On April 17, 2008, workers were busy clearing the site for the new Gwinnett Braves Stadium in Lawrenceville, Ga. On April 17, 2009, the stadium officially opened to a sold-out crowd. Fireworks, skydivers and giant inflatables greeted an enthusiastic community as the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves took on the Norfolk Tides.
Gwinnett Stadium is the largest of the minor league baseball stadiums opening this year, with a capacity of 10,427 fans, and was also designed and constructed the fastest, in just 14 months. While it never seemed an impossible challenge, the project did involve intensive planning, constant communication and hard decisions. That speed reflected close teamwork among the stakeholders Ð among them, Gwinnett County, Brand Properties, Gwinnett County's Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Braves, along with the design-build team of Barton Malow Company and HKS Architects.
The first Triple-A baseball stadium in Georgia, Gwinnett provides a family-friendly environment, with 22 luxury suites, a super suite, two party decks and lawn seating for 2,500 behind the left-center and right-center field walls, in addition to the 7,777 fixed seats.
Why design-build?
The Gwinnett Stadium project did not start out as design-build. The Gwinnett County Commissioners and the Convention Visitors Bureau of Gwinnett had a vision for their new ballpark project, but that vision did not specify the delivery method. However, they did specify a designer and a contractor with "horsepower," local resources and an efficient communication stream. They needed the project done as quickly as possible to accommodate the team moving from Richmond, Va., to Gwinnett County, Ga., between baseball seasons.
Contractor Barton Malow and architect HKS were chosen for their experience working together and for their local offices and extensive sports portfolios. After selection, it was determined that design-build was the most viable delivery option to meet the short timeframe. Therefore, Barton Malow and HKS entered into a formal design-build contractual relationship.
What's going on underground?
Topography and the presence of wetlands also challenged the design-build team when siting the project. Working together, Barton Malow and HKS determined the most viable options based on the site's current condition and the two orientations permitted by Major League Baseball (MLB) based on the direction in which home plate faces. To prepare the site, a "60-piece orchestra of equipment" spent days removing unsuitable soils, replacing soils, processing rock and setting the stage for future development. The final product was an underground stormwater detention facility, which, according to Barton Malow General Superintendent Forrest Brewer, could rival anything built before: The inlet structure includes 750,000 cubic feet of 12-foot-diameter corrugated piping.
The Gwinnett Stadium development, on 12 acres, is the nucleus of a 44-acre future mixed-use entertainment district in Lawrenceville. For this reason, specific attention was given to the future capacity of underground utilities. A major component was the reused water system; all stakeholders were involved throughout design and construction, as it was one of the first such systems in the county. Its scope is unusual, too, expanding beyond irrigation into plumbing fixtures, a "purple pipe" (conduit for reclaimed water) and signage located in the restrooms that indicates "non-potable water."
Design approach
Opening day 2009 drove design decisions for the project. From the onset of the design-build process, HKS determined that design solutions would not be considered unless they supported the schedule. In conjunction with structural engineer Bliss & Nyitray of West Palm Beach, Fla., HKS established a structural grid for the project in concert with Barton Malow, choosing cast-in-place concrete for the structure.
The steel-truss roof system and canopies had potential to hold up construction because of the long lead time for steel fabrication. To eliminate this problem, Barton Malow and HKS elected to order stock-length pieces of steel and fabricate on site. "This proved to be inventive and also saved the project money," said Barton Malow Senior Project Manager Doug Stelljes.
HKS accelerated bid packaging out by completing schematics, design and a portion of construction documents in just five months. In addition, the project was designed and produced using Revit, Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. HKS provided the virtual models to the trades so they could best visualize and plan their work; steel contractor SteelFab of Atlanta, Ga., worked directly with the structural grid to review steel connections and identify potential issues.
