New Yankee Stadium Pics

[Toy Boat]

Here's a link to pictures of the new Yankee Stadium to be ready for 2009: http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-ystad-pg,0,1139751.photogallery?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005&index=1

I wonder what everyone's thoughts are. Personally, I think the exterior looks great, but the seats - especially the upper deck - look too far from the action. It kinda reminds me of the new Comiskey in that aspect.

[meatface]

IMO it looks too much like the current Yankee stadium. I kinda hoped it would be something fresh and new. It looks kinda boring. Ever since Camden Yards, teams are trying to create old-style ball parks. That's obviously what they were going for with the exterior, and in a way they nailed it, but the interior still looks like an 80's style boring ballpark with a ton of seats.

[ElHalo]

They specifically designed the interior to mimic the interior of the current stadium, which I guess isn't a bad homage.

My problem is a huge one with the stadium, though.... where's the wrought iron "fence" facade around the light towers? That key aspect of the original park should automatically be a part of the new park, but I don't see the facade anywhere in the new pics.

[Toy Boat]

I couldn't spot the facade either, but I read in articles that the stadium would have it. Maybe they decided to add it after the pictures were drawn? :noidea

[efin98]

It looks like they are there (http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-ystad-pg,0,1139751.photogallery?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005&index=5), just not as prominent as they are now...

Another shot (http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-ystad-pg,0,1139751.photogallery?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005&index=7)

[Elvis]

They specifically designed the interior to mimic the interior of the current stadium, which I guess isn't a bad homage.

My problem is a huge one with the stadium, though.... where's the wrought iron "fence" facade around the light towers? That key aspect of the original park should automatically be a part of the new park, but I don't see the facade anywhere in the new pics.

The "facade" or frieze, will be much smaller than the original and made of a "translucent" material, not copper as was the original. :eek:

I don't see the "mimic" of Yankee Stadium in the models. It looks like Turner Field or US Cellular IMO. The outfield dimensions are the same, but not the profile behind home plate or down the lines.

The Upper deck is much farther away from the diamond than in the current stadium. This is the current trend of ballpark design for whatever reason. :mad:

[rxpro]

As a kid growing up in the Bronx, I have mixed feelings...the exterior looks great, just like the old stadium, but whose brilliant idea is it to downplay the facade...it needs to be just as prominent as the original...as it was the most recognizable feature.....and the modern roof design (from the outside) looks cheesy with regard to the classy limestone of the outside....and you are right...the fact that there are more lower level seats are great...but the upper deck seats should be right above the playing surface ...as it is today.

Just a note about the stadium falling apart a few years back....when I was about 15 (march of 76) I was allowed into the sadium as they were finishing the consruction...I noted that as they were installing the blue panels that line the middle deck today...they were being installed directly on top of the old white deck of the old stadium...so the middle deck is 80 years old...gee no wonder why it fell down....as I recall the last 12 rows of the upper deck were new...as they tore off the old roof...but the rest of the upper deck is the original..also 80 years old

[west coast orange and black]

...The Upper deck is much farther away from the diamond than in the current stadium. This is the current trend of ballpark design for whatever reason. :mad:in order to give sunshine to the fans and to eliminate grandstand posts, upper decks hafta be pushed back a bit. otherwise the seating would go straight up.

[Elvis]

... and to eliminate grandstand posts, upper decks hafta be pushed back a bit. otherwise the seating would go straight up.

Actually, Yankee Stadium HAS NO grandstand posts.

[Elvis]

"Here's what I think is wrong with this new ballpark -- but it is the same thing that is wrong with ALL the new ballparks ...

"I understand that owners want luxury boxes and Yankee Stadium has (I believe) only 12. And building 150 or so luxury boxes will steal cheap seats (the kind I sit in.) But worse, today's architects seem to think that lower deck seats are somehow preferable to upper deck seats. In the present Yankee Stadium there are ~ 20,000 lower deck seats and ~30,000 in the upper deck (plus ~7,000 in the mezzanine.) The plan for the new park reverses that. Any real fan would prefer to see the whole game from upstairs.

