The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(05-03-2016 02:20 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  

(05-03-2016 01:58 PM)FTW ODU Wrote:  Why are we trying to reinvent the wheel when China already has a working MAGLEV system? I never understood this.

ODU's system is a Smart Train / Dumb Track set up. The longterm costs of a different set up would be much less then a Dumb Train / Smart Track set up.

On a large scale, the cost savings would be huge, allowing for it to me more competitive with other transportation systems.

Imagine how expensive it would be to ship cargo via rail, was vastly more expensive and complicated than just two metal beams secured into place. A majority of the technology improvements in train systems have been on the engine with outliving to replace existing railways.

Now switch this to a maglev system. Once the maglev rail is laid down, it would be faster/cheaper to improve a train over tens, hundreds, or thousands of miles of maglev rail.


I interned at 3M years ago and we were trying to make a better type of fiberoptic cable that result in less loss of light/data. On a small scale it wasn't all the impressive, but being able to run these cable systems on the ocean floor for thousands of miles with less signal booster systems was a huge deal.

The system that ODU has installed was full of some very complex engineering over sites. I don't think a working system existed before ODU purchased it. (Bad move on the administration at the time)
Sure it's an eye sore, but IF ODU can figure it out it might change how people travel within the US. Even if a system doesn't get put in here, there are other nations that would probably install them. I'm sure ODU could get a nice chunk of change out of licensing the tech on just 1 instillation.

Granted there are other competing technologies that are on the horizon now that might make a Maglev system obsolete. (Hyper loop, automated cars/busses)

human teleportation

(05-03-2016 02:43 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  

(05-03-2016 02:20 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  

(05-03-2016 01:58 PM)FTW ODU Wrote:  Why are we trying to reinvent the wheel when China already has a working MAGLEV system? I never understood this.

ODU's system is a Smart Train / Dumb Track set up. The longterm costs of a different set up would be much less then a Dumb Train / Smart Track set up.

On a large scale, the cost savings would be huge, allowing for it to me more competitive with other transportation systems.

Imagine how expensive it would be to ship cargo via rail, was vastly more expensive and complicated than just two metal beams secured into place. A majority of the technology improvements in train systems have been on the engine with outliving to replace existing railways.

Now switch this to a maglev system. Once the maglev rail is laid down, it would be faster/cheaper to improve a train over tens, hundreds, or thousands of miles of maglev rail.


I interned at 3M years ago and we were trying to make a better type of fiberoptic cable that result in less loss of light/data. On a small scale it wasn't all the impressive, but being able to run these cable systems on the ocean floor for thousands of miles with less signal booster systems was a huge deal.

The system that ODU has installed was full of some very complex engineering over sites. I don't think a working system existed before ODU purchased it. (Bad move on the administration at the time)
Sure it's an eye sore, but IF ODU can figure it out it might change how people travel within the US. Even if a system doesn't get put in here, there are other nations that would probably install them. I'm sure ODU could get a nice chunk of change out of licensing the tech on just 1 instillation.

Granted there are other competing technologies that are on the horizon now that might make a Maglev system obsolete. (Hyper loop, automated cars/busses)

human teleportation

Beam me up, Scotty!

I will say I like how it says the name of our University on the section of track that goes over Hampton Blvd. I don't think it is an eyesore, I actually thought it looked pretty neat, but the fact that we all knew nothing was going to run made it kind of obsolete. I got excited when I saw them working a few years back on the West end, only to find out they abandoned the project again. If we made it run one day, it would be huge for the University. But now the nickname "The most expensive umbrella in the world" will stay! haha

(05-04-2016 04:33 AM)MonGNARch Wrote:  I will say I like how it says the name of our University on the section of track that goes over Hampton Blvd. I don't think it is an eyesore, I actually thought it looked pretty neat, but the fact that we all knew nothing was going to run made it kind of obsolete. I got excited when I saw them working a few years back on the West end, only to find out they abandoned the project again. If we made it run one day, it would be huge for the University. But now the nickname "The most expensive umbrella in the world" will stay! haha

It's not that effective as an umbrella.

