Apprently, tons of people are pissed about it. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=261860182913&ref=nf

What do you guys think? Burn it to the ground? Renovate it?

[spoiler]Who cares they'll just do it anyway like the name change?[/spoiler]

So do I have to be part of the alumni association to get free food and shit? Though I suppose that means I would have to go back to rolla to get it. Pass.

That building is old, decrepit, inefficient, and overall just gross. Tearing down that eye-sore would do this town a favor.

inb4 ben laden tells us why we should save it

lolol



1) It is old
2) It's not as decrepit as you think.
3) It is probably very inefficient.
4) It's pretty gross.
Most importantly though:
5) While it's aesthetic appeal is certainly debatable now, it easily has the potential to be the most visually appealing thing in Rolla.

The Facebook group is mostly to get the word out that this is what the Alumni Association plans to do with it.
Veo, not that the name change movement was a University powered push. The plans for the Uptown and Smith and Turley building are simply handled through the Alumni Association and thus we essentially aren't fighting the whole University.

Back to Shadowcat, why is something being old a bad thing? Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world are ancient. Something being old doesn't automatically make it a bad thing, just as something being new doesn't automatically make it a good thing. Do you seriously prefer the look of the Havener Center? It's a sterile , bland monstrosity, whereas the Uptown has a distinct architectural style and art deco art style.

That brings me to #5. With not much work, the Uptown could be renovated while maintaining it's art deco inspired style and easily become the coolest looking building in town.
Then what we're left with is the gross, decrepit, inefficient part. Again, renovation. Renovating that building would almost certainly cost less and take less time than razing the Uptown and building a whole new structure. The Uptown could be completely cleaned out and all it's systems could be brought up to code (electrical, HVAC, water, etc--basically anything needing dire repair).
This building could once again look like a genuine theater. Don't think that the grossness is permanent.

So taking the aesthetic appeal out of the equation, what about practical reasons to keep it?

Well, for one, there will be a concert venue in Rolla. The Uptown has always been a versatile, useful venue for musical events. Second, don't you think that alumni will want to congregate in a center that they have so many good memories of rather than a boring, sterile building a la the Havener Center?

I'm sure there are more reasons I can think of, but I'm tired of typing.

I'm new here. I don't have a particular opinion on the the Uptown. It was nice for Freaker's Ball. That's all I've been to there. But it is in bad shape, and events like Freaker's Ball aren't often?

Money & renovation: I come from a family that renovates (see me establish that I have some authority in this area), and according to what I've been told it's usually (9 out of 10 times) cheaper and easier to tear down and build new. One reason is that you can sell the building materials from the old building (bricks can be sold for good money, and the new building probably wouldn't be brick - see Havener). Another, tearing out parts of walls, without destroying the whole wall, is harder than just destroying the wall. Third, related to the first, the new materials aren't that expensive. I doubt the Alumni Assoc has enough money to make a nice building, or will hire the guys who will make a nice building. It's also easier for most construction companies to start from scratch because that's what they do most of the time. They aren't used to renovation.

On the other hand, coming from a family that renovates, I'm all for renovation. And I like brick. I like the look of the building. But if it's not going to be used when its in good shape, it doesn't make sense to keep it the way it is. How many times in the last year has there been an event that it would have been suitable for? Just Freaker's Ball as I know... How often was it used, aside from the bar aspect, when it was in good shape? And how much would the Alumni Assoc use it?

From what I've heard, alumni would have more of a connection with the building than current students anyway. Strange for the Alumni Assoc to destroy something that the alumni might well hold dear.

The uptown has changed hand very frequently the past few years, making it hard to book.

I think that everyone can agree that there are positives and negatives about the Uptown. Like the losl said, it would be nice if they had stable ownership the past few years. As it is, I would rather something be done rather than have a building just sitting there empty. There are too many empty store fronts on Pine street...