"Worse, when Yankee Stadium was renovated in 1974-75 great expense was gone to to, yes, remove the infamous "poles", but also to preserve the extreme cantilever of the upper deck over the lower, so upper deck fans were amazingly close to the action. This was accomplished by the use of cables buried in the concrete and anchored into the ground. The only other ballpark that I know of that used the same cable arrangement was DC Stadium -- another park with VERY close upper deck seating in the infield (despite its concrete cylinder form.)

"Sit downstairs in the first few rows and look at the upper deck in the Stadium. It seems to be right on top of the lower deck and going straight up. National League teams coming into the Stadium actually marvel at how close the screaming-banshee Yankee fans are to the action.

'But the cabled cantilever design is expensive -- much too expensive to waste on the "cheap seats". So they build luxury boxes instead and move you and me to a seat in a different zip code. For all its architecural excellence, even a place like Camden Yards gives the back of its hand to the peons upstairs.

"As far as the "history" ... well ... except for the relationship of the stands to the field, which is pretty much the same in the 1976 Stadium as it was in 1923, most of the character of the old ballpark was obliterated when it was remodeled 30 years ago. A fake plastic "facade" tacked on in the outfield just isn't the same as the green copper adornment to the old park's roof.

"Even if you want to make the case that Gary Sheffield plays on the same patch of ground as the Babe (I think I wanna be sick) you have to allow for the 10 feet deeper the '76 park's field is into the earth than the original.

"The new park will recreate the 1923 exterior (although it will actually be a "false-front") and take a stab at recreating the so-called "facade" around the roof. (When Mantle hit the facade off Fisher in, what was it, '64?, he referred to it as the "FACARD".) And, maybe best of all, the plans call for preserving the playing field and part of the lower deck of the present Stadium for amateur games.

"So, all in all, as desecrations go it could be a lot worse."

From Andrew Clem

[It's Over The Wall!]

800 million wow :radio

[MontCobaseball]

I heard that the "old field" would be used for high school and youth league games. Does that mean that they are going to tear down the grandstands and keep the "field" or keep the whole thing standing? I can't imagine that they would leave a 75,000 seat stadium standing for high school games.

[west coast orange and black]

Actually, Yankee Stadium HAS NO grandstand posts.ok. yer right.
how 'bout this: in order to give sunshine to the fans and/or to eliminate grandstand posts, upper decks hafta be pushed back a bit. otherwise the seating would go straight up.
thanx, for the pic and the proof, elvis

[64Cards]

I just hope they call it "Yankee Stadium" and not sell naming rights, so we would end up with "Yahoo Yankee Stadium"

[ElHalo]

ok. yer right.
how 'bout this: in order to give sunshine to the fans and/or to eliminate grandstand posts, upper decks hafta be pushed back a bit. otherwise the seating would go straight up.
thanx, for the pic and the proof, elvis

This is a HUGE shame though.

So because lower deck fans have to get sunshine, us people up in the upper deck (I've never once in my life sat anywhere but the upper deck at a baseball game) have be pushed ten miles back from the action? The upper deck is SUPPOSED TO cantilever out over the lower deck. The lower fans have a close up view of the field; who cares if they get sunshine?

[Gmax]

in order to give sunshine to the fansWho wants sunshine? Let the field be in sunshine; I want to sit in the shade. I don't care to have the hot sun beating down on me all afternoon.

All of the older ballparks (like Wigley and old Comisky) had the first base line running east-west with first base being east of home plate. This was done so that most fans would not be sitting in the sun. The bleachers were aptly named; those fans were bleached by the sun.

Click below for a satellite shot of Wrigley Field. North is Up. Notice how the fans would be in the shade during afternoon games. (The State Street elevated train runs along the right boarder of the photo. The east-west street is Addison, the diagonal street is Clark St.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chicago&ll=41.94715468105798,-87.65614628791809&spn=0.005793571472167969,0.005697011947631836&t=k&hl=en

If you click on the above link, you can use the directional arrows in the upper left of the photo to move around Chicago. Go down one photo and you'll see the Ravenswood elevated diverging off from the State Street el and heading west. Lake Michigan is a few clicks to the right.

[Elvis]

Found this interesting response to some who were saying that the current Yankee Stadium is basically not the same stadium of Ruth, Mantle etc., because it was torn down and rebuilt from the ground up in 1975-76- which isn't at all true.