(05-04-2016 07:08 AM)GhentFan Wrote:  

(05-04-2016 04:33 AM)MonGNARch Wrote:  I will say I like how it says the name of our University on the section of track that goes over Hampton Blvd. I don't think it is an eyesore, I actually thought it looked pretty neat, but the fact that we all knew nothing was going to run made it kind of obsolete. I got excited when I saw them working a few years back on the West end, only to find out they abandoned the project again. If we made it run one day, it would be huge for the University. But now the nickname "The most expensive umbrella in the world" will stay! haha

It's not that effective as an umbrella.

Yeah, I prefer calling it the most expensive banner in the world

(05-04-2016 07:08 AM)GhentFan Wrote:  

(05-04-2016 04:33 AM)MonGNARch Wrote:  I will say I like how it says the name of our University on the section of track that goes over Hampton Blvd. I don't think it is an eyesore, I actually thought it looked pretty neat, but the fact that we all knew nothing was going to run made it kind of obsolete. I got excited when I saw them working a few years back on the West end, only to find out they abandoned the project again. If we made it run one day, it would be huge for the University. But now the nickname "The most expensive umbrella in the world" will stay! haha

It's not that effective as an umbrella.

That's the point of the name lol

Did a tour of the campus earlier today on my bike to take a look at all the construction going on.

Mitchum Basketball Performance Center
Coming together nicely. SW side of the building is starting to get it's first layer of wall up to enclose the building.

L.R. Hill Sports Complex Expansion
Looks about 2-3 months or so behind the Basketball center as to how much has gone up. Long way to go still.

New Residential Dining Hall
Saw pallets of windows waiting to be installed. Wooden doors are still in place to enter the building. Didn't get a good look inside to see how far they are.

New Education Building
Seems very close to being done. Maybe a month or two more of interior work I guess.
I had heard that they want to move the old education building into the new one before the school year starts, so they can start the process to empty the Webb Center into the old Education building. No idea if that's true though.

Courage Millers Partners Obstacle Course
Way behind schedule unless the end date was pushed from April.

Whats next? With two buildings wrapping up soon I'm sure they will want to break ground on the next set of buildings soon.

Again, I had read that a Science building is next to go up.
Not sure if that means a Health Science building or a new Science building. If it is the Health Science building, moving the Webb into the Education building was not correct.

The new Webb (What ever form that takes) has to wait for other buildings to be designed if they can move forward on dong anything other than research on it if I recall.

There was a ceremony to name one of the new dorms on campus. That could be in the next wave as well.

Anyone have any info?

Thanks for the update Ghent!

I think you're correct with which dorm is going up next. I think the new student union can be designed before/concurrently with the health sciences and new science building since it won't intrude on their footprints.

The health sciences building does have to be designed before the new performance hall can be constructed, since the current health sciences are on that footprint. The new science building has to be designed and constructed before the new chemistry/planetarium building can go up.

Master plan video talking about the science building.

https://youtu.be/1u6OwkEtQak?t=1032
I thought Chemistry and the planetarium are being relocated into the Science Phase 1 building?


I should really stop looking at this stuff. I could probably get a PhD from ODU before the next round of buildings are completed, never mind this plan.

Yes. I guess the more accurate terminology would be "the building that will be on the current footprint of the chemistry and planetarium buildings".

Also, you ever go to UrbanPlanet.org? It's got this kinda stuff but for cities. I'm super into master plans too and this site seemed to fulfill that for a while.

Hampton Roads board: https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/forum...ton-roads/

Norfolk board: https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/forum/226-norfolk/

(06-05-2016 09:39 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  Did a tour of the campus earlier today on my bike to take a look at all the construction going on.

Mitchum Basketball Performance Center
Coming together nicely. SW side of the building is starting to get it's first layer of wall up to enclose the building.

