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    SFA regents select firms to design baseball complex, campus long-range plan
    Leo A. Daly, of Houston, and partner Sports Plan Studio, of Kansas City, Mo., selected for baseball-softball complex
    SFA Head Coach Donnie Watson
    SFA Head Coach Donnie Watson

    Dec. 19, 2005

    NACOGDOCHES - Two Houston firms won opportunities to design a baseball-softball complex at Stephen F. Austin State University and craft a long-range campus plan during a Board of Regents' meeting today.

    Regents selected Leo A Daly of Houston and partner Sports Plan Studio of Kansas City, Mo., to provide architectural and engineering services for the baseball project. Regents chose 3D/I, also of Houston, to provide the same services for a long-range plan for the campus.

    During its presentation, Leo A Daly touted its experience in designing sports facilities, including those for a number of Texas schools that include the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, the University of Texas and Texas Christian University. Most recently the company worked on baseball and softball fields at Sam Houston State University.

    Leo A Daly representative Bill Merrill said SFA's project not only represents the rebirth of baseball at SFA but also will be built on a prominent site that will help establish an image for the campus.

    "It must attract recruits, fans and other teams," he said, adding the complex has the potential for a character "that is like nothing else in the state."

    Michael Managan, senior vice president for 3D/I, said his firm focuses on higher education. Texas schools for which it has undertaken campus planning include Tyler Junior College, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. At SFA, the company provided programming and planning for the recently completed Human Services Building.

    The firm's representatives said 3D/I will work with the campus community to create a tool for managing growth and change and will design a five- to eight-year plan and one that looks at 25 years out.

    Two Dallas firms, HKS and F&S Partners, also vied for the baseball project. F&S, which is designing SFA's student recreational center, also pitched its services for the long-range campus plan.

    In other business, regents authorized replacing the 17-year-old track at Homer Bryce Stadium at a cost not to exceed $300,000. The resurfacing will be paid from auxiliary funds and be finished by the start of the 2006 fall semester.

    Cutline: Bill Merrill of Leo A Daly asks Stephen F. Austin State University regents and administrators to envision location options for various elements of the planned baseball-softball complex to be built at the intersection of University Drive and Starr Avenue.