The Syracuse Common Council, by a vote of 8 to 1, on April 21 approved a zone change for Syracuse University's Hookway Fields property from "Residential District Class A-1" to "Planned Institutional District." The zone change is an important step in the University's plans to upgrade the 45-acre tract for practice space by SU student-athletes and unstructured recreational use by other SU students.
Contractors will commence work as soon as the bidding process is completed. The project is anticipated to be done next fall with first use of the renovated fields to occur in spring 2004.
Five regulation game fields, each measuring 240 feet by 360 feet, will be created on the east (upper) portion of the tract for use by the Department of Athletics for practices, scrimmages and sports camps. A six-foot-high green chainlink fence positioned at the base of an embankment will surround the 13.6 acres of practice fields. The two middle fields will be irrigated and lighted. The lights, standing between 40 to 50 feet tall, will be shielded and used during scheduled activities up to 8:30 p.m.
Two fields on the west (lower) portion of Hookway will be operated by the Department of Recreation Services for club and intramural sports. This area will not be fenced, lighted or irrigated.
As part of the project, the University will install a new sidewalk and landscaping on the property border along East Colvin Street, build small restroom and storage facilities open when the fields are in use, and renovate an existing parking lot along the upper portion of Hookway to accommodate up to 60 vehicles.
For more information on the Hookway project and a series of artists' renderings, visit http://sunews.syr.edu/hookway/index.html.
