to Carver Arena.

Iowa State isn't ruining State Gym. They're making it actually usable instead of a sunken cost on students.

 

[CtownCyclone]

I'm not going to participate in your final paper, but I will say it was a great old arena. And what it is now is irrelevant; they gutted it and remodeled it as a rec center which ruined the building. Same as what ISU is doing right now to State Gym.

Iowa packed over 13,000 into the old fieldhouse and it was LOUD. The Hawkeyes have never had the same kind of home atmosphere/advantage since moving to Carver Arena.

My dad attended EIU in the days before Carver-Hawkeye was built (or as he refers to it: the Mud Salute to Lute). He said as much to be when he remembered the old times. He also said that fans were pretty much right on the court for big games.

 

[drlove]

The picture of the dump.

Isn't this the "new" part of the dump?

 

[Rickybaby]

I went to a few basketball games in the old field house. I will say that it got LOUD. It also shook. I mean the pillars, rafters, whatever. I thought it might collapse. There were a bunch of really crappy seats; with bad angles, obstructions, etc. That said, it had a lot more personality than most newer stadiums. I think Iowa BB never regained its old glory once they moved HCA. Don't really care cause I'm a ISU fan but then new area is very sterile compared to the old one and games are boring and impersonal; especially the last few years with it mostly empty.

Hope this helps.

 

[tm3308]

My dad attended EIU in the days before Carver-Hawkeye was built (or as he refers to it: the Mud Salute to Lute). He said as much to be when he remembered the old times. He also said that fans were pretty much right on the court for big games.

That's what most of the people I've talked to have said, including Lute and Gable. Really wish I could have seen a game in there, just once.

 

[Senolcyc]

Iowa State isn't ruining State Gym. They're making it actually usable instead of a sunken cost on students.

You can make a building "usable" without gutting it and stripping away all of its history.

 

[drlove]

I was able to compete at the field house as both an age group swimmer thru high school and then my days at Iowa State. The pool was old, but it was a good pool.
I remember thinking the whole place was just huge when they still played there since there were lots of basketball courts attached. Of course this was the early 1980's. I can't remember when they took that part of the building.

 

[IcSyU]

You can make a building "usable" without gutting it and stripping away all of its history.

The people who use it (students) don't care if there was a basketball game played there in 1950 that was a real great game. They're paying for the upkeep, they expect to be able to use it. State Gym and from what I've seen of the field house were TOTAL dumps. The wiring and electrical system in State Gym was a joke, the locker rooms were awful, the heating system was a safety hazard, the track wasn't even used because it sucks to run on, etc. I'm all about preserving old buildings, but people need to realize there is a point at which a building has outlived its useful life and just needs replaced (looking at you, Veterans Memorial Auditorium). Yeah it sucks that places like the Fieldhouse couldn't be incorporated into Carver Hawkeye Arena, but there comes a point at which places like the Fieldhouse are useless.

 

[tm3308]

The Field House hasn't quite lived out its usefulness, but it's close. It'll be torn down once Phase II of the CRWC is complete (Getting racquetball/badminton/squash, etc. facilities, plus probably some other stuff as well.).

I agree that it's been gutted, though. There really isn't much left that's recognizable, at least on the Main Deck (where the basketball games were played). The pool is pretty much the same as it ever was, with a few minor modern upgrades (timing system for swim meets).

 

[Senolcyc]

Everything you say could have been done with a renovation that retained the historical character of the building. The addition could have been designed to match the original building. What was done instead is a shortsighted atrocity, especially at a school that prides itself on its architecture and design programs. Once the "new" wears off, students will be ******** about it and wanting another new facility. It's what students do.

 

[IcSyU]

I bet you were really ****** when the Yankees moved into New Yankee Stadium from Old Yankee Stadium. How about when the Cardinals moved out of Old Busch Stadium and into New Busch Stadium? The Astros from the Astrodome to Enron Field? Those bastards for throwing away history, especially in St. Louis and the Bronx where they knocked down the buildings!

The outside of the building (with the exception of the addition) looks exactly like it did before, but instead of totally craptastic windows, it has new ones. And yeah, once the "new" wears off students will just be outraged...you know, just like Lied? Students might get sick of it, but we're only here for 4-5 years. Take care of the buildings (like Lied has been for the most part) and make a few improvements every now and then and students will be just dandy.

 

[huntt26]

The picture of the dump.

That looks like the rec center at Upper Iowa University lol