The City of Medford sold its semi-pro baseball field for the development of a Wal-Mart Super Center. With the proceeds from the sale it attempted to construct a new field and stadium on a different site. Unfortunately, the conventionally bid project became unfeasible when the bids for the work came in over double the available budget.
The project was shelved by the City. However, a group of local citizens took up the challenge to design and construct the stadium. The City agreed to construct the ball field, and the Task Force asked us to redesign the stadium to meet a budget that would be defined by the donations they received. We were tasked with developing a final plan, designed in such a way that parts could be constructed as donations flowed in, but the complex could adequately function without the constructing the entire project. The minimum requirements (in addition to the field which was constructed to the original design) were a press box, a concession stand space with adequate restrooms, ticket booths, dugouts and an entry plaza. Besides these elements, seating behind home plate and a backstop fence were all constructed in Phase One. Future phases included additional bleacher seating, more concourse space and concession stand equipment.
When Phase One of the project was complete, the stadium was turned over to the city for operations and management. We utilized maintenance free exterior materials for the buildings, simple shapes for the construction and the judicious use of chain link to give the complex an industrial chic feel. Because the buildings exist with minimal mechanical systems, durable materials were selected for their ability to withstand the rigors of the elements. The project has turned out to be immensely successful for the City of Medford, and the field is very popular and highly sought after for regional activities.