I haven't been following since last Summer when I told a couple of swimmers that the new pool was going to be started last September.

My neighbor, as his last job before retiring, was massaging his companies's bid for the plumbing contract. He said the plans his company bid on were very poorly conceived. The plumbing work a shown was much more expensive, and much harder to maintain, than they should have been. The University was taking his input on improvements.

Two weeks later, after he retired, he told me he didn't think his company would get the bid, and now, nothing.

Anybody have a more complete story?

Bobodeluxe;842320451 said:

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I haven't been following since last Summer when I told a couple of swimmers that the new pool was going to be started last September.

My neighbor, as his last job before retiring, was massaging his companies's bid for the plumbing contract. He said the plans his company bid on were very poorly conceived. The plumbing work a shown was much more expensive, and much harder to maintain, than they should have been. The University was taking his input on improvements.

Two weeks later, after he retired, he told me he didn't think his company would get the bid, and now, nothing.

Anybody have a more complete story?

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Last I read it was approved by the regents and would be breaking sometime this spring. So probably something internal rather than forces against it.

socaliganbear;842320479 said:

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Last I read it was approved by the regents and would be breaking sometime this spring. So probably something internal rather than forces against it.

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I also doubt there were serious forces against it, but something did happen. There was a sign posted on the parking lot/site that construction was beginning nine months ago, in agreement with my neighbor's impressions.

If more money is needed, I haven't been asked.

Last I heard the holdup was related to the tax status of the Cal Aquatics fundraising group. For some reason they're having problems being given non-profit status.

http://www.cp.berkeley.edu/Unifer/UnifierProjectsExecutiveReport.htm

If this is kept current, there is no date yet for start construction

BearDevil is correct. They are waiting on 501C3 status. The donors are going to build the facility and then Gift it to the University. This has been done with a couple of new buildings on campus already. Ned Spieker will head the project. Doing it this way leads to a lot less bureaucratic BS and will allow the project to be completed faster.
Until they get the 501C3 status they cannot take of the already promised monies.

If they're having trouble getting their Non-profit status, then it means one of two things...

1. Someone involved is a tea-party member

2. Their application was on Lois Lerner's Hard Drive.

:p

They just received non profit status within the last two weeks. Now they can actively collect the monies that have been promised. The project is schedule to start in January 2015. There is also talk about expanding the project to include another pool and stands, (plenty of room to do it) and to use the pool for competitions and not just as a training pool with limited seating as was originally intended.

Great news water bear! I say we go big too! I want to be on a level with USC's beautiful new swim stadium.

:cheer

http://swimswam.com/photo-vault-la-invite-part-two/

The Spieker Family is a major swim benefactor at multiple Pac-12 schools. Cal and UCLA complexes are named for the family and photos above show they donated to the new 'SC complex too. Patriarch went to LSJU, most of the kids went to Cal, and the pastel sheep swam for UCLA.

Sounds like the new complex will be ready for the 2016 men's water polo season. The current recruiting classes will spend their first year at the old pool. If the Tang site becomes has two pools and capacity as an arena, what happens to Spieker? Do they use it for rec swimming, an additional practice pool, or build a basketball/volleyball facility on the site?

If they're expanding the scope of this project, it probably means the proposed (and student voter approved) new rec center is not happening next to the tang lot. Ideally they can build a complex which will allow them to open up the old pool completely for students and the community. As it is, our existing rec facilities for students are subpar compared to our peers.

I hope the additional fundraising needed doesn't slow down the project.

As I understand it, altho the student referendum passed last spring, it has been declared invalid....missing some approvals of some type or other??
Campus behind the scenes issues?
Grumble!

So the item is supposed to be put on the student ballot spring of 2015, as a wellness focused item...the facility will include some interesting inclusive items apparently.

That building on the SE corner of Fulton X Bancroft is going away? or being remodeled? or? I haven't seen much info at all about this whole area.

