U.S. Cellular Field
Problem
Originally called "The New Comiskey Park," the construction of U.S. Cellular Field was completed in 1991. A few years later, it was found that all concourses throughout the stadium exhibited excessive cracking because there weren't enough control joints in the topping slab. In addition, the waterproofing membrane failed and luxury box ceiling tiles fell down every time it rained. The main challenge of this project was to complete renovation during the baseball off-season, even when it was too cold normally to pour concrete during the winter months.
Solution
- Constructed custom-heated enclosures in all areas, utilizing sailing technology (consisting of extruded aluminum & ropes) to prevent plastic from tearing
- Suspended 1M+ BTU natural gas heaters
- Worked double shifts in order to meet critical opening day schedule
- Included extensive electrical and plumbing work
- Project completed after three off-seasons
- Repairs have held for over 15 years without a single call-back
Details
Work
Replaced concrete flatwork in all concourses
Location
Chicago, IL
Budget and Scope
Price: $7M; 200,000 SQFT
Owner
Illinois Sports Facilities Authority
Architect/Engineer
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.