Throughout each fall, 60,000 fans, students, and supporters flood Milan Puskar Stadium on game days to root for West Virginia University football. A regional institution, the Mountaineers have spent the past 80 years rewarding this loyalty by posting a 737–485–45 record and winning eight Southern Conference and seven Big East Conference titles.
Based on this support and the growth in popularity of Mountaineer football, administrators entered a new era of fan appreciation with the completion of a $55-million facelift to the stadium located in Morgantown, W.Va. Dedicated to enhancing fan experiences, Milan Puskar Stadium was redesigned to add amenities and style in an environment that was getting more crowded and experiencing wear and tear. Among the upgrades are widened concourses on both sides of the stadium, enhanced graphics, upgraded lighting, 20 additional entry points, and redesigned restrooms, including 90 additional toilets in the women’s restrooms alone.
“The goal was to experience game day excitement in every corner of the stadium,” says Stacy Calabrese, president of Dubin and Co. Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pa. “The new upgrades were specifically designed to streamline all activities throughout the building, while driving team spirit.”
According to Calabrese, administrators also relied on surveys revealing that cleaner, more accessible restrooms were priorities to stadium attendees nationwide. Key to this was the addition of restrooms and renovation of existing ones to reduce long wait times. The designs also feature the team’s blue and gold colors.
A specialist in architectural division 10 products, Calabrese recommended Scranton Products’ Hiny Hiders restroom partitions in blueberry color based on decades of work with the company and the need for stalls that would withstand the rigors of seven home games a year plus special events. Scranton Products’ custom color matching is a favored feature of educational facilities because it reinforces school and team pride. Over the years, Dubin and Co. had specified Scranton Products’ partitions for installation at numerous commercial and educational institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and PNC at Liberty Commons in Pittsburgh
“Scranton Products has such a strong customer service approach,” explains Calabrese. “They are a large company with exemplary quality control procedures. Other companies make plastic partitions. They are one of the few that know how to do it right.”
A provider of interior partitions for the past 25 years, Scranton Products offers an assortment of HDPE products in variety of colors and textures. In addition, the Hiny Hiders partitions are designed to never need painting. Unlike metal partitions which are subject to rust, Hiny Hiders offer resistance to dents, scratches, graffiti, corrosion, mildew and moisture. Another benefit is that they clean with ease and are resistant to bacteria and carry a 25-year warranty.
In addition, HDPE partitions reduce costs in the long run. Mild stains and general soiling are removed with a mild cleaner and water. Since plastic is a solid composite, it also maintains a property of impermeability that does not allow them to retain and/or absorb water. Because of this characteristic, the partitions will resist water damage and are rust proof. This makes the stalls ideal for power-washing and hose-down cleaning.
“The Mountaineers are very passionate fans,” adds Calabrese. “These games can get rowdy and Hiny Hiders are ideal for dealing with heavy traffic in intense environments. Over the years, we’ve placed Scranton Products partitions in numerous extreme, high-use commercial operations that have been prone to vandalism. So far, each installation has lasted the test of time. We know this because we’ve received no complaints whatsoever.”