Photos of Ryan Field Demolition/Construction
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There are more updated photos here:
See what's left of Northwestern's Ryan Field - Evanston RoundTable
Evanston resident Bob Rowley documents the demolition of Ryan Field through a series of photos. Check back regularly for updates.
evanstonroundtable.com
Too bad it's not the office of "he who must not be named"There are more updated photos here:
See what's left of Northwestern's Ryan Field - Evanston RoundTable
Evanston resident Bob Rowley documents the demolition of Ryan Field through a series of photos. Check back regularly for updates.
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It's interesting they didn't take the letterings on the facade for the bowl game and All American stuff; I guess you can't worry about every little thing and maybe it wouldn't have been practical, but those are vividly etched in my memory as part of the Ryan Field experience and I can't imagine I'm alone...would've been interested in the cost to bid on things like that...
You can’t think of every little thing; however it doesn’t appear that our AD thought of shit.
#NegativelyGragg
Agree, but genius is in the details. JP was good at that, this guy can't even get the macro correct. It's truly unfathomable this guy still has a job outside the pending lawsuits. God knows what his contract length is, but to me it is an easy out that they would not renew. But NU be NU.
He just showed up for "work" one day and had a stadium demolition and a football schedule to accomplish. No plan.
Has anyone actually SEEN him? I think he's commuting from Italy
Perhaps he was instructed to just sit in the corner? Yet positively Gragg says otherwise lol.
Is there a unique plan to take down the press box addition? It’s interesting that the lower stands in front of the press box have been removed.
I’ll be interested to see if the approach it from field side, parking lot side or simply top down like the towers came down,
Most appreciative of the photo links.
I’ll be interested to see if the approach it from field side, parking lot side or simply top down like the towers came down,
Most appreciative of the photo links.
I was out of town last week so I missed the NW tower coming down. It's just the press box left on the west side. I've also been wondering what the demolition strategy would be. This morning they were working on supports above the actual box so it seems like they're going top-down like with the towers.
After the west side, there's still about a quarter of the east side left, the locker room, and the scoreboard. Most of the playing field is covered with debris now, but the goalposts and kicking net support posts are still standing, which amuses me for some reason.
After the west side, there's still about a quarter of the east side left, the locker room, and the scoreboard. Most of the playing field is covered with debris now, but the goalposts and kicking net support posts are still standing, which amuses me for some reason.
Rich (BB code):
I thought about that too. But they're just letters/numbers mounted directly to the facade of the stadium. You could remove them and mount them somewhere else, but it would be more practical to create a new display that fits the new space. I do hope the new stadium has a similar 'ring of honor.'
It may not look like it but the press box design and construction was a story in structural engineering circles. The challenge was to construct the press box on an independent structure overhanging the existing stands. It has been awhile but I believe the press box is cantilevered from large column structures built in front of the old stadium. The columns have embedded cables under tension that are anchored to deep foundations. I don't know the demolition approach but I doubt anyone is removing those columns or taking a torch to those cables until the press box side is demolished. But I could be wrong. Let me know how it goes.
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That's right. The support cables from which the press box hangs are clearly visible in my picture. Maybe they are going to cut them and let the press box fall/pull it down? At the rate they've been working I should have a pretty good idea of the plan soon.
There hasn't been any more visible work on the press box. The roof has been removed, but the rest remains. They were working on the upper deck facade below the press box (the Wildcat Den area) this morning (first pic below is from yesterday).
Most of the remaining East side has been demolished. I would say about 10% of that side is left. The locker room/Randy Walker Terrace, the scoreboard, and the North goalposts have also been demolished. The South goalposts remain.
Most of the remaining East side has been demolished. I would say about 10% of that side is left. The locker room/Randy Walker Terrace, the scoreboard, and the North goalposts have also been demolished. The South goalposts remain.
Rich (BB code):
I theoretically would have assumed I'd be more emotional looking at the gradual demolition of this stadium, and yet...I'm really not. It was outdated and not well-maintained; unwelcoming in so many ways and held in low esteem other than maybe "not a bad seat in the house." I worry about being priced out of the new stadium, but I'm still looking forward to us having something that's brand new, innovative, and built to scale.
Maybe waiting on the crane they are using on the Baltimore bridge. The one Howard Hughes built to pick up the Russian sub. Glomar Explorer time.
Kidding, although I bet that demolition superintendent is scratching his head on how to tear the press box down.
Kidding, although I bet that demolition superintendent is scratching his head on how to tear the press box down.
Decidedly not an engineer here, but… could they control demo it into the now-cleared area (basically east into what used to be the field area)?
Funny you should ask. I actually considered that after reading the comment that suggested the demo had slowed. It could be done, absolutely, but whether that is an advantage cost and time wise, I don't know. Plus any demolition with explosives, large vibrations and dust likely will incur the wrath of the neighbors and may not be allowed under the original permit. I don't know, in short. We'll see.