L.R. Hill Sports Complex Expansion
Looks about 2-3 months or so behind the Basketball center as to how much has gone up. Long way to go still.

New Residential Dining Hall
Saw pallets of windows waiting to be installed. Wooden doors are still in place to enter the building. Didn't get a good look inside to see how far they are.

New Education Building
Seems very close to being done. Maybe a month or two more of interior work I guess.
I had heard that they want to move the old education building into the new one before the school year starts, so they can start the process to empty the Webb Center into the old Education building. No idea if that's true though.

Courage Millers Partners Obstacle Course
Way behind schedule unless the end date was pushed from April.

Whats next? With two buildings wrapping up soon I'm sure they will want to break ground on the next set of buildings soon.

Again, I had read that a Science building is next to go up.
Not sure if that means a Health Science building or a new Science building. If it is the Health Science building, moving the Webb into the Education building was not correct.

The new Webb (What ever form that takes) has to wait for other buildings to be designed if they can move forward on dong anything other than research on it if I recall.

There was a ceremony to name one of the new dorms on campus. That could be in the next wave as well.

Anyone have any info?

Thanks GhentFan for posting this update. I'm a little further than a bike ride away from campus, and the university doesn't always post up-to-date info on construction progress. I wish ODU would do a better job of this, because alumni who haven't been to campus in a while don't know just how much the campus has changed, and they could really generate a lot of excitement by showing off how much has been built. Google maps with street view gives me a better picture of the campus that anything ODU posts.

(06-06-2016 01:07 PM)Sidewinder Wrote:  

(06-05-2016 09:39 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  Did a tour of the campus earlier today on my bike to take a look at all the construction going on.

Mitchum Basketball Performance Center
Coming together nicely. SW side of the building is starting to get it's first layer of wall up to enclose the building.

L.R. Hill Sports Complex Expansion
Looks about 2-3 months or so behind the Basketball center as to how much has gone up. Long way to go still.

New Residential Dining Hall
Saw pallets of windows waiting to be installed. Wooden doors are still in place to enter the building. Didn't get a good look inside to see how far they are.

New Education Building
Seems very close to being done. Maybe a month or two more of interior work I guess.
I had heard that they want to move the old education building into the new one before the school year starts, so they can start the process to empty the Webb Center into the old Education building. No idea if that's true though.

Courage Millers Partners Obstacle Course
Way behind schedule unless the end date was pushed from April.

Whats next? With two buildings wrapping up soon I'm sure they will want to break ground on the next set of buildings soon.

Again, I had read that a Science building is next to go up.
Not sure if that means a Health Science building or a new Science building. If it is the Health Science building, moving the Webb into the Education building was not correct.

The new Webb (What ever form that takes) has to wait for other buildings to be designed if they can move forward on dong anything other than research on it if I recall.

There was a ceremony to name one of the new dorms on campus. That could be in the next wave as well.

Anyone have any info?

Thanks GhentFan for posting this update. I'm a little further than a bike ride away from campus, and the university doesn't always post up-to-date info on construction progress. I wish ODU would do a better job of this, because alumni who haven't been to campus in a while don't know just how much the campus has changed, and they could really generate a lot of excitement by showing off how much has been built. Google maps with street view gives me a better picture of the campus that anything ODU posts.

Do you follow ODU's facebook/twitter? They have a "facility Friday" thing where they show off upgraded facilities. Right now it's mostly been the football/basketball improvements.

(06-06-2016 01:07 PM)Sidewinder Wrote:  

(06-05-2016 09:39 PM)GhentFan Wrote:  Did a tour of the campus earlier today on my bike to take a look at all the construction going on.

Mitchum Basketball Performance Center
Coming together nicely. SW side of the building is starting to get it's first layer of wall up to enclose the building.

L.R. Hill Sports Complex Expansion
Looks about 2-3 months or so behind the Basketball center as to how much has gone up. Long way to go still.

