July 18, 2008
The renovations at Duffy Bass Field got under way Tuesday, July 15, starting with demolition of the bleachers, press box and dugouts. The crew from McCoy Construction is working quickly to prepare the area for a new grandstand and concourse.
The $3 million construction plans include chair-back seating for 1,000 spectators, ticket booths, an open concourse with concession stands, new restrooms and a state-of-the-art press box facility.
No changes will be made to the award-winning surface of the field, and construction is slated to be finished around the opening of the 2009 season.
"This has been a long-time coming for everyone who has been involved with Redbird baseball over the years," Illinois State Director of Athletics Dr. Sheahon Zenger said prior to the groundbreaking in May. "When I first arrived at Illinois State, I earmarked a number of facilities that needed to be addressed as part of the Redbird Renaissance vision. The baseball stadium was included in that piece, and I would like to publicly thank everyone, especially the leadership of president Al Bowman, Judge (Michael) McCuskey and state representative Jay Hoffman, that played a role in making this day a reality."
Keep up with the progress of the stadium renovation at GoRedbirds.com. Check back frequently for photo gallery updates, access to a construction Web cam and look for stadium progress animations in the coming months.
BASEBALL STADIUM RENOVATION AT-A-GLANCE
Construction Costs: $3,200,000
Expected Completion: Spring 2009
Contractor: McCoy Construction
Architect: Browning Day Mullins Dierdorff Architects (BDMD)
Expected Capacity: 1,200 with 1,000 chair-back seats
Amenities Added: Restrooms, Concession Stands, Ticket Windows
Amenities Upgraded: Dugouts and Press Box
Field Dimensions (same):
Left Field - 330 feet
Left-Center Field - 375 feet
Center Field - 400 feet
Right-Center Field - 375 feet
Right Field - 330 feet
BASEBALL STADIUM RENOVATION PHOTO GALLERIES
 Construction Photos 8-6-08 |
Construction Photos 7-29-08
Construction Photos 7-24-08
Construction Photos 7-23-08
Construction Photos 7-18-08
Construction Photos 7-16-08
