With the clock ticking down before Illini football recruiting visits, someone had to “figure it out” at the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center. The need was a real puzzler: how do you build and install two 8-foot-tall cryo freeze chambers, outfitted with neon striping glowing lights and able to hit -110 F in wind chill thanks to three powerful fans without an instruction manual or expert oversight? It’s not too different from a typical “-80” freezer used in research labs, but it looks like a TRON version of a phone booth that will leave you shivering in seconds. Football players last 3 minutes, 30 seconds inside.
Game plan: call F&S.
Refrigeration mechanics worked to put the pieces together, quite literally, but also figuratively, too. When Klint Schmidt, refrigeration mechanic tasked with this job, got to the football center, the chambers were still in their shipping containers. Schmidt and colleagues put it together, while also reaching out for more help with the German-made technology. Connecting with the company, or any experts who could help with trouble-shooting and other tips, proved difficult at first, but Schmidt eventually got ahold of the CEO of the company which made the freezers.
There’s lots of benefits to the cold, according to trainers, and players sign up early in the morning. This aligns perfectly with how the freezers are to operate. Once they are done cooling — often operating from 3 in the morning until 6pm — they actually completely reverse their operations and move around air in an attempt to dry out, because as cool air warms, that can cause condensation. This strategy even comes with an intuitive feature, a lever and lock that keeps the door open, so as to prevent humid air and water particles from invading the space; after all, there’s no drains.
But because of this dry-out period, which lasts up to 7 hours, that leaves little time when the machine isn’t operating in one manner or another. It’s typically done drying out at 2 a.m., only to start back up at 3 a.m. in order to ramp down to cooling temperature by 5 a.m. when players start to arrive.
Each freezer has a magnet door which cannot lock, shimmering edge lighting, and touch screen operations to ensure proper use. Each machine produces heat as it blasts the inside with cold, so more room ventilation and air movement was added to the room. The room also houses saunas, and is feet away from pools and tubs of different temperatures, depths, and features.
Said Schmidt: “We’re always called on. I’m a guy that, I’ll do anything. Kody (Egolf, foreperson) knows I like the challenge. We’ll figure it out. We were here within a couple hours and started right away. It’s cool to be a part of it. It’s cool to come work here.”
Another way F&S is enmeshed into the university, like stars in the sky: history.
F&S is home to the university’s historic preservation officer, Dennis Craig. He’s a walking, talking history book when it comes to what has happened on campus since it was called Illinois Industrial University, dating to the late 1800s and can bring some context to almost any site, building, location, or notable person on campus.
Craig helped guide part of a tour for about 30 students in Scholar Adventurers Series of the Campus Honors Program at the Observatory, the building which has housed a telescope for investigating the stars since 1896. Craig’s specialty is early history of the campus and relaying just how different life was back then. When the Observatory built, many of the buildings on the Main Quad didn’t exist yet, including the Main Library or Foellinger Auditorium. The Observatory was the first building of permanence located south of University Hall and near the Morrow Plots. An important site in the development of the science of astronomical photoelectric photometry, the Observatory was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
“Although the Observatory seems to be in an unusual location on our modern campus, when it was constructed, its location was remote from the academic area of campus on a high spot of land,” said Craig. “This original location functioned well for the first twenty years of its existence.”
The Observatory has added space, but the main dome and telescope are functionally the same as they’ve always been. There’s a creaky wooden ladder that rotates around the main room, and managing and using the telescope itself is a very manual, tangible task. Incredibly, the foundation for the telescope itself is separate from the foundation of the house, with the “many ton” telescope basically sitting on a brick column that goes down to the bedrock.
Craig’s expertise was required for another event, this time opening a time capsule from the early days of Huff Hall, then called the New Gym, more than 100 years ago. The time capsule was opened as part of a weekend of programming about the building and its importance to athletics and events at the university from 1924, particularly until the development and construction of the Assembly Hall, now called State Farm Center. A time capsule was opened after the demolition of Illini Hall in 2023, as well, with Craig there to report on the time and meaning of the contents stowed away for our generation.
Two F&S brickmasons, Calvin Berry, foreperson, and Cole Russell, provided the muscle to remove bricks near the main entrance at Huff.
