Temple selects architect for stadium design

Temple University has selected Moody Nolan, which calls itself the largest African American-owned and -managed architecture firm in the country, to design a proposed football stadium for its North Philadelphia neighborhood, officials announced Monday.

Curtis J. Moody, president and CEO of the Columbus, Ohio-based company, already has met with community members, said Ray Betzner, a university spokesman.

Betzner said the firm's willingness to work with neighbors made it a clear choice for the job.

"Moody Nolan is regarded as a national leader in designing beautiful sports and recreation facilities that not only fit their purpose but also fit the communities in which they exist," Temple president Neil D. Theobald said in a statement.

Betzner said Theobald was familiar with the firm's work in Indiana, where he formerly was a university executive.

Temple's board of trustees last month voted to spend up to $1 million on designs and study of a 35,000-seat stadium in the northwest corner of campus. The project - which has drawn fierce opposition from some neighbors and students - is estimated to cost $126 million and will proceed only if enough funding is raised, officials have said.

Moody Nolan, which has worked with more than 100 universities, including Vanderbilt, Indiana, Ohio State, Pennsylvania State University, DePaul, and the University of Chicago, also will help identify potential retail uses for the property, Betzner said.

No timeline has been set for the work, he said. He declined to say how much the firm will be paid, but noted it will come out of the $1 million design and study budget.

Moody Nolan also will lead the design of a student recreation building that would be next to the retail and stadium complex, the university said.

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