I personally would vote for renovating it. I mean, it's a pretty cool building and it would be a shame to tear it down imo. I'm not sure what exactly could be done with it, but I would think making it into a club of some sort would be cool. Maybe not for the college students. We have the frat houses and bars and shit. I'm talking about one of those underage hotspots that high school kids can go to. So far as I know, there aren't any big hangout spots for teens (besides out in front of maid-rite). It may sound lame, but the up-town is a part of Rolla and thus should be utilized by Rolla. I have no doubt that the university does stuff for the community (and I know someone will post with a list of some sort) but I don't really hear much about any of that, and I think this may be a good oppurtunity for the university to do something for the teens of the area.

Call me crazy, but I think it could work.

Having a venue that is practical and can fit more than 1/10 of the student population would be wonderful. I've been in that place a few times before, and there is no way it is big enough for a practical student venue for concerts and the like, especially around St. Pats. Castleman's theatre has more room than that building. I'm for tearing it down and replacing it because it can be rebuilt to specifications closer to something more suitable for student events. And now that the Alumni association owns it, booking should be much easier.

Also, who the hell said it has to look like Havener? That would be an awful choice. When it is rebuilt, it can take on whatever design the owners want, and that could be a similar Art-Deco look, only modernized with current construction technologies. Use your imagination, think like a designer, and be practical.

Why does everyone think change is always bad? It isn't always good (i.e. University Identity Crises, Increased government control), but given the practicality of the situation, I think that the town of Rolla, and the university as a whole can only stand to gain from the destruction and start-from-scratch reconstruction of that building.

My wife wanted to buy that building, and turn it into a theater bar. As in, you go to the theater and get drinks and food while you watch old classic movies. I thought it sounded like a cool idea, but they weren't willing to sell it for the $87 we could come up with.

Bullshit. Renovations are long, expensive, and difficult. Especially if you have to gut the structure to take care of some latent code issues, or completely redo the HVAC and wiring. Maybe it would be feasible in a place where you could honestly get some property value return on your investment. I bet that Uptown has been bought and sold for less than 100,000.

In my seven years, that thing has only been an operating bar once. For about six months. In 03.

Knock it down, but don't put a gay ass Alumni Center there.

I think it would be cool if the current building was renovated, and became a cool hangout spot. Someplace a little cooler than the grotto or brunos - both of which are just fine as bars, especially the grotto for cheap alcohol and plenty of company. I've heard it USED to be a good bar, before it changed hands a couple of times.

I also understand, though, that it's just not feasible to renovate it economically, and right now it's an eyesore. Tearing it down and building a nice place for alumni to come back to is probably for the better. So yes - doing something with the old building would be cool, but be realistic. If you want to keep it around - are YOU going to pay for it? If it did get turned into a bar or danceclub (what my gf wants), you think it would make any money? There's honestly just no demand for it.

To clear up the numerous miconceptions:

NO ONE IS GOING TO BUY IT AND CLEAN IT UP/RENOVATE IT/WHATEVER.
It has ALREADY been sold to the Alumni Association so whatever happens (razing and rebuilding or renovating) will be on the Alumni Association's dime. So no, ShadowCat, we don't get to decide what type of style it's rebuilt in. It will be built in whatever style the AA chooses and thus I would guess a shitty one because no one likes paying for quality/style anymore (see: Havener).
Also, lorenzo, it won't be turned into a bar/club since the AA will need the use of whatever it becomes, even if it becomes a multi-use structure.

bag, you are wrong. It has been a bar as recent as 2007. If it's knocked down, there will be an Alumni Center going up there regardless.

The plan as told to me is to put the building where the Smith & Turley law offices are now and the Uptown site would become a parking lot.

I don't believe it's been a bar as recent as 2007. It's been the venue for a couple of dances and a cage fight or two since 2007. A Freaker's Ball here and there. If it was a bar again, I sure don't remember it having been in business for any appreciable length of time since 2003.

What do I care though, I don't go clubbing. To me it just represents another bullshit tuition spending measure that I won't directly benefit from in the foreseeable future. If they put a parking lot in they'll need a city easement to do it, and then there go two more valuable street parking spaces.