“Historically, time capsules were included in buildings with the idea of the builders capturing information about their time to be shared with future generations,” Craig said. “When included in buildings, time capsules were usually copper boxes filled with a variety of objects. These copper boxes usually were installed in a cut-out of the building cornerstone or date stone. Huff Gym was one of the 11 buildings designed by architect Charles Platt and is the third building which the time capsule has been opened recently. The majority of the Platt buildings have recently turned or are turning 100 years old. Time capsules were also removed from the Library and McKinley Health Center in roughly the last year. Since the time capsule was installed with the cornerstone, it is quite a project to get to them and open. Unfortunately, the copper boxes were not watertight and the materials in them are often damp or wet and require careful handling and conservation work. In the case of Huff, there was a listing of the contents of the time capsule available, and the time capsule was pretty full.”
The items inside the Huff time capsule were known before it was re-opened, as a materials list was written up on a typewriter decades ago. Included are game tickets, posters, meetings minutes, reports, scores, news clippings, and other booklets and information about the university and its athletics programs.
In addition to Dennis Craig and other experts who can help lead a tour about F&S services, F&S leads regular tours at the Solar Farms (1.0 and 2.0), Abbott Power Plant, and the Waste Transfer Station: https://fs.illinois.edu/tours.
There’s speed, strength, balance, timing and guts… but there’s also that fun scoreboard that may keep kids occupied or hype up the crazies.
Without the F&S electricians shop, those giant, colorful, engaging scoreboards wouldn’t operate.
Although installed by Daktronics, a leader in scoreboards and video and digital signage, you need a primary source of electricity to light up the score, show hype videos, sponsored content, and fun student-athlete interviews.
“We supply the electrical infrastructure for the scoreboards,” said Will Corum, electricians sub-foreperson. “Depending on the location, we are up high in the air sometimes. Safety is what I’m most concerned about during installation. I don’t want any of the team to get hurt.”
Baseball, Tennis, and Softball: Oh my!
For example, at Illinois Field, home to U. of I. baseball, electricians accessed and extended power from the press box and concessions area behind homeplate out to the location of the scoreboard in right field. This upgrade took place in 2015, and electrician sub-foreperson Corum helped manage the project. The work was completed by Larry Lustfeldt, Craig Wise, Dan Holstein, and Ryan Jones.
Corum has maintained a positive relationship with facilities professionals with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA), and helped get his electricians ready for the work at other locations, like the Armory (installed by Sam Elson and Ryan Jones in 2015) and Eichelberger Field.
At the Atkins Tennis Center, a feature scoreboard stands out in the middle of the space, while simple game-point-match scoreboards accompany each court. Electrical work by F&S was installed there by Jason Maxwell and Mark Klein in 2018.
For the scoreboard installation at Eichelberger Field, home to Illini softball, Corum was proud of the switches behind the outfield wall. There, the electric flow is adjusted and directed where it needs to go. In this case, there is the scoreboard, but also a few cameras located near centerfield and others around and in the press box and dugouts. Work was completed by Larry Lustfeldt and Craig Wise in 2016.
By Jalynn Bugaj F&S customer relations & communications intern
New drink rail? No problem!
With five Facilities & Services shops collaborating to make a drink rail for the Colonnades Club at Memorial Stadium, the finished result is nothing short of spectacular. Each shop brought their unique expertise to the table, resulting in a drink rail that not only enhances the club’s aesthetics but also provides a functional and enjoyable experience for all members.
In February, Tim Knox, Associate Director of Athletics, approached Andy Burnett, mill foreperson, to discuss the design of a drink rail for the Colonnades Club at Memorial Stadium. The proposed location was the east wall, which features large viewing windows offering a prime view of the football field.
This area has always been a favored spot for fans young and old to socialize while keeping an eye on the game. Previously, a common tactic was to push tall tables from around the club to the windows, trying to create makeshift spots for their drinks and belongings.
The addition of a drink rail would enhance the functionality of the space, allowing members to enjoy their beverages while making the most of the view: the game.
With a completion date of August 29, the first home football game, they began brainstorming designs. One idea was to match the wrought iron elements at the bar, while another was to complement the existing woodwork.
Designing the Drink Rail
Burnett sketched a few designs, and the decision was made to match the wrought iron elements found at the bar. Beth Leitz, Records & Information Management Specialist, was able to locate the original drawings for the bar railing.
