Eight large cranes lifted steel and concrete into place high above South Capitol Street. Workers welded structural steel, or laid the stone that will comprise the outer wall of the main concourse, or excavated tons of dirt to make way for new parking garages.
In roughly 54 weeks, the Washington Nationals’ stadium is scheduled to open to fans. Now a mere 10 months since excavation work started on the Southeast site, a 41,000-seat ballpark has clearly taken shape.
“You cannot have any doubts that we are opening this ballpark in April ’08,” Nationals President Stan Kasten said Monday during a media tour of the stadium.
As they have since construction started, officials maintain that the $611 million taxpayer-financed stadium is on time and on budget. The cold February had little impact on the two-shift work schedule, they said, which on some days doesn’t end until 2 a.m. Upward of 400 workers are on site at any given time, and project managers expect that to peak at 1,000 once interior work gets under way.
“We are truly building the latest of Washington’s monuments, a building that will be instantly recognizable as the premier baseball venue in the country,” Kasten said.
The structural concrete is in place between right field and the third-base line. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work is under way, and scoreboard installation should start in June. Field construction is slated for October.
The upper deck, which rises about 120 feet off the ground, offers stunning views of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. Incoming development around the park will obstruct views from the lower levels.
Off-site parking for thousands of fans remains a challenge. Mark Lerner, a principal Nationals’ owner, said the team is negotiating for whatever parking “we can get our hands on,” including garage and surface spaces in the stadium neighborhood, as well as the use of the RFK Stadium lot.
