Jan
17
Lower deck removed from old Yankee Stadium
By
Tom Kaminski of WCBS 880 has done a good job of keeping us apprised of the latest in the destruction of Yankee Stadium. The above photo comes from his latest gallery. As you can see, the lower deck appears almost gone. Tom has some up close photos of the empty space where the lower deck used to be.
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this hurts
It’s ridiculous how long this is taking. I understand that it’s a densely populated area (unlike Shea) so it’s going to be done differently, but Shea went down in the off season of 08-09 and was already a parking lot by the time last season started.
Anyone know any of the specifics of why it’s taking so long? My guess would be issues between the Yanks and the city.
I was just in the area on Friday (Helping out a friend), and let me tell you, 161st St looks vastly different (And much better). The reasons why it is taking so much time is 1: This project has to be done right, otherwise all of the various interest groups will try to and perhaps succeed in stopping construction in the area (See Kingsbridge Armory). 2: They are adding a lot of stuff to this area: The Courthouse, The Gateway Mall, lots of new parkland, and Boricua University (In addition to the Stadium and the renovation of the Grand Concourse (The Lou Gehrig Pavillion looks better then ever)). In addition, they rezoned the ENTIRE Lower Grand Concourse area last year, so that stretches like the 16 block, square area stretching from the 145th St Bridge, to Hostos Community College (149th St), straight up the Grand Concourse to 161st will become a top flight living, shopping and working destination. After that, the Willis Ave Bridge will be finished (2012), and then the full renovation can begin.
Every time we get one of these photo updates I feel very sad.
Another factor in the length of the process was the fastidious DISASSEMBLY of everything that could be sold as memorabilia.
I understand your explanation Januz, and your reply taught me a lot of facts about the area that I was not aware of. But . . . I still don’t understand why, at this point, they can’t use a wrecking ball to take down the rest of the Stadium in a few weeks. Are interest groups really going to cause problems if there is a little noise and dust for a few weeks (or even a month)from a wrecking ball process?
I feel like there is still something missing here in terms of the explanation.
Believe it or not interest groups are able to do more damage than people realize. One obvious example is constant lawsuits that delay projects from being completed on time. I think of Atlantic Yards, where a group called “Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn” has had over THIRTY lawsuits over the years, has NOT one even ONE case, but neverless, almost stopped it dead in its tracks. If not for a bond sale decision that was specific to Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and Atlantic Yards, they would have won, despite being wrong when it comes to the legal issues.
What is being done with Yankee Stadium, is very different than Shea, or earlier Stadiums such as Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds: Yankee Stadium will be used for Little League Baseball and other things. http://www.nycgovparks.org. What happened with the Polo Grounds was the creation of some of the WORST projects in this city, instead of valuable land, being used for the benefit of the local community. Speaking of Willets Point, the Mets and Citi Field, the entire area around that Stadium is a disaster area, that reminds me of a third world country (And has been that way for decades (Including the fact there is no SEWER SYSTEM at Willets Point. Both the businesses and various City Goverments have spent over 40 years blaming the other for this)).
The cases of Atlantic Yards, Polo Grounds, and Citi Field are prime reasons why I would rather have things done right, then rushed into possible mistakes.
You would think there would be some interest group pushing the Yankees to bring down the Stadium faster so that they can have there confiscated park lands back.
The sad thing about this is the SAME groups who opposed The New Yankee Stadium such as “Save Our Parks” are the ones who are complaining about the speed of the deconstruction of the Stadium. You hear a lot about this because it involves the Yankees. and you basically need to be a Monk in Tibet not to have heard the term “New York Yankees”. This project is a year behind schedule. By comparison, EAST RIVER PARK (By my house), is a FULL SIX YEARS behind schedule, and very few people, even in the local community are aware of this. This project is expected to be completed in 2014 (They are shutting down a local skateboard ramp under the Brooklyn Bridge this month, to do construction on the final piece of the park, which will stretch from the Montgomery St entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge).
But i imagine that all of that construction is being done by different companies/groups of people. That shouldn’t slow down the Yankees.
Shea was brought down with a wrecking ball because it is in the middle of a swamp surrounded by chop shops. Yankee Stadium is in a densely populated area and is being disassembled. Destroying something takes a hell of a lot less time than disassembling something.
1. Can’t do this in a heavily populated urban area, especially when it’s adjacent to two subway lines.
2. They’re being careful because they’re going to try and sell everything imaginable as memorabilia.
3. That place is dangerous, yo. The upper deck is a gigantic overhand (cantilever, technically [/nerd]), and they can’t just go in a smash it apart.
I hear what you are saying. But it still seems to be taking much longer than it should.
I understand the delays due to saving memorabilia on which the Yankees/Steiner will make a huge profit after swindling (or should I say out-negotiating) New York City into accepting only $11 million for the exclusive rights to sell everything in the Stadium. But is there really anything left to sell that hasn’t already been removed?
Not being able to dynamite the place, like we see with so many old Las Vegas casinos (although the videos I’ve seen seem to show that nothing leaves the perimeter of the property despite the massive instant destruction), makes sense given close proximity to rails and other structures.
The video you show of Shea Stadium only reinforces my thought that the same thing could be done with Yankees Stadium (even with the cantilever structure of the upper deck).
But I am an uninformed, outside observer, so I can’t back up my feeling that it could go faster with any knowledge or expertise in this area.
It just seems like there should be acceptable methods that could be used within the constraints of the property and adjacent structures to make the process proceed faster than a snail’s pace.
Bye bye lower deck
Fuck New Yankee Stadium.
Nahhh, I actually prefer the new park to the old. And I LOVE the old park. I’ve been attending games since when I was a kid in the 1970′s. I just really enjoyed the total game-going experience at the new Stadium more than when I went to the old place. Sorry to blaspheme, but that’s how I feel. And besides, anywhere the Yankees call home is the greatest place in sports. Period.
Seriously, fuck New Yankee Stadium.
Sorry guys but I still hate seeing these images. I didn’t get a chance to go to a game last year, being from Syracuse and all, but just seeing the new stadium on YES makes me not want to go. Why does every stadium have to become a fuckin mall with a baseball game going on? It seems like thats all YS3 is, great shopping, 5 star restaurants, and oh yeah by the way the yankees are playing in case you’re interested. I like the traditional stadiums, seats that hurt your ass, manual scoreboards, and just watching the game. Why can’t these new stadiums just build great ballparks…why do we need mall of america at every new stadium that’s built?
+1000000000000000
just curious, where were there manual scoreboards in YS2?
Just another piece of the past going into history.
Lucky there it technology now to have moving and still pictures to hold onto into the future.