Wisconsin Field House
UW Field House | |
Metro Transit | |
Owner | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
---|---|
Operator | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
Capacity |
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Construction | |
Broke ground | September 26, 1929 |
Opened | December 13, 1930 |
Construction cost | $434,000 |
Architect | Arthur Peabody, Paul Cret, William Christenson |
Tenants | |
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University of Wisconsin Field House | |
Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
NRHP reference No. | 98000829[1] |
Added to NRHP | July 1, 1998 |
The Wisconsin Field House (commonly known as the UW Field House) is a multi-purpose arena owned by the University of Wisconsin–Madison and located directly south of Camp Randall Stadium. In addition to sports events, the Field House has been the site of large community gatherings such as convocations and concerts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.[1][2]
History
The UW began supporting team sporting events in the 1800s. In 1892 the university completed the
In 1925 the UW regents began discussing a larger space. With pushing from athletic director
The new Field House opened in 1930, with 9000 attending a dedication and a basketball game against Pennsylvania. It housed a successful college boxing program from 1933 until 1960. It hosted the
When the Field House opened in 1929, a single level of seating provided a capacity of 8,000. A balcony added in 1939 brought the capacity to 12,000. Later renovations reduced capacity to 10,600 for basketball.[4] After the men's and women's basketball teams moved to the Kohl Center in 1998, the balcony was closed due to concerns over code violations, giving a reduced capacity of 6,012. Recent sellouts for women's volleyball matches prompted plans for renovating and reopening several sideline sections of the balcony, allowing a capacity of 7,052 for women's volleyball.[5][6] A project to refurbish the exterior facade, replace windows, and create a pedestrian plaza between the Field House and Regent Street began in April 2020[7] and was substantially complete by the fall of 2020.[8]
The "W" crest at the top of the Field House, whose actual designer is unknown, is frequently employed as the emblem of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Trivia
The Field House hosted Milwaukee Bucks home playoff games in 1970, 1971 and 1973, along with a variety of Wisconsin high school sports events.
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Holly Smith-Middleton (1997-06-30). "NRHP Nomination: University of Wisconsin Field House". National Park Service. Retrieved February 15, 2017. with eight photos
- ^ "University of Wisconsin Field House". Wisconsin Historical Society. January 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ^ "Facilities – UW Field House". uwbadgers.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Dennis Punzel (December 13, 2017). "Badgers volleyball: Demand for more seats spurs UW to open Field House balcony next season". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ "Badgers open upper deck for volleyball". University of Wisconsin. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ Potrykus, Jeff (February 12, 2020). "Construction work on projects at the Kohl Center, Camp Randall Stadium and the UW Field House will begin soon". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
- ^ Milewski, Todd D. (September 26, 2020). "Finish in sight for new Badgers pool construction, Field House exterior renovation". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
Further reading
- "Field House" in Jim Feldman, The Buildings of the University of Wisconsin. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Archives, 1997, pp. 213–216.
External links
Media related to Wisconsin Field House at Wikimedia Commons
- The Fieldhouse on UWBadgers.com
- Modern appreciation from Wisconsin Builder