Lake Placid Olympic

The opportunity to renovate the historic and revered Lake Placid Olympic Center proved a dynamic and exciting design opportunity. The renovation rejuvenated the center and prepared it to host the 2023 FISU World University Games. In total, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority invested $500 million in facility upgrades to modernize most of the venues across the Adirondack region for the World University Games and future international sports events. 

Major components of this effort included renovations to the Olympic Center, which includes the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena, the 1932 Jack Shea Arena, the James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval and public spaces, including a new signature restaurant and outside deck. Specific to the Olympic Center, the design team’s work focused on reprogramming and redesigning its main entry and circulation, renovating and upgrading spectator seating and athlete support spaces, and improving the overall gameday experience. The team also renovated office space in the connected “link” building and introduced a monumental stair and glass elevator to ease spectator flow within the public spaces. 

One of the exciting design challenges embedded in the project was marrying buildings from different time periods into a unified architectural vocabulary. Ultimately, the new marquis entry to the Olympic Center embraces a rustic, Adirondack and Lake Placid look and feel. The space is modernized to inspire remarkable guest, athlete and tourist experiences while striking a thoughtful balance of respecting the legacy of the arenas and transforming the spaces into a modern venue for all levels of training and competition.

Architect of Record

CannonDesign

Boston, Mass. 

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