The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, June 21, 1979, Image 1
brash number 2 university of nebraska lincoln june 21, 1979 UNL lot i. alum center site an By Gordon Johnson The staff parking lot north of the Nebraska Student Union has been tentatively approved by the Central Plann ing Committee as the site for a new Alumni Association Center. The Alumni Association has received a $500,000 dona tion from Arizona publisher Milton Wick for the construc tion of the building. Private contributions will match the donation bringing the total to $1 million, according to association officials. At the Central Planning Committee meeting, May 24, Jack Miller, executive vice president of the Alumni Association, presented five possible site locations for the building. The association's first choice was the staff park ing lot north of the union and its second choice was the metered parking lot also north of the union. Better relations However, Bud Cuca, ASUN president, raised some ques tions about the need for a new alumni building in the center of campus. "I know the Alumni Association does a lot for the univer sity," Cuca said, "I just don't know if it (new building) should be placed right in the heart of the campus." Miller said placing the building in the middle of campus would better student-alumni relations. "We want to do what we can. to bring the students and alumni together," Miller said. Miller admits that students might protest the site pro posal because of parking loss and said that if students were vocal enough, construction efforts could be difficult. The parking problem has been around a long time, Miller said, but added he believed that as the price of gasoline Stadium addition could eliminate- 160 parking spots If the Memorial Stadium expansion proceeds as schedul ed, UNL will lose about 160 metered parking spaces north of the union, according to John Duve, UNL parking coor dinator. While the expansion is constructed, the circle staff park ing lot on the easfside of the stadium will be used to store construction materials nad machinery, Duve said. After the addition is completed, he said the area will be turned into a mall. The area should be closed before the fall semester begins, Duve said. The staff spaces will move to the metered lots north of the union. The metered lots are being sacrified, Duve said, for the convenience of parking permit holders. "Our total system is self supporting," Duve said, "And is in the business of serving the parking sticker holder." .- The meters will be moved to other areas, he said. "Since we have the devices it would be a shame not to use them " he said. Duve said he felt the students have not been aware of the issue because of the emphasis placed on the stadium expansion. The reason the metered lots are being used he explained is because people who park in front of the stadium work in the Love Library area. Staff are given parking areas closer to the heart of cam pus, he said, because most of their cars are not moved dur ing the day. If students were to park in the central lots, he explained, there would be too much traffic that conflicts with pedestrians. gets higher, parking may cease being a problem. "Everyone wants to park right outside the building, and it's not feasible " he said. Visitors center Ray Coffey, UNL's business manager and member of the Central Planning Committee, said Miller suggested the new building also be used as a central ticket office or a visitors center. Coffey said he wasn't sure if the proposed site would be approved by the chancellor and the NU Board of Regents. "I suspect that there are a lot of people who have reser vations concerning whether or not that prime site should be used in that way," Coffey said. However, such a building, he said, would be better at that location than an academic building. The proposed building, which is expected to be between 12,000 and 15,000 square feet, would displace about 160 staff parking spaces, Coffey said. Before the proposal is passed, Coffey said, he would like to see the university make a firm commitment to replace the lost parking spaces. Coffey proposed building a parking garage on the east side of the union behind the Nebraska Historical Society. Impact Statement Some questions were raised at the May 24 Central Plan ning Committee meeting concerning who would pay the utilities for the new alumni center. Miller explained at the May 21 meeting that a special fund would be formed to meet these costs. A sub-committee was appointed by committee chairman Ned Hedges to study the proposed site and make an im pact statement. The committee will report to the Central Planning Committee August 15. The Central Planning Committee makes its recommen dations to the chancellor, who will then make recommenda tions to the NU Board of Regents. The regents will decide whether to proceed with construction. Until a new building is completed the association will stay at 1520 R St. After a site has been approved, it will take two years to finish, Miller said. The association has been moved a lot in it's 105 year history, Miller said, and has been at it's present location since 1975. 'rtx I ,- fsXjn ZSgSlt $8l VP -m . i a IS IV r 4 iAurMTMrn WW' ACKTHE N I mm V Li,;'.', NAHinN PRf rKAH r v. .1. r ;M V-i. j'.-i'M j m li,iiiMaii, ii i. i .mi jkt.i L WIGHT W r I i i .it. t ES About 120 women marched against rape Monday night. For more pictures and story turn to page 3. photo by Shelley Smith Sports center official's letter led to stadium addition nrohe-sen. inside to$oy Women march against rape p. 3 Press ahead in race p. 4 Keystone Review p. 5 Jones gets top spot p. 8 By Shelley Smith A sports center official met with members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee Monday after noon to discuss a letter he sent the executive board oppos ing the proposed 9,000-seat addition to Memorial Stadium, the Summer Nebrtukan has learned. Paul Schneider, administrative assistant of the Bob Devaney Sports Center, met with Sens. Donald Dworak of Columbus Steve Fowler of Lincoln, Peter Hoagland of Omaha and Ron Cope of Kearney immediately before the appropriations committee meeting where the committee decided to investigate the proposed addition. Dworak said he approached Schneider and asked him to meet with committee members when he learned the points Schneider listed in his letter against the addition had value for the committee. In the letter sent about two weeks ago, Schneider listed 10 reasons why he believes the 13.4 million addition should not be built ' "I am definitely opposed to a silly thing," Schneider said. Reasons Among the reasons listed were: The back row of the proposed addition would be nine-. and-one-half stories, equal to three-fourths of a block away from the sidelines of the football field. Schneider said J. About 3,000 additional spaces would be needed to ac commodate 9,000 more ticket holders. Reports have shown that when Nebraska has a moderate or losing season, ticket sales drop. He said com mon sense should prevail, supply must be under demand in case UNL should have a losing season. The Legislature already appropriates $1 million to the UNL athletic program which includes maintenance fees for the Bob Devaney Sports Center., The nation's energy problems. Outstate Nebrsakana are requesting the most tickets, he said. There hasn't been a sufficient study conducted about the proposed addition. Dworak, although never a supporter of the addition, said he was convinced the addition is wrong after talking with Schneider. Binoculars coceessisn "He's (Schneider) been around for a few years, when he tells me that the back row is going to be nine-and-a-half stories away -and he's only interested in the concession for binoculars -rm not sure how salable these teats will be after one season." Although the addition would be financed by the tale of revenue bonds which would be paid off through the tilt of football tickets, Dworak said he was concerned that If ticket tales couldn't produce enough revenue, the tutors!- ticket holders in the east baleonv teita fcav been earn. plaining for yean about the wind and told and have re- M nfcht tsk the Legislature to appropriate funds to keep quested to be moved tower. miner sports in existence.