Ignoring the need for an additional gym for bball, vb etc. for an even grander swim/diving facility? I am not in favor of that.

The more time fiddling around with possibly more grandiose plans means a delay of another year in the overall construction....new plans, new approvals, more fundraising?...altho I think the $$ are the least of the concerns....
With space at such a premium around here,

Art museum site on Bancroft will be available late '15, anyone know what is planned to go there?

Various chatter over the past years has a new bb/vb building in the Haas coaches parking lot area.
Parking underground. hmmmm.

oskigobears;842335447 said:

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As I understand it, altho the student referendum passed last spring, it has been declared invalid....missing some approvals of some type or other??
Campus behind the scenes issues?
Grumble!

So the item is supposed to be put on the student ballot spring of 2015, as a wellness focused item...the facility will include some interesting inclusive items apparently.

That building on the SE corner of Fulton X Bancroft is going away? or being remodeled? or? I haven't seen much info at all about this whole area.

Ignoring the need for an additional gym for bball, vb etc. for an even grander swim/diving facility? I am not in favor of that.

The more time fiddling around with possibly more grandiose plans means a delay of another year in the overall construction....new plans, new approvals, more fundraising?...altho I think the $$ are the least of the concerns....
With space at such a premium around here,

Art museum site on Bancroft will be available late '15, anyone know what is planned to go there?

Various chatter over the past years has a new bb/vb building in the Haas coaches parking lot area.
Parking underground. hmmmm.

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Yeah, there was was infighting between the then president and others in ASUC which brought about the Wellness referendum debacle.

Anyway, I did not mean that we would build a larger swim complex instead of the wellness center or other facilities. I strongly believe that if the new wellness center is not built, it will be because the students/or ASUC decided against it.

As for the old BAM, I believe they are looking into whether the existing structure can be salvaged without pouring millions into seismic reworking, or simply tearing it down. Additionally, the old Pacific Film Archive space next to Heart Gym will open up.

Even outside of the Tang lot and adjacent buildings, there is space to expand the rec facilities. Whether they expand Hearst Gym and build up on the tennis courts, or finally sac up and tear down the east side bleachers at Edwards which are unused and take up an incredible amount of incredibly valuable space. It can be done.

Here are some plans for potential facility space: http://elsarch.com/portfolio/cal-indoor-training-center-master-plan/

BearDevil;842335394 said:

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http://swimswam.com/photo-vault-la-invite-part-two/

The Spieker Family is a major swim benefactor at multiple Pac-12 schools. Cal and UCLA complexes are named for the family and photos above show they donated to the new 'SC complex too. Patriarch went to LSJU, most of the kids went to Cal, and the pastel sheep swam for UCLA.

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I don't know of the furd connection to the Spieker family; as said before most went to Cal, some to Ucla. Ned and, I believe, his wife went to Cal: Tod Spieker went to Ucla but I believe married a Blackaller who went to Cal. The late Tom Blackaller of America's Cup fame was a Cal grad and married a Morse, of the Clinton "Brick" Morse family who wrote most of the Cal fight songs. Tom Blackaller had a daughter who went to Cal for a semester and tranfered to furd. So, the Spieker family is tied to Cal very deeply. Ucla Tod Spieker has kid(s) who went to Cal.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sfgate/obituary.aspx?n=warren-edward-spieker&pid=137187490

Ned's dad went to LSJU, but his grandfather went to Cal. Get the Cal, UCLA, and LSJU connections, but I don't know the 'SC connection.

BearDevil;842335496 said:

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http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sfgate/obituary.aspx?n=warren-edward-spieker&pid=137187490

Ned's dad went to LSJU, but his grandfather went to Cal. Get the Cal, UCLA, and LSJU connections, but I don't know the 'SC connection.

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Interesting that Ned's dad went to furd, but was a "lifelong Cal fan."
Gotta love that!

hey guys thanks for the updates!