Doyle project almost finished; scheduled to open this fall

After $8.3 million and a year of construction, the Doyle project, a multi-phase project to connect Kreitzberg Arena with Andrews Hall that includes a new locker room for the women's hockey team, is scheduled to be completed and open to the public for sporting events this fall, according to Facilities Operations.  

"When (students) see the nature of this building and how it all works, that will make an impression on them" said Tony Mariano, the director of athletics. "Now we have the beginnings of an athletic complex."

The Doyle Project was started in the spring of 2009, as part of the 2003 Capital Campaign, according to David Whaley, vice president of development and alumni relations.

The project included the "new construction in the gap and filling in the space between Kreitzberg Arena and Andrews Hall and the renovations of the locker rooms and some of the classrooms," Whaley said.

The cross country team's locker rooms as well as both rugby locker rooms were renovated. "(These teams) never really had locker room space in this building," Mariano said. Both rugby teams had previously called Plumley Armory home, but like the women's hockey team, will have locker rooms to call their own this fall.

Women's hockey also did not have its own facility and used a visiting locker room in the arena, according to Mariano. With the season starting soon, the hockey team will have a new, state-of-the-art locker room to call home.

Mark Bolding, head coach of women's varsity hockey team, said that "everyone knows we have a great arena, one of the best in the country for Division III, so to get a new locker room is fitting with the rink we have."

And with women hockey's success in recent years, Bolding also said that now the team has a locker room that it is "fitting for them to have such a nice, first-class space."

The new locker room is furnished with maple lockers and stainless steel hooks for equipment, "styled after most NHL lockers," Bolding said. A flat-screen television was also included in the locker room for the team to be able to watch video.

There are new restrooms, concessions stands and offices for athletic coaches and staff, all of which are housed in the new lobby of the athletic complex.

Aspirations are high for the athletic program now, with the building and renovation of the athletic complex, according to Mariano. The athletic department hopes that the renovations to the athletic complex and state-of-the-art locker rooms help with recruiting and attracting both student athletes and visitors.

"I think this addition is going to be a tremendous thing for Norwich athletics, a tremendous thing for Norwich University and our future student athletes, and future students." Mariano said.  

A third phase of renovation and construction in the Doyle and Andrews athletic complex is in the works but, according to David Magida, head of Facilities Operations, there is no timeline on when that will be completed.

The third phase will include a "brand-new fitness room that will overlook the campus, all glassed in, and a new wrestling room," Mariano said. "If phase three ever comes to fruition it will really finalize (the athletic complex)."

These plans are conditional  upon when the next capital campaign is finalized, according to Whaley.

The Bicentennial Campaign, "will go from about 2012 to about 2019," Whaley said. "Probably phase three will be under that campaign."