From SparkyLyle on the Yankees official board:

"You, and many others, are SOOOOO wrong when you say that the original Stadium was torn down and completely rebuilt.

I have blueprints from the renovation and it is amazing how much of the original Stadium remains (which is why the concourses and ramps are so small and the sight-lines are not perfect).

Here's a summary of the renovation:

1) The original roof, lights and facade are removed (without the supporting columns, there was no way to hold them up)

2) An additional ~15 rows were added to the upper deck (the lower 2/3's of the upper deck is ORIGINAL). This was done to cantelever the deck.

3) New supporting columns were added about 20 feet into the seating area. These columns go from the Stadium's foundation thru the lower deck and the Loge to under the upper deck. The actual steel columns are wrapped in concrete. They are inside the concrete "bump-outs" that you can see on the interior wall at the back of the lower deck and the Loge levels. They have the section numbers painted on them.

4) A new concourse level was added to access the expanded upper deck and to aid in holding up the upper deck once the seating area supports were removed.

5) The remaining seating area supporting columns could now be removed.

6) Escalator towers were added.

7) The front section of the lower deck was removed and rebuilt with a stronger pitch.

8) The front section of the leftfield bleachers (which used to be wider than the rightfield bleachers) was removed to provide room for the bullpens and Monument Park.

9) Several sections of the leftfield bleachers were removed to make room for the loading dock.

10) The new scoreboard and facade were added above the bleachers.

The exterior walls are original. The corridors and ramps are original. Most of the seating area is original. About 65% of the Stadium is ORIGINAL, including the overall shape. When Mantle hit a HR into the uppder deck, it's the SAME upper deck (the Babe never hit an UD HR since that section wasn't added until the late '30's). Maris' 60th went into the same short porch that you can sit in now. THAT'S why Yankee Stadium should be preserved."

[Bluesteve32]

Who wants sunshine? Let the field be in sunshine; I want to sit in the shade. I don't care to have the hot sun beating down on me all afternoon.

All of the older ballparks (like Wigley and old Comisky) had the first base line running east-west with first base being east of home plate. This was done so that most fans would not be sitting in the sun. The bleachers were aptly named; those fans were bleached by the sun.

Click below for a satellite shot of Wrigley Field. North is Up. Notice how the fans would be in the shade during afternoon games. (The State Street elevated train runs along the right boarder of the photo. The east-west street is Addison, the diagonal street is Clark St.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chicago&ll=41.94715468105798,-87.65614628791809&spn=0.005793571472167969,0.005697011947631836&t=k&hl=en

If you click on the above link, you can use the directional arrows in the upper left of the photo to move around Chicago. Go down one photo and you'll see the Ravenswood elevated diverging off from the State Street el and heading west. Lake Michigan is a few clicks to the right.

You realize the rule book does reccommend that homeplate-second base be in a ENE direction? 1.04 third paragraph:

"It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East Northeast. "

[Gmax]

You realize the rule book does reccommend that homeplate-second base be in a ENE direction? 1.04 third paragraph:

"It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East Northeast. "Well, the rule book may recommend it, but many of the new ballparks do not follow that recommendation. Here is a photo of the "The Cell," the new home of the Chicago White Sox. North is Up. Homeplate-second base faces SE. The fans on the third base side face the sun in the afternoon. (Note where the shadow of the upper deck falls on the north side of the park.) Old Comisky was orientated like Wrigley. I bet Fenway Park is too.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chicago&ll=41.83070455323578,-87.63335824012756&spn=0.005793571472167969,0.005697011947631836&t=k&hl=en

[westsidegrounds]

in order to give sunshine to the fans
<...>,
upper decks hafta be pushed back a bit. <...>


mmm. cause they play so many day games any more ...

[Gmax]

cause they play so many day games any more ...On weekends they do play mostly day games. 14 out of 15 games played today, a Sunday, were day games. As Yogi would say: "you could look it up."

[rxpro]

Found this interesting response to some who were saying that the current Yankee Stadium is basically not the same stadium of Ruth, Mantle etc., because it was torn down and rebuilt from the ground up in 1975-76- which isn't at all true.



