Construction planned for Buchtel Community Learning Center’s football stadium is expected to add public restrooms, addressing persistent logistical and security challenges during school events. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for the fall high school football season.
Those upgrades, however, come at an additional cost: The recent design separation of the press box building and stadium restrooms, according to project architect Greg Chaplin, increased construction costs by $500,000.
That change brings the most recent project estimate to $2.5 million. This month, designs are scheduled to be finalized and a guaranteed maximum price submitted after the construction manager at risk reviews the finalized renderings from architects.
Why did the construction plan change?
Initially, the plan included restrooms inside the press box and concession stand building, which will be located on the footprint of the current press box — attached to the stands nearest the school. Architects later determined that, given the roughly 10 feet of space available between the stands and the track, housing all functions in a single structure wasn’t feasible.
The new press box building will provide a space for home and away football coaches, stadium announcers and broadcast production teams, as well as room for concessions.
Buchtel’s football program has produced multiple playoff teams and future NFL players, from Antonio Pittman to Jay Brophy. Also, Ricky Powers led the Griffins to back-to-back state titles (1987-88) en route to being recognized as a high school All-America.
Buchtel’s original high school building was constructed in 1931 and underwent numerous renovations over the years. The new building, which stands today, opened to students in 2012.
For many of the years since, spectators have relied on restrooms inside the school during events.
Changes to the plan for a single building initially led Akron Board of Education members on Dec. 8 to question the project’s architect.
“I was, as I have heard from my colleagues and community members, expecting for $2 million a concession stand that included public restrooms,” board member Rene Molenaur said. “I am confused at this point where that gap is.”
District officials and the architect commissioned for the project assured board members that restrooms would be included in the project but could not be within the same building. Instead, they’ll be positioned in a corner of the stadium’s footprint.
What exactly will change with the Buchtel project?
The project consists of three main components:
- Resurfacing and widening the gravel track that surrounds the football field
- Constructing a new press box and concession stand building
- Building a dual-purpose bathroom and storage building in the southeast corner of the site
The project will also lay conduit under the track for the future addition of stadium lights. Right now, the football stadium is not equipped to host night games.
Board member Summer Hall asked in December why the track and grass could not be extended to include restrooms in the press box and concession stand building.
“Unlike most tracks that are inside the stands, the track at Buchtel goes between the stands and the parking lot,” said Chaplin, the project architect. “It’s behind the press box. The only way to extend what that building would be towards the parking lot would be to block off the south lane of the track completely.”
The track at Buchtel CLC is a non-competition track due to the number of lanes and its configuration. Still, architects want to maintain as much use as possible for the soon-to-be resurfaced track.