Burnett reached out to Stuart De Haro, machinist foreperson, for assistance with the fabrication.
“We went and looked at the space together. He suggested incorporating the old University of Illinois logo into the design, which I thought was a brilliant idea,” said Burnett.
With De Haro’s creative input changing the trajectory of the project, Burnett then created a new design featuring the old University of Illinois logo on each of the end sections.
“Redrawing the logo in AutoCAD (a 2D and 3D computer-aided design software) took about a day and a half and the rest of the design took about 30 minutes,” said De Haro.
Burnett was provided with the parameters for the finished top and the size of the base. He determined the dimensions of his components, while De Haro designed the pickets and end pieces to fit the remaining space.
Crafting and Collaboration
When it was time to craft the fence, the machinists cut out the majority of the pieces using a plasma table, a process that took about two and a half days. The fence components were cut from ½” steel plates, requiring a total of five 4′ by 8′ sheets. This included twelve end pieces featuring the old logo and thirty-two pickets, the smaller curved elements.
Each of the end pieces and pickets had flanges on the tops and bottoms made from flat bar stock. These flanges were used to mount the pieces to the base and countertop. They were drilled and countersunk for mounting screws before being welded on by the ironworkers. Once the welding was completed, the parts needed to be sandblasted before painting.
Sandblasting is a crucial step because the steel pieces were covered in mill scale, an oxide layer from the hot-rolling process used to produce them. Paint does not adhere well to this oxide layer. Sandblasting removes the mill scale and roughens the surface, providing more area for the paint to adhere to. The process took about a day and a half.
The pieces were then prepared for painting. Before applying the paint, the painters cleaned them with lacquer thinner to remove any residue from the sandblasting, followed by priming.
The original plan was to paint the pieces the same shade of blue as the wrought iron elements on the existing bar. However, after a color match could not be found, the decision was made to paint them black.
Each coat of paint required a few hours to dry before the pieces could be moved out of the spray booth. The entire painting process, including all steps, took two days to complete.
Burnett wanted the top of the drink rail to match the existing bar top as closely as possible. The chosen color was avonite brazilian blue. Solid Surface Creations in Villa Grove completed the fabrication and installation of the bar top.
The carpenters shop secured lumber to the floor to extend the existing glass stop, making it wide enough to attach the rails. The sheet metal shop then applied a stainless-steel cap to the base.
“The sheet metal shop helped us by installing the rails. With the inconsistencies in the floor, the installation was not near as simple as I had hoped, but they did an excellent job making sure the rails are in line and plumb,” said Burnett.
The Finished Result
Football fans are delighted with the new drink rail, calling it a much-needed and welcome addition.
“I have seats in the 100 level of the stadium, but I’d rather stand and enjoy the game from here,” said one attendee, leaning comfortably against the rail.
“I showed up to the first home game and was shocked—pleasantly surprised by the rail. It’s a fantastic and much-needed upgrade,” another remarked.
“The craftsmanship is impressive. I had no idea this was done by Facilities & Services.”
Overall, the consensus among Fighting Illini fans is clear: the new drink rail is a hit, offering enjoyment for years to come.
When the Marching Illini step off for their new tunnel entrance at the start of pregame, Illinois football fans feel the excitement build in Memorial Stadium. The sights and sounds of the band, the cheerleaders, the team, even the fans themselves, all play an integral role in the enjoyment of a football game. But the unsung heroes of the day are those working behind the scenes—the ones who make sure everything runs smoothly.
By the time the sun rises on a football Saturday, some of the work is already done. Dan Hiser, automotive subforeperson, explains that a “transportation driver and laborer service all the surrounding sewer lines in preparation for high volume, [and] two transportation drivers service all of the waste containers in and around stadium lots prior to game day.”
Meanwhile, construction laborers also contribute by providing barricades and signs as needed. In addition to making sure the crowds are corralled and have unfettered access to restroom facilities, F&S also makes sure that they can stay cool. Refrigeration Mechanics Foreperson Casey Pellum says his shop works throughout the week of the game “to check coolers and ice machines to make sure they are in good working order.” This is all completed before the Grange Grove tailgating even really gets rolling.
