L.R. Kimball Designs the First LEED Certified Baseball Park

The Case for L.R. Kimball
L.R. Kimball Designs First Baseball Park to
Earn LEED Certification
THE SITUATION
Penn State University’s Nittany Lions Baseball
Club and the short-season A-level State College
(Pa.) Spikes of the New York-Penn baseball
league, worked collaboratively to build a baseball
park that the University and minor-league
professional teams could share. They wanted a
single facility that would reflect sustainable design,
construction and operations while generating
increased revenue for the teams. They also
wanted a first-class ballpark that would capitalize
on the location’s orientation to the breathtaking
vistas of Mount Nittany.
Project Overview
Client
The Pennsylvania State
University
PROJECT INFO
• State College, PA
• 5,500 Seats/152,194 SF
• Final Construction Cost:
$25.7 Million
• Completion Date:
June, 2006
L.R. KIMBALL SERVICES
• Architecture
• Electrical engineering
• Structural engineering
• Civil engineering
• Landscape architecture
• Mechanical engineering
• Plumbing engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Geotechnical engineering
• Traffic engineering
• FAA Study
• Surveying
The University envisioned the ballpark as being
a key component of the campus “athletic village”
concept that incorporated the adjacent Beaver
Stadium, Bryce Jordan Center, Jeffrey Field
Soccer Stadium, Lady Lion’s Softball Park and the
Multi-Sport Indoor Facility. The Spikes preferred a
location that gave the ballpark a sense of neutrality
and was peripheral to the campus. Ultimately, the
location along Porter Road at the eastern edge
of campus was chosen as it effectively met the
requests and goals of both teams.
In order to comply with NCAA regulations, the
facility would need to be designed in a way that
effectively separated the team facilities from
each other. The Spikes also requested that a
retail component of the park be prominent and
accessible during the game and at other nongame times. Ticket sales were crucial, and the
teams wanted to be sure the park’s design would
help generate high revenue from group sales in
addition to season ticket packages.
The site location for the ballpark, had a vertical
drop in excess of 60 feet. There was a dense layer
of bedrock just below the surface of the ground
and there were a number of existing utilities that
could not be affected by construction. Additionally,
careful thought had to be put into the ballpark’s
design in order for it to maintain its own presence
and identity next to Beaver Stadium, Penn State’s
landmark football facility.
Extensive consideration of the ballpark’s
orientation and impact of sun location and angles
also played a significant role in the final positioning
of the facility.
THE CHALLENGES
The schedule was extremely tight for development
of the ballpark. Design and construction needed
to occur within a 17 month timeframe in order to
have the facility completed for opening day of the
Spikes baseball season in June 2006. Within
this timeframe, a number of challenges had to be
resolved.
ARCHITECTURE
•
ENGINEERING
•
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
AVIATION | CIVIL | CONSTRUCTION SERVICES | DATA SYSTEMS | ENVIRONMENTAL
FACILITIES ENGINEERING | GEOSPATIAL | NETWORKS | PUBLIC SAFETY | TRANSPORTATION
L.R. Kimball Designs First Baseball Park to Earn LEED Certification
THE SOLUTION
L.R. Kimball worked in collaboration with DLR Group to meet the
challenges posed by the project requirements and created Medlar
Field at Lubrano Park with exceptional results. While DLR handled
interior design and structural engineering, L.R. Kimball managed
all other areas of the project and for managing the project team.
The extensive capabilities of L.R. Kimball were utilized for the
design the ballpark. The project incorporated the firm’s expertise
in architectural design, electrical and mechanical engineering,
landscape architecture, civil engineering, surveying, geotechnical
services, traffic engineering and construction administration.
Of special significance, L.R. Kimball designed Medlar Field
at Lubrano Park as a sustainable facility.
Meeting all the
requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) certification, the ballpark exceeded—by a great margin—
the standard ratio for undisturbed land to building site. It also
surpassed the required energy-efficiency code by as much as 10
percent. L.R. Kimball used recycled and local materials to reduce
the pollution involved in transporting supplies by truck.
In its design work, L.R. Kimball consistently addressed the
ballpark’s requirements with creative and environmentally sound
approaches. The 5,500-seat stadium was developed to incorporate
the quality of a AA or AAA facility in its scope and amenities. Its
features include:
• Full-service themed concessions area
• Natural turf playing field with custom designed drainage
system
• 600-person picnic area with its own commissary
• 18 suites and two party suites
• “Fun deck” to accommodate hundreds of fans
• High barstools and LCD screens for each seat above the
first-base-side bullpen
• Festive outdoor atmosphere with festooned lights, standup
tables and a grille stand
• Two very well-appointed batting tunnels with air
conditioning and heat so that players can work out yearround
• 500 parking spaces
• View of Mount Nittany from every seat in the ballpark
In addition to baseball games, the ballpark was designed to
accommodate concerts and special events. Concession stands
are positioned so they can remain open during football games
L.R. Kimball Designs First Baseball Park to Earn LEED Certification
and other activities. A ticket and retail pavilion frames a gated
entry plaza and pre-function space for outdoor events and
concessions.