"We knew we had to do things differently," said HKS Principal-in-Charge Mark Hults, AIA. Barton Malow and HKS even worked closely on material selection to ensure not only schedule adherence but also constructability and simplified maintenance for the finished facility. One key selection was Hardiplank for the exterior cladding system. Hardiplank is made from recycled content and looks like wood siding. A series of materials were considered for the exterior cladding, including cedar plank and metal; however it was determined that the wear and tear caused by foul balls and on-going maintenance would burden those materials. Barton Malow's previous experience with Hardiplank combined with the sustainability of the product solidified the decision for the team.
Empowering subcontractors
By employing design-assist partners for major building systems, Barton Malow and HKS expedited the project schedule and avoided potential rework. Design-assist is a technique used during the design process to include trade contractors of major building systems to help make decisions of process and materials during the design phase of the project. One of the early partners was the MEP consulting engineers, Smith Seckman Reid from Nashville, Tenn. This firm worked hand-in-hand with subcontractors to design and coordinate mechanical and electrical systems, a strategy that resulted in optimal trade sequence and averted delays in late-project components, such as food service. Toward the end of a stadium project Ð in crunch time Ð an uncoordinated effort is expensive and would have cost time that Gwinnett did not have.
As design-assist subcontractor responsible for designing and installing the playing field, Precision Turf of Buford, Ga., was responsible for drainage piping, irrigation and sod. A water table four feet below the field made the selection of grass and sand key to ensure a properly draining field. Weighing information on subgrade elevations and MLB playing field requirements, Precision Turf, along with the Barton Malow/HKS team, chose a 2.5-inch cut sawgrass and organic root-zone system layered on top of round-cut sand. Just before opening day, severe rains put these choices to the test. Thirty minutes after the storm ended, the field was drained perfectly, thanks to Precision Turf's superior design.
Just how fast was construction?
This project's integrated design and construction schedule left little room for error as opening day was set in stone. Furthermore, the start and finish dates were established with minimal float.
From previous experience, Barton Malow understood that this type of ballpark typically takes 12 months, working a five-day, 10-hour-a-day work week. With a construction schedule of less than 10 months, special measures were taken to move the process along at what the Project Superintendent Forrest Brewer described as "ludicrous speed." Daily design meetings were held with HKS architect Matt Mitchell, RFIs were answered in a matter of hours instead of days, and the permitting process was expedited by stakeholders within Gwinnett County.
Close communication and ability of the project stakeholders and local authorities to direct their full attention to the project also helped to push the project toward completion. "It's great when the project owner understands the process and works with you to get it done," said Brewer. "Inspectors, county officials and owner representatives were all focused on doing what was needed to push the project forward. Without their support, this could not have happened."
Concerning schedule, the biggest unknown was the site study undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers (COE). This study was required because portions of the land were determined to be wetlands. Such studies can often take many months, and the results can radically change design. As the study progressed, Barton Malow and HKS came up with project-scenario alternatives based on COE findings and carefully planned sequencing and logistics to avoid any lulls in the process.
At project peak, there were 450 tradespeople on site; more than 1,500 went through orientation to work on the project. Most worked 10-hour days, six days a week, with the project site open 16 hours per day, seven days per week. This aggressive work schedule allowed the building envelope to be constructed in eight weeks.
"It is evident by the work-in-place quality of the project that the design and construction team collaborated successfully to deliver the Gwinnett Braves Stadium despite the fact that it was done at lightning speed," said Jason McFadden, Barton Malow project manager.
Successful collaboration pays off
The design-build team of Barton Malow and HKS completed the Gwinnett Braves Stadium project on time and within the project budget because of the many creative solutions, driven determination and complete collaboration of the entire project team.
"[Opening Day] marked a memorable occasion for the Braves organization and Gwinnett County," said Braves President John Schuerholz. "This world-class ballpark is an impressive place for baseball fans to experience the game and has made possible the return of one of the classic Triple-A franchises to its roots in Georgia."
About the author: Len Moser, vice president of National Sports for Barton Malow Company was project executive on Gwinnett Stadium, his 14th career sports project.