March 2003

Ran: San Diego Daily Transcript - Monday, March 7, 2003

Ballpark topped, other project get under way

The San Diego Padres recently celebrated the "topping out" at Petco Park as one of the final structural beams was put into place. The ballpark is under construction by San Diego Ballpark Builders,a joint venture between The Clark Construction Group Inc. of Costa Mesa and San Diego-based contractors Roel Construction and Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. Roel acquired the interest formerly held by Nielsen Dillingham.

To date, workers have placed close to 10,000 tons of structural steel in the facility, which equates to the weight of about 5,500 full-size automobiles.

Designed by Antoine Predock of Albuquerque and HOK Sport of Kansas City. An unusual feature is part of the field wall; a San Diego landmark, the Western Metal Supply Building originally built in 1909.

The $294 million ballpark is now 55 percent complete and is on schedule for Opening Day 2004. More than 27 percent of subcontractor work - $50.4 million of a $190 million subcontractor budget has been awarded to HIstorically Underutilized Business Enterprises (HUBE) firms.

In addition,a joint venture between Clark Design Build and Barnhart will break ground on a new $16 million parking garage for the Padres one block from the ballpark. International Parking Design is the design-build architect. It will open in February 2004.

JMI Realty, master developer for the 26-block redevelopment area surrounding Petco Park, also recently began the second phase of the East Village District Plant (EVDP), which will provide chilled water for air conditioning and help minimize energy costs. The plant is being built at the corner of Imperial and Eleventh avenues and will serve the Ballpark, Omni San Diego Hotel, future downtown library, East Village Square and other ancillary development projects. Jackson & Blanc is the designer, builder and operator of the plant.

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