Pros & Cons - New Yankee Stadium and 70's renovation

[nymdan]

If your lucky enough to see an employee open up whatever door leads to it, you can see the original concourse and catwalks/steel beams of the original upperdeck; currently the upper deck is hollow and used as a storage area.

Where are these doors?

[Yoda]

If your lucky enough to see an employee open up whatever door leads to it, you can see the original concourse and catwalks/steel beams of the original upperdeck; currently the upper deck is hollow and used as a storage area.

That's interesting.

Why did they leave it there? Why not knock that down and make a wide concourse?



If they answer is in this thread just link me I guess, too many pages to flip through.


It'd be cool to see that old concourse though... It'd be like that show about secret passages on the history channel.

[Gehrig27]

A few people have mentioned the old upper concourse, and I believe somebody mentioned it's actually visible from some spots. Where is it visible from?

If your lucky enough to see an employee open up whatever door leads to it, you can see the original concourse and catwalks/steel beams of the original upperdeck; currently the upper deck is hollow and used as a storage area.

[kobathecat]

They would have to be blind not to "substantially recognize the structure."

Yankee Stadium was not landmarked for political reasons, not architectural ones.

(We're talking about New York City.)

They certainly could have landmarked the current Yankee Stadium, but that does not mean the Yankees had to remain there, and that is the problem. The City of New York owns Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees lease it. The Yankees could haven then turned around, and built Yankee Stadium II anywhere, including the Meadowlands (!!!) and the city would have been left with a tenant-less structure they could not then do anything to either to attract a new tenant or tear down!

[nymdan]

A few people have mentioned the old upper concourse, and I believe somebody mentioned it's actually visible from some spots. Where is it visible from?

[Manhattan]

New Yankee Stadium and 70's renovation

Couldn't agree more '73.

The renovated YS is nothing more than a homage to crappy '70s architecture.

The concourses are dark, dirty and cramped. The scoreboard hasn't changed since '76.

I sat in the bleachers 2 years ago and couldn't believe how outdated that area is.

Lastly, my good friend is an accountant for the Yankee organization. He has said numerous times that the fans should see "behind the scenes" to see how bad the current stadium is.

'09 can't come soon enough.

I will get Yankees tickets to a Yankees home at New Yankee Stadium. And I will take a tour of New Yankee Stadium.

[RutgersWhiteSoxFan]

Couldn't agree more '73.

The renovated YS is nothing more than a homage to crappy '70s architecture.

The concourses are dark, dirty and cramped. The scoreboard hasn't changed since '76.

I sat in the bleachers 2 years ago and couldn't believe how outdated that area is.

Lastly, my good friend is an accountant for the Yankee organization. He has said numerous times that the fans should see "behind the scenes" to see how bad the current stadium is.

'09 can't come soon enough.

[Yankees73]

You are probably right. I just don't like being called a liar. And that "substantially recognize" thing is just one of many hurdles, so again, you have a point. But once you start picking apart applications it doesn't take much to kill it. Especially if there aren't proponents on the board to help it along. And they were all, ahem, "influenced" shall we say, against landmarking the place. '23 also asked about a dormered cape. Automatically disqualified.

lets be realistic, the renovated stadium looks like an urban renewal piece of crap. I've been to the original Stadium and the renovation gave the place no justice. The new stadium actually pays homage and respect to what was once there. Perry Green, the architect who wrote up the plans did not take any historical account into the rebuild, Also, if it wasn't for cary grant convincing Steinbrenner on bringing back some form of the frieze, you wouldn't have had that either.

[DM23MVP]

Im going to show my lack of knowledge of ballparks but what the hey.

What is the 2nd row(under the upper deck and above the lower deck) pictured below? The concourse or the mezzanine?

Also what was done to the lower deck of old YS?

What was done to the 2nd row (middle deck)?

The second deck is the mezzanine, which for the most part still exists in the current stadium although a large portion of it is now the press box and luxury suites, including the owner's box.

[Swoboda4]

You mentioned that "The original Osborne detailing was removed"....When in fact it is still there today.

As for Landmark applications you mention "every application faces an uphill battle before being landmarked." It took Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 30 years to save Grand Central Station....And I would guess she had more Political prowess they I do....

Do you really think that NYC was going to grant Landmark status to Yankee Stadium when the land Yankee Stadium currently occupies is needed for a conversion to parkland to comply with the Community Benefits Agreement. This whole process began when Randy Levine was Deputy Mayor under Guilianni. He then negotiated the collective bargaining agreement with MLB which allows teams to deduct the costs of building a new stadium from revenue sharing...So MLB will be subsidizing the new ballpark. He then became the President of the New York Yankees. A orchestrated 10 year plan to get the Yankees a new Ballpark.....

