Projects: Athletic Complexes
Red Bull Arena (MLS)
Harrison, NJ
Red Bull Arena is the brand new home of the New York Red Bulls Major League Soccer Team (MLS), a soccer-specific stadium, with a capacity of 25,000.
At more than $200 million, this is the most expensive soccer stadium ever built. It sits alongside the Passaic River with a view of the Newark, New Jersey skyline to the west, and New York City and Jersey City further off in a distance to the east.
A key to the arena design is its dynamic form roof, a curving structure that wraps the entire stadium in an elegant metal shell. It also features 60 feet of fully translucent roof that will cover all of the seats in the stadium letting natural light in but not the field. It is also expected to amplify the sound of the home crowd.
For the town of Harrison, NJ and its 15,000 residents, Red Bull Arena is the centerpiece of a 250-acre riverfront revitalization effort 12 years in the making. The arena was first discussed a decade ago and scheduled to open in 2008, but construction was delayed by the extensive cleanup required at the former industrial site, which included a pipe factory, and again by the need for a redesign after Red Bull GmbH bought out its partner in and turned the arena into a soccer-only venue.
Construction began in December 2007. Red Bull Arena was contracted to New Jersey-based Hunter Roberts Construction Group, and they hired Let It Grow, Inc. to do site work and landscaping of the stadium. The scope of work included a large amount of concrete work, excavation, grading, flatwork, and a major landscape installation.
Initially we started by excavating the site and clearing it of old concrete and debris. We then poured the CMU Wall Masonry Pilaster Foundation Footings. Heavy duty concrete with reinforcements was installed in the back of the stadium to support the trucking and loading areas of the stadium.
We poured and formed all the concrete sidewalks, walkways and the plaza areas outside the stadium, footings for the exterior stadium doorways, the entrance turnstiles, handrail and bollard footings, as well as bench pads. Our crews also did the flatwork as well. In addition, we installed site furnishings such as flagpoles & footings for them, the steel bollards, trash receptacles, bike racks, and benches.
With the hardscape phase completed successfully, Let It Grow, Inc. began the next phase of the project which entailed the full landscaping of the site. Let It Grow handled all island and parking lot excavation, grade, topsoil, hardwood and stone mulch, and plant material installation. A variety of shrubs, grasses, flowers, trees and bushes were installed in planters, perimeters, walkways, and grass areas throughout the site. We also put in trees and tree grates, and installed sod in designated lawn areas to finish the design.
The new stadium opened in the spring of 2010.
At more than $200 million, this is the most expensive soccer stadium ever built. It sits alongside the Passaic River with a view of the Newark, New Jersey skyline to the west, and New York City and Jersey City further off in a distance to the east.