The work continues into game day. Sports fans using elevators at Memorial Stadium needn’t worry about being stuck. Vince Schaub, elevator mechanics foreperson, notes “we have a person there at the stadium four hours before the game and an hour after.” Being onsite means in the rare instance that an elevator breaks down, someone is right there to fix it.
Plumber Josh Hale works all the football home games. He arrives a couple of hours before the game and stays about the same length after the game ends, ready to fix any leaks or problems that crop up. Plumbers may have additional work as well. For example, they work with the water station staff to dye the Hallene Gateway fountain orange for Homecoming week—a tradition that began in 2017 to welcome Illini alums at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center.
For game days, electricians and high voltage electricians provide temporary power to tailgate events, and in the case of Homecoming, they also supply sound support for departmental events. Also on standby during football games are a transportation driver and laborer. If the crowds’ bathroom use causes a sewer line to back up, they run the line to open it again. Transportation is on call with the operating engineers as well to “tail-gate rock as needed” in all the lots around the stadium in the event of rain, Hiser said. In this process, the truck bed is elevated and the rear gate is chained to allow a small opening. The driver moves forward, spreading an even rock layer; the rock helps cars find traction on soggy lanes.
Whether the Illini win or lose, F&S still has more work to do after the game. Four transportation drivers, in conjunction with stadium staff, remove trash inside the stadium, outside the stadium, and in all the tailgate lots. Grounds staff also run a Sunday garbage collection route after game days. And lest you think all that trash goes to the landfill, F&S is greener than that: the Waste Transfer Station reopens on Sunday, with help from the Developmental Services Center, to sort all the valuable recycling from the trash.
The work may not end there, however. If there’s a home game the following weekend, F&S staff just rinse and repeat. While fans are singing “Hail to the Orange, Hail to the Blue” in the stadium, most are likely oblivious to the amount of work that goes on before, during, and after to make their game day experience uneventful off the field. But those in the know can be certain that F&S has racked up another victory with their contributions to game day operations.
Go Illini, go!
Summer Construction 2024
FIRST FLOOR EAST JOINT EXPANSION REPLACEMENT AND EAST RAMP PAINTING
This project included the prep and painting of exposed structural steel on the east side of Memorial Stadium, including all steel associated with interior ramps between grandstand and the east main concourse and all exposed steel under the upper east balcony.
In addition, this project removed the existing expansion joints in the precast concrete stands of the east side grandstand and balcony and installed new expansion joint material. This process required temporary removal and reinstallation of the metal bench seating to facilitate access to the expansion joints.
SOUTH RESTROOM AND CONCOURSE RENOVATIONS
Facility improvements at Memorial Stadium renovated restrooms, including partitions, fixtures, selected plumbing, finishes, and other related upgrades, on the south side of the facility. The project included renovating the concourse areas on the south side of the stadium, including lighting, painting, graphics, and other related improvements. Horseshoe renovations feature updated restrooms and provide the game day patrons a modernized and improved experience in the south concourse.
HVAC REPLACEMENT AT FICE AND NE TOWER ROOF REPLACEMENT
The HVAC system on the northeast side of Memorial Stadium was replaced to improve climate control and energy management in associated spaces. The roof in the area above occupied academic and office space on the second floor of Fighting Illini Center for Excellence (FICE) was also be removed and replaced with a new system. The existing copings, flashings, and insulation were removed and replaced. A new lightning protection system was installed as a part of this work.
EXTERIOR STONE AND MASONRY CLEANING
This project cleaned Memorial Stadium’s stone to restore it to its original color. The work helped restore the outside of the facility ahead of the 100-year anniversary celebration.
WEST PARAPET REPLACEMENT
This project removed and replaced the existing west brick and stone parapet wall on the sixth floor of Memorial Stadium. The work included the salvaging and cleaning of the existing stone and the installation of matching brick with appropriate through wall flashings and control joints.
UPPER EAST RESTROOM PARTITIONS AND FLOOR
The east balcony restrooms at Memorial Stadium were enhanced with new partitions, plumbing fixtures, and epoxy flooring.
For the Fans!
A couple of pipefitters and plumbing projects improved Memorial Stadium in 2023.
