Mar 20 2010
Penn State’s Board of Trustees today (March 19) approved plans for a new $10.2 million, LEED-certified softball park on the University Park campus. Completion of the facility is scheduled for spring 2011.
An artist's rendering of Beard Field, the plkaned new facility for the Penn State softball team
The current field has insufficient seating, no locker rooms or restrooms, no training facilities or umpire facilities, and no ticketing area.
“The current field seats only 300 spectators, which is below the minimum for NCAA tournaments and the National Club Softball Association World Series,” said Al Horvath, senior vice president for finance and business. "An improved facility will mean a better game day experience for everyone. These improvements also allow Penn State to host high school and collegiate tournament competition."
The new facility -- to be named Beard Field, in recognition of lead benefactors E. Lee and William Beard -- will be located along Park Avenue, near Beaver Stadium, on the current site of Nittany Lion Field. Plans call for the stadium to be energy efficient and responsible by design, earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
At field level, seating will accommodate 1,084 spectators, plus dugouts along the foul line and bullpens for both teams. Visitors needing accessible seating will find it along the concourse.
The clubhouse will house a variety of facilities including training room, an indoor batting tunnel, locker rooms and coaches' offices.
L. Robert Kimball and Associates has designed the building to complement adjacent buildings and recall the design of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the baseball park shared by Penn State baseball and the State College Spikes.
Source: http://live.psu.edu/