UI Field House Entrance To Be Demolished For Hospital

Posted in: Iowa City Owl Iowa City News - Local Stories

Mar 21, 12 at 7:16pm | Ryan Kopf

Earlier today at the State of Iowa's Board of Regents meeting held at the Iowa Memorial Union, the Board of Regents approved demolishing the current University of Iowa Field House entrance to make room for a new UIHC project. The University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics have expanded multiple times in the past year, with a new children's hospital section and talks about demolishing a parking structure to add additional facilities.

UI Senior Vice President of Finance, Doug True, said the project was complicated, "But we'd like to proceed with it."

After the addition of the University's new Recreation and Wellness Center on Burlington street, it is likely that utilization of the Field House has decreased significantly. The new, modern CRWC building opened in the summer of 2010 and boasts 20,000 square feet of fitness space, a climbing wall, a 50-meter competitive swimming pool, and numerous other facilities.

The demolition would only affect the Field House's entrance, relocating the building's main entrance and improving traffic flow to the hospital by building a two lane roadway. It is estimated that the demolition will be complete by June 2013, but it's unclear as to if this is also the expected dates to complete the hospital and road projects.

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