On the east side: the upper stands received new plumbing lines, new restroom sinks and stalls, and improved hot water systems. A couple of bright orange water stations dot the east, too, perfect for refillable containers.
Plumbers foreperson Matt Faulkner detailed the changes:
“A lot of the fixtures were mismatched from installations made through the years – we used what we could over the years. This time though, we were able to replace all of the toilets, flushometers, lavatories and faucets throughout the lower east side.”
“There will be water usage savings,” Faulkner said. “Some of the older toilets were 3.5 gallons per flush, but we reduced all of the toilets to 1.28 gallons per flush. We installed water heaters for each of the restrooms on the lower east side. The new Chicago faucets are metered, which means they shut off after a certain amount of time, usually less than a minute. This will help with maintenance also, less inventory to carry, more efficient repairs.”
When you’re at a game and you think you should leave (2023), you’ll find:
74 New Toilets 74 New Toilet Flush Valves 74 New Toilet Seats 56 New Urinals 56 New Urinal Flush Valves 20 New Lavatories 20 New Chicago Metered Faucets 20 Point of Use Mixing Valves 8 New 30-Gallon Water Heaters 2 New Drinking Fountain Water Stations
In the world of college football, where fans gather to cheer on their teams, the University of Illinois took on a special mission to make these celebrations more eco-friendly. As cars rolled into the tailgating lots near Memorial Stadium for the afternoon’s game against Florida Atlantic University, an organized effort was underway to ensure that the fan experience also left a positive impact on the environment.
A win on the field was matched by a win in the recycling column. More than 1,000 pounds of cans and bottles were diverted from the landfill to recycling.
“Events with tens of thousands of visitors produce a sizable quantity of waste,” said Daphne Hulse, zero waste coordinator. “Athletic events are also unique in that not only are we hosting students, faculty, and staff from our own university, but also rivals from other schools and visitors from across the state and country.”
Lot 31 featured a green recycling dumpster placed next to an F&S tent. Volunteers, dressed in “Be Orange, Go Green” shirts, were there to inform fans on appropriate recyclables and putting their bagged recyclables into the dumpster. Additionally, there were smaller recycling bins placed in the Grange Grove area for fans who were on their way to Memorial Stadium.
Each group was given a blue bag that was to be filled with their recyclables. To encourage fans to participate, those who disposed of their recyclables in the Lot 31 dumpster received a limited-edition orange Block I t-shirt.
Hulse is already looking forward to the next events to help the university become more green.
“Holding events such as tailgate recycling also allows us to view tailgate waste management through a boots-on-the-ground approach: where is waste produced, how is it produced, what is produced, and how can we divert it towards recycling as opposed to the landfill? We can then take our lessons learned and determine how best to integrate the approach within existing operations. The goal is to provide the necessary infrastructure and resources in a convenient manner, so that the act of recycling becomes a natural habit to tailgaters.”
Organizers and volunteers welcomed questions and requests for more information. They expressed their hope that this green initiative would continue to make a positive impact, not only on the game day experience but also on the broader campus, as fans and organizers collaborated in their efforts to protect the environment.
The Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois is here, well ahead of schedule, thanks to the “design-build” delivery method.
Donor-financed
Donors contributed at least 51%
No public bidding, saving time
Jon Hasselbring, project manager for the Atkins clubhouse and restaurant renovations, estimates that about 1% of capital program projects take this form. Brent Lewis was project manager for the course itself, and is the university’s landscape architect.
“What I really liked is the JDR and Wadsworth have done many courses together and had great chemistry,” said Lewis. “As golf course design is less of a science and teeters into more artform. Having that connection and understanding between the designer and the contractor was invaluable.”
One well-known decision bestowed a new opening hole and new ninth hole on the course. Two of the course’s “feature” holes now bookend the front side. The par-5 fourth hole became the first, making the long par-3 third hole the new ninth.
From the feasibility study also found it helps “control and management” for club staff.
The “Home of Illini Golf”
“Overall in my discussions with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) and Fighting Illini golf, they want the property to be in line with other athletics projects and renovations,” said Hasselbring. “We brought in a high level of finishes and athletics branding. Added graphics make it another championship-level Illinois athletics facility. That attention to detail will make Atkins a place for student-athletes to take ownership. It’ll help with recruiting to be able to say, ‘this is the home of Illini golf.’”