From SparkyLyle on the Yankees official board:

"You, and many others, are SOOOOO wrong when you say that the original Stadium was torn down and completely rebuilt.

I have blueprints from the renovation and it is amazing how much of the original Stadium remains (which is why the concourses and ramps are so small and the sight-lines are not perfect).

Here's a summary of the renovation:

1) The original roof, lights and facade are removed (without the supporting columns, there was no way to hold them up)

2) An additional ~15 rows were added to the upper deck (the lower 2/3's of the upper deck is ORIGINAL). This was done to cantelever the deck.

3) New supporting columns were added about 20 feet into the seating area. These columns go from the Stadium's foundation thru the lower deck and the Loge to under the upper deck. The actual steel columns are wrapped in concrete. They are inside the concrete "bump-outs" that you can see on the interior wall at the back of the lower deck and the Loge levels. They have the section numbers painted on them.

4) A new concourse level was added to access the expanded upper deck and to aid in holding up the upper deck once the seating area supports were removed.

5) The remaining seating area supporting columns could now be removed.

6) Escalator towers were added.

7) The front section of the lower deck was removed and rebuilt with a stronger pitch.

8) The front section of the leftfield bleachers (which used to be wider than the rightfield bleachers) was removed to provide room for the bullpens and Monument Park.

9) Several sections of the leftfield bleachers were removed to make room for the loading dock.

10) The new scoreboard and facade were added above the bleachers.

The exterior walls are original. The corridors and ramps are original. Most of the seating area is original. About 65% of the Stadium is ORIGINAL, including the overall shape. When Mantle hit a HR into the uppder deck, it's the SAME upper deck (the Babe never hit an UD HR since that section wasn't added until the late '30's). Maris' 60th went into the same short porch that you can sit in now. THAT'S why Yankee Stadium should be preserved."

...thats right....see my post above...the very reason why it must be torn down....65 percent of it is 82 years old!!...but they should make the roof and facade look more like the original

[rxpro]

I heard that the "old field" would be used for high school and youth league games. Does that mean that they are going to tear down the grandstands and keep the "field" or keep the whole thing standing? I can't imagine that they would leave a 75,000 seat stadium standing for high school games.

the playing field and a small portion of the lower deck...it willbe turned into a youth/high school playing field

[rxpro]

I just hope they call it "Yankee Stadium" and not sell naming rights, so we would end up with "Yahoo Yankee Stadium"

its Yankee Stadium at Best Buy Blvd...or Cingulair Circle

[rxpro]

This is a HUGE shame though.

So because lower deck fans have to get sunshine, us people up in the upper deck (I've never once in my life sat anywhere but the upper deck at a baseball game) have be pushed ten miles back from the action? The upper deck is SUPPOSED TO cantilever out over the lower deck. The lower fans have a close up view of the field; who cares if they get sunshine?

more lower deck seats means more seats for the highest ticket prices...who gives a crap about the pions who sit in the upper deck or, for that matter, the bleachers!...did you notice how far back the first rows of the bleachers are behind the fences???

SAD!

[MontCobaseball]

=rxpro]the playing field and a small portion of the lower deck...it willbe turned into a youth/high school playing field.


Wow. They will need the National Guard to keep the people away from the demolition site.

[Gmax]

"Here's what I think is wrong with this new ballpark -- but it is the same thing that is wrong with ALL the new ballparks ...
...but the cabled cantilever design is expensive -- much too expensive to waste on the "cheap seats". So they build luxury boxes instead and move you and me to a seat in a different zip code. For all its architecural excellence, even a place like Camden Yards gives the back of its hand to the peons upstairs.I agree....us people up in the upper deck (I've never once in my life sat anywhere but the upper deck at a baseball game) have be pushed ten miles back from the action? The upper deck is SUPPOSED TO cantilever out over the lower deck...Agree again....more lower deck seats means more seats for the highest ticket prices...who gives a crap about the pions who sit in the upper deck or, for that matter, the bleachers!...And agree once more. Three excellent posts. There is much more social stratification at the new ballparks than in the past. Perhaps ballpark design is imitating life in present day America.

