The UNC Board of Trustees approved a design for renovation and expansion for the Kenan Football Center at its recent meeting.
The trustees’ Finance, Infrastructure and Audit Committee received a presentation of designs on January 26 before the full board approved them on January 27, as the project looks to construct new parts to the center attached to the west end zone of Kenan Stadium.
As the project progresses, attention to detail becomes paramount, not only in the design but also in the execution of various elements. One crucial aspect that demands meticulous consideration is the construction and maintenance of entryways and exits. In this regard, the project managers have collaborated with experts in garage infrastructure, including professionals like those specializing in garage door repair calgary. This strategic partnership can ensure that all components, including entry points and exits, meet the highest standards of functionality and aesthetics. The incorporation of reliable expertise in garage door repair underlines the university’s dedication to a comprehensive and well-executed renovation that extends beyond the visual aspects, contributing to the overall success of the Kenan Football Center expansion.
(Image via UNC Finance & Operations.)
According to renderings presented to the Board of Trustees, the expansion would affect the northwest side of the football center, close to Stone Center Drive and South Road. The proposed design includes a wider staircase, a plaza for visitors and even a basketball court. The open-air plaza space may include couches, a bar and fire pits.
An aerial view of the proposed design. (Image via UNC Finance & Operations.)
Looking northwest toward Stone Center Drive. (Image via UNC Finance & Operations.)
The proposed budget for this renovation and expansion is $15 million, according to the Board’s meeting book, and will be entirely funded from gifts raised by the Educational Foundation, better known around UNC as the Rams Club. The Board originally approved the project in May 2021.
The Kenan Football Center was originally constructed in 1997, head coach Mack Brown’s last year in Chapel Hill before taking the head coaching job at Texas.
This would be yet another major change for Kenan Stadium and the surrounding facilities since Brown returned as head coach in December 2018. The summer of 2019 saw a $5 million locker room and weight room renovation and a $2 million change in playing surface from natural grass to turf, while the first floor of the Football Center was renovated in the spring of 2020.
Even before Brown arrived, the stadium underwent a facelift, switching from metal bleachers to chairbacks for all non-student seating between the 2017 and 2018 seasons. With the east end zone’s Blue Zone replacing the Kenan Field House in 2011, the stadium would be nearly unrecognizable today from its early 2000s appearance.
Featured image via UNC-Chapel Hill
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