Warren Corman was a draftsman in the state architect’s office in the early ’50s when the controversial plans for the construction of Allen Fieldhouse first went on the table.
Yes, controversial.
“Everybody complained it was too big and too far away from town,” said Corman, now Kansas University’s chief architect.
Nearly 50 years later, Allen Fieldhouse might be considered too far away if you live in Topeka, and the legendary structure is too big only if you’ve never been in a domed stadium.
Now, if all goes according to plan, Allen Fieldhouse will grow even bigger within 18 months — the timetable for the completion of the addition to the east side made possible by a gift of approximately $4.5 million from anonymous donors.
Ever since the announcement, I’ve tried to picture what that new addition will look like. No architectural rendering has been released, but Corman gave me a basic overview.
In a nutshell, the east side will have an entirely new look because the add-on structure will cover most of the façade, jutting 50 feet out and stretching about 250 feet in a slender rectangular shape. At the same time, the limestone look will be retained so the addition won’t appear eclectic.
“It’s going to look great,” Corman said. “To tell the truth, that old front door isn’t very impressive … and I helped design it.”
When fans enter the front doors, they’ll be right in the middle of the new space devoted primarily to honoring former Kansas University athletes. Right now, the area will be called the Hall of Athletics, although some have voiced a preference to call it a hall of fame. Reportedly, it also will bear the name of its benefactors — who are expected to be revealed well before the dedication.
Regardless of the terminology, the shrine will fill the south end of the expansion. On the other side of the entry doors, a store featuring KU gear and memorabilia will be located on the lower level. Above the store will be the replacement for the Naismith Lounge — currently ticketed to be converted to women’s basketball offices — as well as a smaller Jayhawk Den that will be used to entertain prospects and their parents.
On one side of each gathering place, a door will lead to the second floor of the fieldhouse; another side will have a balcony overlooking the Hall of Athletics’ banners, murals, portraits, etc.
Can all of this realistically be completed within 18 months? Could it really be unveiled prior to the 2005-2006 basketball season?
“I think it’s doable,” Corman told me. “It should take five or six months for the design and the bidding, then a year to build it.”
In the meantime, Allen Fieldhouse will undergo an overdue refurbishing, thanks to a gift of approximately $7.5 million from the Ward family. By Corman’s estimate, the aging structure needs $10 to $12 million in repairs, so ongoing discussions will determine the priorities.
“We know we’re going to clean the exterior,” Corman said. “That’s something that has to be done every 10 years or so. And we know we’re going to replace the windows. They leak, they rust; they’re 50 years old.”
KU officials have discussed installing glazed windows to keep out the light during day games, or even shuttering the windows to produce enough of a blackout to use a spotlight during pregame introductions, as many other schools do.
“We also know the roof is leaking,” Corman said. “It would cost up to $1 million for a new roof, and we don’t want to do that. We think we can fix the overlapping edges that have moved and caused the leaks.”
The laundry list also includes the sound system, lighting, rest rooms and a heating and ventilation system so old that replacement parts no longer are available.
“The maintenance people have come up with maybe 100 items that need to be done,” Corman said. “That doesn’t include air conditioning, but that’s not a high priority.”
In an historical sense, Allen Fieldhouse, once thought to be oversized and out in the boondocks, has outlived countless other mid-20th Century arenas and evolved into a Mount Oread icon. When the Hall of Athletics is operational and the botox treatments completed, the indomitable Home of the Jayhawks might even be good for another 50 years.