[BasEbaLlKnoItAll]

[QUOTE=ElHalo]but I don't see the facade anywhere in the new pics./QUOTE]


you gotta look closely under the lights, its small in the drawings

[BasEbaLlKnoItAll]

i love the new stadium...i remember when YES aired the press conference i was glued to the TV (even though they had every NY politician on the face of the earth there)....it looks amazing, i especially like the "Yankee Club" replacing the "black seats" behind monument park...i hope in the end they have the facade go all the way around, like the old stadium (which is already planned) plus around the outfield like it is now...it would be something to comemorate both Yankee stadium prior to and following the renovation.

I was originalyl against tearing the current stadium down, i wanted them to keep it up as a museum of some sort, but when they talked about all the things theyre going to do with the land that the current stadium i liked they're idea...plus the field will still be there and the people will be able to walk on it as MontCobaseball said, they will keep it a regulation size field for youth/high school baseball...im sure it wont be limited to youth and college though.

I cant wait until 2009, but will be sad to see the current stadium go

[voodoochile]

On weekends they do play mostly day games. 14 out of 15 games played today, a Sunday, were day games. As Yogi would say: "you could look it up."


Casey Stengel said "You could look it up." Yogi said (concerning the shadows that fall on the Yankee Stadium outfield) "It gets late out here early."

[voodoochile]

Here's a link to pictures of the new Yankee Stadium to be ready for 2009: http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-ystad-pg,0,1139751.photogallery?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005&index=1

I wonder what everyone's thoughts are. Personally, I think the exterior looks great, but the seats - especially the upper deck - look too far from the action. It kinda reminds me of the new Comiskey in that aspect.

I'll tell you what my thoughts are. I could care less what the place looks like. The moment that a wrecking ball slaps the side of Yankee Stadium, I hope the ghost of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mantle & Maris shoot fireballs at the new joint.

[Elysian Fields]

this is going to be one of the worst new stadiums built. it will be "nicer" or "fresher" than the current yankee stadium, but looks like it misses the charm and beauty of some of the newer stadiums.

[Elysian Fields]

I'll tell you what my thoughts are. I could care less what the place looks like. The moment that a wrecking ball slaps the side of Yankee Stadium, I hope the ghost of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mantle & Maris shoot fireballs at the new joint.

i'm with you here.

[redbuck]

It's a sad day when even the self-inflated Yankees can't buck the retro trend.

[riverfrontier]

I think the whole idea is completely unnecessary. The Yankees don't even need a new park. Oh, I forgot, the older concourses aren't wide enough. I guess they do need an 800 million dollar place after all.

[Elysian Fields]

I agree.Agree again.And agree once more. Three excellent posts. There is much more social stratification at the new ballparks than in the past. Perhaps ballpark design is imitating life in present day America.

All the old parks were similarly priced. Even the old wooden stadiums had luxury boxes for the affluent. If you were working class you stood in the outfield or climbed up on the fence or stood out on a place like Coogan's Bluff over looking the Polo Grounds to watch the game. A lot of people were actually priced out of games, at least the important ones (see Autumn Glory which covers the 1903 World Series).

America was just as 'stratified' back in the day.

[TJH1923]

An example of being on top of the action. I am disappointed at the prospect of the upper deck being pushed back from the field.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Wow!! You really are right on top of it! I never knew that it was that close. That is a great place to watch a game. Second of all, I like in the 3rd picture the open thing at the top of the stairs.

Its behind home plate. It looks nice...

[redbuck]

The lines are at such an angle tho. There are seats where you have to turn your head to the right or left to see home plate.

[Elvis]

Here's another example of Yankee Stadium, and of why new HOK ballparks suck, because they don't believe in upper decks with good sightlines like this anymore. :hp Sad to say, but when they blow up Yankee Stadium in a few years, it will mean the end of the ballparks with great upper deck seats forever. :ughh

[Ludeboy]

Generic!!!!

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Wow, thats really something. I have to get down to Yankee Stadium for a game before they tear that thing down. How would you Yankee fans recommend getting tickets, parking etc...

[bgummy]

While I am looking forward to going to the new place, I am going to get my kids down to the present location so that they can say that they're been there. I'm hoping this summer, sometime....

[Red Sox Rule]

When are they plannig on tearing it down as i quite fancied visiting yankee stadium so i might haveto make a trip over.