New Residential Dining Hall
Saw pallets of windows waiting to be installed. Wooden doors are still in place to enter the building. Didn't get a good look inside to see how far they are.

New Education Building
Seems very close to being done. Maybe a month or two more of interior work I guess.
I had heard that they want to move the old education building into the new one before the school year starts, so they can start the process to empty the Webb Center into the old Education building. No idea if that's true though.

Courage Millers Partners Obstacle Course
Way behind schedule unless the end date was pushed from April.

Whats next? With two buildings wrapping up soon I'm sure they will want to break ground on the next set of buildings soon.

Again, I had read that a Science building is next to go up.
Not sure if that means a Health Science building or a new Science building. If it is the Health Science building, moving the Webb into the Education building was not correct.

The new Webb (What ever form that takes) has to wait for other buildings to be designed if they can move forward on dong anything other than research on it if I recall.

There was a ceremony to name one of the new dorms on campus. That could be in the next wave as well.

Anyone have any info?

Thanks GhentFan for posting this update. I'm a little further than a bike ride away from campus, and the university doesn't always post up-to-date info on construction progress. I wish ODU would do a better job of this, because alumni who haven't been to campus in a while don't know just how much the campus has changed, and they could really generate a lot of excitement by showing off how much has been built. Google maps with street view gives me a better picture of the campus that anything ODU posts.

ODU does a terrible job at this, there are projects on their website that have been done for years but they show up as not completed because no one updates the website

SB Ballard has had a real time video of the Education Building since the beginning.
I figured there were some people that didn't know the status of what's going on with the construction.
Expect that the Education building and the food court will be done for Fall 16.
Was hoping that somebody would have news as to what the next set of buildings are.

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/educat...dd4bd.html

Barry family gives the biggest donation in ODU history! New art museum will be built in 2017-2018.

wow, thats an awesome gift

(06-08-2016 12:14 AM)nakas12 Wrote:  http://pilotonline.com/news/local/educat...dd4bd.html

Barry family gives the biggest donation in ODU history! New art museum will be built in 2017-2018.

Wow, that's fantastic!

Now... where are all the rich ODU sports fans?

(06-08-2016 12:14 AM)nakas12 Wrote:  http://pilotonline.com/news/local/educat...dd4bd.html

Barry family gives the biggest donation in ODU history! New art museum will be built in 2017-2018.

Cool!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

That is amazing and great news for ODU. Norfolk is slowly but surely becoming an arts destination. This will also enhance the look of ODU as you come down Hampton Blvd. since it will be located right across from the TED.

Excellent!

Very glad to have this amazing donation from the Barry family. One question I have is it seems that it's going to be built where the new administration building was going to be built. This is the one that was going to replace Koch and would house student services along with admin space. I wonder where that's going to go now. Unfortunately we don't really have that much space to be moving buildings around willy nilly.

I also wonder why they didn't put it with the rest of the arts district at ODU. It would've fit perfectly next to the Goode theatre, the new arts building and what will eventually be the new performance hall for Music and Fine Arts majors. It also would've been across from the 2 ponds/fountains so that would've been a nice view. Right now it looks like this amazing museum is going to wedged between a McDonalds, a parking garage, a basketball stadium and a fire station. It also looks to be a fairly small building on a larger tract of land. Maybe they'll wedge a taller but thinner admin building between it and the parking garage? I hope that this museum is a good land use for that area.

Looking at the Master Plan, the administration and student services together would have provided around 90,000 square feet of space, while this art museum will only provide 24,000 square feet of space. This would be fine if they just built 2 buildings in that space but from the pictures it looks like it takes up the whole plot of land. I wonder how that affects the replacement of the Koch building, and how that in turn affects the construction of our stadium if we build the new one at Foreman. If we can't get Koch replaced, can we get Foreman Field expanded?

As I said, very happy for the amazing gift, but the placement on our land-strapped campus confuses me.