The fact that the pro and University team schedules did not overlap
enabled designers to incorporate a single set of locker room
restrooms and showers, along with one training room and weight
room and still meet NCAA regulations. The locker room was AAA
baseball quality, with wide, custom built lockers; bat storage; and
footlockers for personal storage. At the same time, the coach’s
office was designed to take advantage of the spectacular panorama
of Mount Nittany to impress potential college recruits.
Specialized materials were used to overcome other challenges.
The pressbox in any ballpark is often a magnet for foul balls. L.R.
Kimball covered the exterior of the Medlar Field press box with
insulation and a highly impact-resistant finish that will not dent,
along with impact-resistant glazing. Because it was important that
the facility not be partial to either Penn State or the Spikes, the
colors utilized for the interior and exterior finishes and signage
throughout the facility are neutral.
The ballpark’s positioning along Porter Road enabled the L.R.
Kimball team to engage the facility with the adjacent campus
roadways and structures and to maximize views of Mount Nittany.
The expansive main entry plaza of Medlar Field is directly across
from a major entry point to Beaver Stadium. This relationship
helps facilitate the movement of large crowds during events
and provides a connection point between both venues. Vertical
architectural and lighting elements were incorporated into the
overall ballpark design to anchor the facility at the terminus of
Curtin Road and to help create its own identity and presence at
the edge of the “athletic village.”
Parking areas were effectively positioned on the north and south
sides of the ballpark to allow convenient access to the facility.
Excavation and earthmoving for the ballpark and parking areas
was done in a manner which minimized bedrock removal and to
effectively terrace the site to fit the facility onto a steeply sloping
area.
The team also pursued, through local zoning, a shared parking
arrangement with the adjacent Bryce Jordan Center which
effectively reduced the requirement for new parking by 50%. This
approach resulted in significant project cost savings, contributed
to LEED certification and also preserved valuable open green
space on the south side of the ballpark which is utilized for football
parking.
ARCHITECTURE
•
ENGINEERING
•
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
AVIATION | CIVIL | CONSTRUCTION SERVICES | DATA SYSTEMS | ENVIRONMENTAL
FACILITIES ENGINEERING | GEOSPATIAL | NETWORKS | PUBLIC SAFETY | TRANSPORTATION
L.R. Kimball Designs First Baseball Park to Earn LEED Certification
L.R. Kimball Meets Demanding Schedule
To meet the demanding schedule for design and construction
of the ballpark, L.R. Kimball operated in conjunction with a
construction manager to implement a fast-track schedule and
multiple bid packages. The budget and schedule remained on
target throughout the project, and L.R. Kimball met every bid
package release date.
To accelerate municipal and state agency approvals L.R. Kimball
and the University worked closely with the local municipality to
expedite the land development approval process. The project was
approved in record time by local, county and state officials. The
pre-design process was executed in 30 days and the schematic
design 30 days later. Design development overlapped each
bid package with production of contract documents to stay on
schedule.
Within 17 months from the initial contract award in November,
2004, teams were playing baseball on Medlar Field.
THE RESULTS
Completed at a total cost of $25.7 million, Medlar Field at Lubrano
Park was named the top-rated ballpark for short-season/rookie
A-level professional teams in 2009 by Baseball America. It topped
a list of 67 facilities eligible to be considered for the honor. On the
collegiate front, the field received a citation for design excellence
from American School and University magazine, and in 2008,
Rivals.com at Yahoo! Sports designated Medlar Field one of the
top 10 college baseball stadiums in America.
Perhaps of greater long-term importance, Medlar Field at Lubrano
Park is the first professional—and collegiate—baseball stadium
to earn LEED certification for the green techniques employed in
its design, construction and operations. Opened in June 2006,
Medlar Field preceded the new Washington Nationals stadium
in its LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Featured in Sports Business Journal’s sustainability issue, Medlar
Field at Lubrano Park has been cited as being ahead of its time in
its emphasis on environmental concerns.
Since its opening season, Medlar Field has generated one of
the highest per-capita revenue rates in the league for the State
College Spikes, has led to an increase in the quality of recruits for
Penn State and has proven to be a ballpark that fans love.
www.lrkimball.com
866.375.6812
ann.balazs@lrkimball.com
AE.A12.2010-04.CS004