Construction on Husky Stadium Begins

The rain and wind did not dampen the spirits of those gathered at the groundbreaking ceremony for Husky Stadium on Monday, November 7th. The short program included speeches by Michael Young, President of the University of Washington, Steve Sarkisian, Head Football Coach, and Greg Johnson, President of Wright Runstad & Company, the developer for the project. A Stadium Proclamation was read by Councilmember Bruce Harrell.

After almost two years of selection process, permitting, and design for the new stadium, the groundbreaking starts the clock on a 22 month construction timeline with completion of the project in time for the Husky 2013 football season.

The project includes removing the track, lowering the field by four feet, adding Luxury Suites, Patio Suites, and Club seats, plus additional elevators. A new 70,000 square foot Operations Building with coaches’ offices, locker rooms, weight room, and recruiting lounge are part of the west side design, along with a new Sports Medicine Clinic underneath the south stands. Additional parking is also incorporated into the design.

The project team consists of Wright Runstad & Company, developer; 360 Architecture, architect; Turner Construction Company, contractor; and a great roster of local consultants and subcontractors.

Wright Runstad & Company Participates in Seattle 2030 District

Wright Runstad & Company is one of the initial participants in the Seattle 2030 District, a public-private partnership working to create an energy-efficient building district in downtown Seattle (http://www.2030district.org). Launched in early September 2011, with close to 50 members representing more than 100 commercial buildings in downtown Seattle and South Lake Union, Seattle 2030 District is committed to a carbon-neutral, high performance building district in Seattle by 2030. This would encompass both new buildings and major renovations to existing buildings. 1201 Third Avenue is one of the first case studies included on the 2030 District website (please click here to see the case study).

For existing buildings, goals include reducing energy use and water use by at least 10 percent below the national average by 2015 and at least 50 percent by 2030. For new buildings and major renovations, the goal is to immediately reduce energy use to 60 percent below the national average, reaching carbon neutrality by 2030, and reduce water use to half the current district average.

Wright Runstad & Company is well poised to participate in Seattle 2030 District. The company’s established and effective program, Energy & Environmental Stewardship, is focused on developing strategies to reduce energy consumption and increase sustainable practices while maintaining the quality of service we are known for delivering to our tenants. Established practices include use of green cleaning products and procedures, composting, battery, glass and metal recycling, and low impact pest control and fertilizers. Innovative approaches to resource conservation include utilizing rainwater to flush toilets or irrigate plantings, installing green roofs, designing a rain and storm water reclamations system for cooling tower use, and installing electric car charging centers.

Wright Runstad & Company’s leadership in sustainable development and operations has resulted in over 4 million square feet of developed and/or managed space that is LEED certified or pending certification. Nine buildings in the management portfolio have achieved an Energy Star rating of 75 or higher, indicating they are among the top 25% of facilities in the country for energy performance as certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Dawgs Digest Husky Stadium Story

After serving as a beacon of Husky athletics for nearly a century, Husky Stadium will finally get the attention it has so long deserved. Over the course of the next 24 months, one of the most unique venues in the college football landscape will undergo its most complete overhaul in its 91-year history.

In addition to significant structural improvements that will ensure Husky Stadium can continue making memories for Husky fans for decades to come, the track will be removed, the field will be lowered and a new lower bowl will be constructed to place all seats closer to the action. The old 1950’s south deck will be torn down and replaced with a new south structure that will include premium seating options including 25 luxury suites, a limited number of patio suites and Club Husky, which accommodates 2,500 fans.

A new website, HuskyStadium.com, is launching in August to give fans the chance to take a virtual tour of the new seating areas to sample the views and amenities of each, and to compare pricing and availability. It’s all part of a $250 million renovation that, when completed, will put Husky Stadium back into its rightful place as one of the premier college sports venues in the country.

All fans will appreciate things like improved sightlines and proximity to the field, upgraded restrooms and concessions, and state-of-the-art sound and video implementation.

"Husky Stadium is one of the most unique settings in college athletics. Preserving its traditional look with the 'jaws' and beautiful views has been critical to the renovation," Jen Cohen, Senior Associate Athletic Director, said. "It will feel like the Husky Stadium we love, but with all the modern amenities our fans deserve."

The renovated stadium will provide new options for Huskies searching for premium seating opportunities, but Cohen says the department has remained sensitive to maintaining affordability. While many Huskies have been anxiously anticipating premium seating opportunities like those offered at most BCS schools, less than 6 percent of the renovated stadium will be considered premium seating — a figure much lower than most new or renovated NCAA stadiums. Premium seating and other pricing points, along with other Tyee donor levels can be found on the newly-launched HuskyStadium.com, along with 3D tours of the renovated stadium.

"We know that there is a portion of our fanbase that has been craving increased premium seating opportunites, and we want our premium seating to be on par with the best in the country," Cohen said. "But we also realize that premium seating isn’t for everyone, and we have worked hard to make sure that Husky football remains affordable, and that the fan experience is improved across the board.

"Throughout the process of creating the framework of a new gameday experience —which included touring stadiums from Austin, to Corvallis, to Ann Arbor and many in between— the department was committed to crafting an experience that would be true to Seattle, and to the Husky Stadium that countless loyal fans have called home.

"Husky Stadium has been a special place for generations of fans," Cohen said. "Hopefully these changes will help it continue to be that for generations to come."

Click here to read the full Stadium Story article.