UI readies $20 million Duane Banks stadium renovation

The University of Iowa is accepting requests for qualification (RFQ) applications from construction firms for renovation of Duane Banks Baseball Stadium. The scope of the project includes "complete renovation" of the press box, bleachers and concourse and will expand seating capacity, improve ADA access, improve spectator sightlines and safety nettings, and update restroom facilities, according to the project's bid summary. In addition, dug outs and turf will be removed and replaced, bullpen areas will be renovated and field lighting will be upgraded. Cost of renovations is expected to be $20 million with an estimated construction budget of $14 million, but the project's online filing indicates the total estimated cost of construction could be up to $22 million. Construction is expected to begin July 2023 and be completed by January 2024. Invision Architecture has already been selected as the design professional on the Duane Banks project. The selection committee will select a construction based on the firm's relevant experience in handling athletic facility projects, team experience and qualifications, a preference to an Iowa-based firm, project understanding and approach and safety. All renovations will be entirely donor-funded, Deputy Athletic Director Matt Henderson told the Gazette in May. A feasibility study by Shive-Hattery and Lempka Architects in March found the stadium and press box were small and outdated.

More athletic facility upgrades are coming

Several other athletic teams at the University of Iowa are set to experience facility upgrades over the next couple years, according to a news report. The women's gymnastics team and Iowa Spirit Squad and Dance Team will benefit from a new training center, pending Board of Regents approval. It will be located south of the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex and include training spaces, locker rooms, and a team room and multipurpose room. A new field hockey facility could sit next to Grant Field, with space for team locker rooms and a press box. The exact location and size is undetermined at this time. The 38,000-square-feet Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center, already in construction, will be completed by April 2024 and include locker rooms, strength and conditioning space and a tunnel connecting to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Carver-Hawkeye Arena will also receive "enhancements to concessions, restrooms, general and premium seating opportunities, and the overall fan experience," the report said. Athletic facility upgrades will coincide with an extensive number of healthcare-related projects including a a $621 million inpatient hospital tower, a $525 million hospital in North Liberty and a $95 million vertical expansion of the John Pappajohn Pavilion, among others.