Walls going up for new Culvers adjacent to Fatty's and next to it the hotel is now a Red Roof Inn (although all the roofing is still green ala a Holiday Inn). Not too sure if management will be any better but Red Roof Inns are a lot more common in other MAC locales. And yes, this unfortunately passes for news in DeKalb right now.

Anyone know of plans for other stores/restaurants/etc. ???

There going to put one of these right next to the new practice facility

(06-23-2014 11:24 PM)freehuskie Wrote:  There going to put one of these right next to the new practice facility

? ? ?

He does not like the look of the indoor building. Not a view shared by many. Looks fine and is very functional.

(06-23-2014 04:00 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  Walls going up for new Culvers adjacent to Fatty's and next to it the hotel is now a Red Roof Inn (although all the roofing is still green ala a Holiday Inn). Not too sure if management will be any better but Red Roof Inns are a lot more common in other MAC locales. And yes, this unfortunately passes for news in DeKalb right now.

So they knocked down that old restaurant (Mexican?) to the east of Fattys?

So Fatty's parking will suck this fall then?

(06-24-2014 08:23 AM)NIUslumo Wrote:  So Fatty's parking will suck this fall then?

Yeah I'm a bit confused. Thought I saw Fattys was looking to the east to either expand and/or add parking.

"fathuskie"...you out there?

Fatty's is getting a new parking lot that goes all the way back towards the tracks next to Culvers. It will be done before the football season.

Also we currently have use of the parking lot across the street from the new Culver's which was the old Pagliai's Pizza lot. Parking should not be an issue at all.

Don't get me wrong about the indoor facility, the interior is what it should be, the exterior not so good. NIU's utilitarian approach to architecture continues with this building. I thought they got away from this with the Alumni Center and the Business School building......not to mention the new dormitory. Buildings last a long time, it's not like putting a picture on your wall, you end up looking at architecture for a very long time. NIU has had their share of very ugly buildings that we 'older' alumni have had to look at for a very long time. The new President 'get's it' or maybe I should say 'got it' immediately.
Back to the practice facility. I had a friend of mine who sells for Wick Buildings. They will build anything but specialize in large buildings mostly for agriculture. When you sit down with a salesman you are the boss, they will skin these buildings with brick, stone, whatever you want. He showed me pictures of buildings like the practice facility that were purposely hidden with clock towers, raised corners with statuary, metal roofing stamped to look like clay-tiles, glass of all kinds, the choices go on forever. He responded to my question about cost by saying, "there is a hidden cost to ugly buildings.......when they are going to be filled with livestock and situated on a farm that is one thing, but sitting a on a college campus (and as big as this
facility is), NIU will pay a heavy cost for not taking some Architectural license, and giving the façade a more pleasing appearance".
It may tempt some athletes, but it won't tempt students in general, especially those who have to look at it from those monstrosities built as dorms in the 60's.
Baker, if he stays, will right these wrongs, or he will be gone by his own volition.
Go Huskies -
'69 alum and going strong! 45 years of following Huskie football!

(06-24-2014 01:24 PM)freehuskie Wrote:  Don't get me wrong about the indoor facility, the interior is what it should be, the exterior not so good. NIU's utilitarian approach to architecture continues with this building. I thought they got away from this with the Alumni Center and the Business School building......not to mention the new dormitory. Buildings last a long time, it's not like putting a picture on your wall, you end up looking at architecture for a very long time. NIU has had their share of very ugly buildings that we 'older' alumni have had to look at for a very long time. The new President 'get's it' or maybe I should say 'got it' immediately.
Back to the practice facility. I had a friend of mine who sells for Wick Buildings. They will build anything but specialize in large buildings mostly for agriculture. When you sit down with a salesman you are the boss, they will skin these buildings with brick, stone, whatever you want. He showed me pictures of buildings like the practice facility that were purposely hidden with clock towers, raised corners with statuary, metal roofing stamped to look like clay-tiles, glass of all kinds, the choices go on forever. He responded to my question about cost by saying, "there is a hidden cost to ugly buildings.......when they are going to be filled with livestock and situated on a farm that is one thing, but sitting a on a college campus (and as big as this
facility is), NIU will pay a heavy cost for not taking some Architectural license, and giving the façade a more pleasing appearance".
It may tempt some athletes, but it won't tempt students in general, especially those who have to look at it from those monstrosities built as dorms in the 60's.
Baker, if he stays, will right these wrongs, or he will be gone by his own volition.
Go Huskies -
'69 alum and going strong! 45 years of following Huskie football!

I think it's a matter of the amount of money we had to build the building. Ideally I think a lot of people would agree that it would look a lot nicer if the Yordon and Chessick center looked like one large building together, but I assume the cost of that was not in the budget.

I'd rather have the Chessick look the way it does to save money for stadium renovations, but that's just me.

(06-24-2014 01:24 PM)fathuskie Wrote:  Fatty's is getting a new parking lot that goes all the way back towards the tracks next to Culvers. It will be done before the football season.

Also we currently have use of the parking lot across the street from the new Culver's which was the old Pagliai's Pizza lot. Parking should not be an issue at all.

great to hear!

(06-24-2014 01:30 PM)Boneyard_Hype Wrote:  I think it's a matter of the amount of money we had to build the building. Ideally I think a lot of people would agree that it would look a lot nicer if the Yordon and Chessick center looked like one large building together, but I assume the cost of that was not in the budget.

I'd rather have the Chessick look the way it does to save money for stadium renovations, but that's just me.

+1

The entry way looks a ton better than they did originally. Compher even said that they were trying to do more things to improve the overall appearance but money was the limiting factor.

(06-24-2014 02:54 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(06-24-2014 01:30 PM)Boneyard_Hype Wrote:  I think it's a matter of the amount of money we had to build the building. Ideally I think a lot of people would agree that it would look a lot nicer if the Yordon and Chessick center looked like one large building together, but I assume the cost of that was not in the budget.

I'd rather have the Chessick look the way it does to save money for stadium renovations, but that's just me.

+1

The entry way looks a ton better than they did originally. Compher even said that they were trying to do more things to improve the overall appearance but money was the limiting factor.

Luxury seating is the obvious priority, but I'd really like to see them con net and update the entire outside entry way on the West side. However, this talk is for another thread.

Jiff probably got the aesthetic inspiration from all the time spent at the Kibbie Dome

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

If you want to take a shot a recent building, the convo is a much better target. Poorly designed on the interior (lighting and track that was not built to standard) and exterior (ugly) and location was not well thought out. At least they added the practice court to make it a more usable building.