Was mostly asking because the cantilevered design might be able to control demo without explosives, at least in my non-engineer brain.
For the nerds in the crowd:
As I said earlier, the press box is basically hung by cables/beam from the top, running over the top of huge exterior columns (Concrete, I assume.) and then encased in the column to foundations that resist the uplift from the load of the press box. Tremendous tension forces on both sides of those columns. There are any number of ways/materials the cables could have been constructed but the basic forces are what they are. Kind of the equivalent of the strings of a guitar tightened to the max. Now cut those strings in the middle. Duck is all I can recommend. Somehow, the demolition needs to maintain balance in the loads as the press box is progressively demolished. I can speculate on some approaches but without knowing how the structure was constructed it would just be a wild guess.
Not the greatest explanation but I had fun with it.
As I said earlier, the press box is basically hung by cables/beam from the top, running over the top of huge exterior columns (Concrete, I assume.) and then encased in the column to foundations that resist the uplift from the load of the press box. Tremendous tension forces on both sides of those columns. There are any number of ways/materials the cables could have been constructed but the basic forces are what they are. Kind of the equivalent of the strings of a guitar tightened to the max. Now cut those strings in the middle. Duck is all I can recommend. Somehow, the demolition needs to maintain balance in the loads as the press box is progressively demolished. I can speculate on some approaches but without knowing how the structure was constructed it would just be a wild guess.
Not the greatest explanation but I had fun with it.
When I say explosives, I don't mean enormous charges, but point loads to enable simultaneous localized failure.
If somehow the cables/beams at the top of the exterior columns can be fixed with the ability to progressively release tension loads, then they could either progressively work on removing the press box or drop it all at once.
GCG, don't hold me to any of this stuff. Just speculating. Taking me back to my concrete structures days.
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Let’s stop farting around and just get some sharks with frickin laser beams to cut these cables! Is that asking too much?!!!
Let’s stop farting around and just get some sharks with frickin laser beams to cut these cables! Is that asking too much?!!!
Had to laugh. That discussion undoubtedly has occurred already. Hard hat guys are pretty smart but they know when just using brute force is the way to go. The "suits" tend to over think it, but that has its place also.
The photos today look like they are removing the stands below the press box.....
evanstonroundtable.com
Photos show Ryan Field demolition - Evanston RoundTable
Evanston resident Bob Rowley documents the demolition of Ryan Field through a series of photos. Check back regularly for updates.
evanstonroundtable.com
Ah, my former seats still stand!There hasn't been any more visible work on the press box. The roof has been removed, but the rest remains. They were working on the upper deck facade below the press box (the Wildcat Den area) this morning (first pic below is from yesterday).
Most of the remaining East side has been demolished. I would say about 10% of that side is left. The locker room/Randy Walker Terrace, the scoreboard, and the North goalposts have also been demolished. The South goalposts remain.
Rich (BB code):
Sounds like my ex from freshman year amirite
The latest update says they will bring in a crane to do exterior demolition of the press box.
There is a great overhead shot of what remains of the once proud Ryan Field.
There is a great overhead shot of what remains of the once proud Ryan Field.
OT: University of Kansas Construction
Thought these live webcam shots of the new stadium construction at KU would be interesting:
kugatewaydistrict.com
KU, for financial reasons, left maybe 40% of the existing stands in place. Their plan is to be complete for Fall, 2025, a full year earlier than NU. They had about a two month headstart on NU.
Thought these live webcam shots of the new stadium construction at KU would be interesting:
Live Cameras | The KU Gateway District
kugatewaydistrict.com
KU, for financial reasons, left maybe 40% of the existing stands in place. Their plan is to be complete for Fall, 2025, a full year earlier than NU. They had about a two month headstart on NU.
As of this morning the East stands have been completely demolished. They've been removing the upper deck below the press box and remaining non-load-bearing sections of the structure. My seats are finally gone [sniffle]. The press box and supporting structure will be Ryan Field's last stand.
Rich (BB code):
The Press Box is still slowly being dismantled. There's also been work preparing the site for construction of the new stadium. The football field and remaining goalpost are gone. The large tree outside the Southeast area of the stadium didn't make it either.
Rich (BB code):
Who got the goalpost???
Thanks for updateThe Press Box is still slowly being dismantled. There's also been work preparing the site for construction of the new stadium. The football field and remaining goalpost are gone. The large tree outside the Southeast area of the stadium didn't make it either.
Rich (BB code):
Gatabowl, you just had a great idea for a sculpture, permanent or temporary. A goal post partially sticking out of the waters of Lake Michigan. That would be GREAT marketing for the crowd at the temporary stadium. Just don't tell the Army Corps of Engineers. Very touchy about that sort of thing.
I think people are underestimating the footprint of the new stadium. It takes up the current space plus 1/2 the east lot or more.
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