Springfield, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that the next phase of its $22+ million investment in the refurbishment of the museum will launch in early March. Work will begin with the outside dome, which rises nine stories from the building’s base and creates the iconographic imagery that defines the overall site as the home of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“In very early March, we will begin the process of removing each of the composite panels from the dome in small groups, have the underlayment and flashing replaced so that the roof is completely sealed for long term weather protection, and finish with the repainting of all panels that will give the dome a like-new finish when the project is complete,” said John L. Doleva, President & CEO of the Naismith Hall of Fame. “It is vital we complete all work on the outside dome and roof prior to finishing our internal renovations of the museum experience to protect our additional new and incremental investment of $18 million in technology and visitor experience inside the Hall of Fame.”
The renovations are completely privately funded and, weather permitting, will commence on March 4. It is estimated the project will take nearly six months to complete from start to finish, as each group of panels needs to be removed individually, worked on, and replaced exactly as they came off. “No two panels are the same on the dome, one of many unique features of our building; each has to be marked and put back exactly as removed,” said Doleva.
Throughout the spring and summer, visitors can expect to see workers address the roof both by scaffolding and via the use of multiple heavy cranes. As work commences on the front of the dome (facing Hall of Fame Avenue) later in the Spring, a road will have to be ‘cut in’ on the Hall’s front lawn and soil stabilized that allows equipment to safely reach and be secured at the bottom of the dome’s base. “This will be an active outdoor construction site throughout spring and summer although the Hall will be open as usual without interruption for the enjoyment of our visitors,” said Doleva.
Once complete, the refinished dome will be lit by state-of-the-art LED projection lighting that will continue to prominently highlight the iconic building during the evening hours and new lighting will be added to other parts of the building’s primary exterior that will further distinguish the building unique exterior and home of the basketball showcase. A completion date of August 1 has been set, weather permitting. As the work commences, the multiple individual lights that currently are lit on the dome each evening will be permanently turned off early in March to facilitate progress.
The Hall of Fame has proudly partnered with local contractors on this project which approaches $4 million to include: Western Builders (Granby, MA); Chandler Architectural Products, Inc. (W. Springfield, MA); Kent Brothers Excavating (Southampton, MA); Superior Caulking & Waterproofing, Inc. (Palmer, MA); Collins Electric (Chicopee, MA); Managed Air Systems LLC (Aircraft Grade Paint Refinisher, Bloomfield, CT); Healey & Associates (Belchertown, MA); and Project Management by Colebrook Realty Services (Springfield & Holyoke, MA)
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.