So do you really think that Randy Levine and his croinies was going to allow Landmark status to get in the way of building a new palace for Steinbrenner.....

"You mentioned that "The original Osborne detailing was removed"....When in fact it is still there today."

ME: You are correct. To an extent. The exterior walls are original, as you correctly point out in your picture. The problems begin when you go to the gates. Those originals are gone, replaced with the spiral ramps/escalator banks. Then you have the removal of not only the frieze, but the far more interesting (to me) elaborate copper detailing at the ends of the upper deck.

Of course the deck was stacked against landmarking. I'm just making my points from a pure architectural review.

[Myankee4life]

Im going to show my lack of knowledge of ballparks but what the hey.

What is the 2nd row(under the upper deck and above the lower deck) pictured below? The concourse or the mezzanine?

Also what was done to the lower deck of old YS?

What was done to the 2nd row (middle deck)?

[YankeeStadium1923]

What if the Yankees are out of the playoff picture by the time they get to the last regular season home game versus the Orioles, and lose? That would be very anti-climactic too. With Posada and ARod on the DL, and Hughes and Kennedy looking terrible, that's a possibility.

It may be a long Summer.....From the interview with Cashman last night on the Post game, Hughes may be removed from the starting rotation....And now Boomer is talking about how the Yankees are saying Hughes doesn't like pitching at night....Always a load of excuses with the Yankess.....He had no problem last year and the end of the season and in the Playoffs...Night and all....

[curb my enthusiasm]

I don't know, its gotta be a Yankee game. They're gonna have all kinds of ceremonies, and then to have a hockey game after that? That'll be very anti-climatic. As far as the Rangers game goes, they should just wait and have it in the new stadium

What if the Yankees are out of the playoff picture by the time they get to the last regular season home game versus the Orioles, and lose? That would be very anti-climactic too. With Posada and ARod on the DL, and Hughes and Kennedy looking terrible, that's a possibility.

[YankeeStadium1923]

First of all, watch your language, and stop hyperventilating. No reason to throw around the word "lies". I am not lying. You may have a point about a deal being "orchestrated", but you don't understand Landmarks law. To repeat, I am a former Chairman of a local Landmarks Preservation Board (not NYC), so I know what I am talking about. Re-read my post. I am looking at YS as pure architectural specimen. One of the first tests a Board uses is the simple question of whether or not the original builders would substantially recognize the structure. It can be objectively proven that YS was drastically changed in 1973-4. Of course SOME characteristics remain, but not enough.

Your point, "Any building in NYC that is 30 years or older can qualify for Landmark status....So the renovated Yankee Stadium was eligible for Landmark status on April 15, 2006." is partially correct. It is eligible to submit an application for landmarking. Every building that applies is not automatically granted landmark status. Reality is very FEW applications are granted landmark status. It is designed to be stringent. So sure, YS could APPLY for landmarking, but it could not GET landmarked, because an insufficient percentage of the building is original. And that is not subject to emotional interpretation. As for the renovated 1975 stadium being landmarked, go ahead and apply. You'll need to argue that it is a fine example of 1970's architecture. As I have said on other posts, that would honestly be a fascinating application to write, but again, every application faces an uphill battle before being landmarked.

And what's with the "Mr. Met" comment? Did I bring up any Met/Yankee crap?
I think I am being pretty civil and courteous. I am actually showing an appreciation for Yankee history. Ease up, killer.

You mentioned that "The original Osborne detailing was removed"....When in fact it is still there today.

As for Landmark applications you mention "every application faces an uphill battle before being landmarked." It took Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 30 years to save Grand Central Station....And I would guess she had more Political prowess they I do....

Do you really think that NYC was going to grant Landmark status to Yankee Stadium when the land Yankee Stadium currently occupies is needed for a conversion to parkland to comply with the Community Benefits Agreement. This whole process began when Randy Levine was Deputy Mayor under Guilianni. He then negotiated the collective bargaining agreement with MLB which allows teams to deduct the costs of building a new stadium from revenue sharing...So MLB will be subsidizing the new ballpark. He then became the President of the New York Yankees. A orchestrated 10 year plan to get the Yankees a new Ballpark.....

So do you really think that Randy Levine and his croinies was going to allow Landmark status to get in the way of building a new palace for Steinbrenner.....

[MarcianoNY]

I'd like to see them close out Yankee Stadium in the winter with the Rangers crushing the Islanders.

I don't know, its gotta be a Yankee game. They're gonna have all kinds of ceremonies, and then to have a hockey game after that? That'll be very anti-climatic. As far as the Rangers game goes, they should just wait and have it in the new stadium