Illinois Fighting Illini Atkins Golf Opening
Fairways, greens, and bunkers differentiate from classrooms, hallways, and desks.
“Working on this golf course is unique,” said Lewis. “As a previous regional golf course, the players and coaches understood its limitations for collegiate play. This gave DIA the opportunity to take the existing course and make it longer and more competitive so that it would attract more golf talent and interest. It remains a links-style course and will be an asset to our players while continuing to be an asset to the community as well.”
An opening event on June 3 featured Chancellor Robert Jones and director of athletics, Josh Whitman.
Overall, we made this course more difficult to address the needs of today’s golfers. However, we also preserved playability for community players who haven’t made it to the skill level of our athletes. This adds value to this course, while also now allowing us to potentially host NCAA regional championships. With this gift from Atkins, DIA is poised to better support and further our already stellar programs here.
The State Farm Center (SFC) is avoiding energy costs thanks to F&S Utilities & Energy Services (UES) performing retrocommissioning (RCx) work. RCx strives to improve the mechanical systems already in place while increasing occupant comfort through their work. At SFC, that’s a tall (and wide) task.
The famous, long-time home to Illini men’s and women’s basketball and other premier events measures in at more than 315,000 square feet. It’s 400 feet in diameter and 125 feet high, big enough for large events, concerts, and even former All-American 7-foot center Kofi Cockburn.
A collection of methods, some of which are detailed below, helped SFC avoid about $214,000 in energy costs thanks to a partnership with F&S. View the full Report at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/RCx-SFC. The RCx team collaborated with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) to discover the best methods to bring SFC up to more efficient standards. The Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) was the financing source, a program used for utilities conservation projects with less than ten-year payback periods, including steam, electricity, chilled water, or water reduction projects. Projects are selected based on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, community visibility, and other factors; this one fit the budget and ability to hit metrics and benchmarks. The RLF is managed by F&S and the savings from utility costs are paid back annually to replenish the fund.
Said Brett Stillwell, DIA senior associate athletics director, capital projects and facilities: “This collaboration with F&S has been great. The cost avoidance here will have a huge impact on our athletic department as well as the whole campus.
“SFC is an iconic building on this campus,” said Stillwell. “To be able to bring it into the 21st century with high quality mechanical systems and retrofitting like this to be state of the art is vital.”
“F&S brought their expertise and helped us trouble-shoot parts of the challenges that we face with operating 26 air handling units in one building,” said Tom Divan, assistant director of athletics, State Farm Center. “They went above and beyond what was asked in the project and helped us out in a lot of ways. We’ll see the benefits of that for years to come.”
Here are a few of the changes made, as described by Andy Robinson, RCx team management engineer.
Pressurization
Building sensors were installed to slightly pressurize the building with conditioned air. Since this building holds thousands who enter and exit at the same times—including people at public entrances and massive equipment through the loading dock—this requires more than just a one-time air balance. This method allows the system to bring in more outside air when needed, but also reduce exhaust for low occupancy.
The air in the building is continuously monitored for carbon dioxide. Sensors open up outdoor air dampers and fans ramp up quickly when people stream in for a concert or game.
AHU Optimization
The four main air handling units (AHUs) are some of the largest on campus and are the size of two semi-trailers stacked on top of each other. There are advanced energy recovery wheels inside that bring in maximum fresh air but do not send out all of the conditioned energy; goals are established in accordance with ASHRAE standards and CDC guidelines. This greatly reduces heating and cooling costs, but does require some fairly advanced control sequences and calibration.
These AHUs previously operated for 18 hours per day, regardless of building use. Now, they turn off at 6 p.m. and only run to 12 a.m. when overridden for an evening event. Two of the four main units and half of the concourse ring can be kept off in mild weather while the other two are running at 30% fan speed and can ramp up if there is an event or space demand.
The Future
SFC staff are trained in building automation and physically walk the entire building each day to check on systems. F&S typically recommends a decommissioning team go back through every 3-5 years to look holistically at the building. There are always some tweaks to be made in a building with such varying occupancy and uses. This building is operating with an improved level of energy efficiency. Future improvements will update the computerized building automation system with software upgrades, sensor calibrations, and filter changes.
