Mac Court Makes List Of Potential Sites For New University Building
The University of Oregon is looking for space for a new Classroom Building and another landmark Sports Arena may be in the way of progress.
Earlier this summer fans of Oregon Track and Field watched as Historic Hayward Field was leveled to nothing but the track as Construction will soon begin on a new Stadium set to host the best of the United States in the 2020 Olympic Trials and the World in 2021. In the meantime, the Oregon Track and Field team will have mostly an away schedule this season.
On Monday, it was announced that the University of Oregon is looking for space for a new 60,000 Square Foot Building to house faculty for the Environmental Studies program among others along with having a new 750 Auditorium style lecture hall for a growing Student Body. Several buildings of historic significance are on the list of spots for the new building including 91-year old Mac Court.
According to the Register-Guard, all five potential spots could create controversy. The list also includes the land where the Collier Building sits on campus. It is the oldest building at the University of Oregon and is an Official City of Eugene Landmark. The buiding dates back to 1886, but as we learned with Hayward Field, there is apparently no price tag too rich when it comes to ‘out with the old, in with the new.’
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Since the opening of Matthew Knight Arena, Mac Cout has not been vacant. It has been used for a few Sports Events, but mainly as an overflow for both staff and students during other renovations. The setup is more of a study hall type of atmosphere in recent years as students continue to find a unique ‘quiet’ space to focus.
Mac Court, nicknamed ‘The Pit’ was one of the loudest arenas in the country before it closed to progress. Oregon Basketball saw many upsets there over the years. I saw Oregon take out Georgetown in the NIT during the 2004 season, my first in Eugene. It was loud. Matthew Knight Arena may be more spacious, but I don’t think it compares to the noise level that was Mac Court.
The University is holding a public meeting on Tuesday night to have a discussion about the best place for the new building, but regardless of the decision when it is made, it will bring about more conversation about the best way to handle the circumstance.