Shapiro Field House to reopen in January

Renovations to Shapiro Field House, a heavily used facility on the Norwich University campus, began on Oct. 6 and are expected to be completed Jan 18^.

Built in 1998, Shapiro has needed new flooring for several years.

However, due to insufficient funding, renovations were unable to start until recently, according to Director of Facilities Operations and Conference Services, Bizhan Yahyazadeh.

Other things in the field house need to be repaired and updated.

"The walls and ceiling are in really bad shape due to softballs and baseballs hitting the walls and making holes in the installation. We are adding insulation which is also going to be covered with some polyester material that is more durable so it will be harder to tear," said Yahyazadeh.

The school now has the funding to complete the project.

"This year's budget allowed us to renovate, so we are replacing the floor, the wall insulation, and the ceiling," said Yahyazadeh.

The flooring is going to be done by the outside contractor Mondo, Inc., because Norwich Facility Operations does not have the equipment or the experience needed to get the job done.

Mondo, an Italian company with plants around the world, has been manufacturing rubber athletic surfaces for over 40 years.

"Two types of Mondo flooring are being installed at the Shapiro Field house at Norwich University. One, a multipurpose floor (Sportflex M), suitable for tennis, basketball, indoor baseball, etc., and two: a track surface (FTX), which was the official track surface at the Beijing Olympics," said J. Robert Belkner Jr., a Mondo representative.

The operation will involve the removal of the existing urethane floor and the furnishing and installation of the new Mondo surface and wall base along with painted game-markings.

Also, since there is a moisture problem with the concrete substrate, the company is applying a vapor barrier to the substrate.

"It is the latest and the best flooring system that the market has to offer," said Yahyazadeh.

An outside contractor is doing the ceiling and insulation as well.

Norwich facilities is painting, renovating and updating the bathrooms, which will include replacing the fixtures, the ceiling and the countertops.

During the renovations, all ROTC and Corps of Cadets physical training (PT) have been re-located or held outside.

"The only thing (that) the closing of Shapiro really affects is the location of where PT is and when the weather gets cold," said an instructor of the Military Science Department, Master Sgt. Kenneth Butcher.

The weather is primary dictator as to where PT can be held.

"If it starts snowing between now and January, which is when they anticipate Shapiro being opened again, then the Army department will have to find an alternate location," Butcher said.

The Navy and Marine Corps cadets use Plumley Armory, and while the Army Department does have Andrews, use of it has to be coordinated with the Air Force Department.

"With the number of cadets we have in the Army Department alone it's tough," said Butcher. 

For the most part the Army department will be outside for PT.

"The MSI's will be in the National Guard Armory. As far as the MSII, MSIII, and most of the MSIV class, they should expect to be outside, even if it's snowing," said Butcher.

There is no set temperature as to how cold it has to be before moving inside for PT.

"There is actually no regulation stating what temperature we can't train in. It can be 30 below and we can still have PT outside," Butcher said. "However, (using) common sense we will tell you that if it's that cold we might not want to be outside."

"October was the best time to do the renovations. It is about a total of 14 weeks for the entire renovation process to be completed, and the university has committed contracted agreements for events that the field house has to be ready for," said Yahyazadeh. "We are really excited; it's going to look brand new."