FWIW, the goalposts are...

[WilsonBlvdHoya]

up and the hashmarks are down so things are progressing at the MSF. Also, concrete barriers have been erected on both sidelines. Gravel laid down behind the barriers as well; I'm assuming the East stands will go up quickly.....

[Deleted]

I sent some great pics to DFW recently... hopefully he'll have them up somewhere for everyone to see.

[LBPop]

I will be on campus tomorrow dropping off the sophomore. Will try to get a few shots...can't wait to see what has been done to the field. I hope I can sneak onto the surface to see how it feels.

[Deleted]

Pop - if you go during lunchtime when the workers are taking a break, you can get in by the powerplant side (west side). I got in when I took my pics, they didn't mind (or maybe they just didn't see me?).

[Deleted]

WBH - are the permanent east stands going up this year? Or are they just going to put in temporary ones for the season, then the permanent ones after? I can't imagine the stands in the schematics will be ready in a month or so.

[SFHoya99]

Been a while on the ol' pictures on GUHoyas...

[Deleted]

wilsonblvdhoya said:

up and the hashmarks are down so things are progressing at the MSF. Also, concrete barriers have been erected on both sidelines. Gravel laid down behind the barriers as well; I'm assuming the East stands will go up quickly.....

The only reason I question whether or not the East stands will go up so quickly is because the part of the MSF where they will be placed has been all but leveled off with gravel. That may have been just a step in completing the field and whatever else they need to do, or maybe its an indicator of yet more temporary stands at Harbin Field.

Alternatively, they may be bringing in pre-formed pieces of concrete and steel and whatever other materials they are using. If that's the case, all they'll need to do is spend a week or two digging a foundation, then another week or two setting the pieces in place. If THAT'S the case, we could see the East stands up in six weeks I'd think.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

Temporary on both sides.

[LBPop]

buffalohoya said:

Pop - if you go during lunchtime when the workers are taking a break, you can get in by the powerplant side (west side). I got in when I took my pics, they didn't mind (or maybe they just didn't see me?).

Thanks for the tip, but I will probably take my shot in the late afternoon--just before the barbecue. I assume the workers will have shut down by then, so I hope I can find some opening for access. With all the players and most parents on hand this afternoon, it would be a nice touch to walk everyone over for a closer look. Just my idea--I have not heard about any such plans.

[Deleted]

truehoyablue said:

Temporary on both sides.

I think you're right, THB. Then after the season construction begins on the permanent stands? Or do they wait until after lax season?

From GUHoyas:

The exterior materials will include pre-cast concrete planks for the stands with benches on the upper seating and chairback seating on the lower levels. The colonnade pilasters will be brick facing with rusticated base, stone lintels, coping and Gothic arches. The railing and balcony stringers and finials will be steel with a special coated finish. Perimeter fencing will be a combination of brick-faced masonry post with pre-cast concrete base and wrought iron. The objective in the selection of finishes is to blend with the colors and textures of the surrounding existing buildings.

There's a lot of "pre-cast" in there. Any construction experts out there know how quickly the East stands could go up? Is this the kind of thing they could do over the winter (after football / before lax) or do they have to wait until next summer (when they break ground on the biz school building)?

[LBPop]

Got a look at the new field and surrounding construction yesterday. Field looks outstanding. Maybe the best part was seeing that the blocking sled had already been placed on it. Look for a few new photos in a day or two.

Couldn't find a way to get onto the surface and if I had managed to sneak on, I would have left some really muddy footprints. Might have been writing this little report from the DC jail. ;D

I know the players will love practicing and playing on the new surface. Now, if only there was a place to sit and watch...

[TrueHoyaBlue]

The players are out there today, and it looks nice. Hopefully they'll be putting some new photos up on the web site, because there are definitely signs of progress. (Something about the players out there building the program, and the mason putting together brick columns in the South end zone, building the MSF, is poetic in a sense).

[Deleted]

I've got about 18 high quality digital pics in to DFW of the MSF (and campus in general). As soon as he has time, he's going to have them up for all to download. Patience...

[LBPop]

truehoyablue said:

(Something about the players out there building the program, and the mason putting together brick columns in the South end zone, building the MSF, is poetic in a sense).

Awfully sensitive stuff to post on a football board. You might get thrown off by the moderator if you keep it up. ;D

[TrueHoyaBlue]

Sorry, must have been the midsummer heat getting to me. Beer, girls, football, more beer, yeah!

[hoya4ever]

Stands are going up on the home side as I'm writing! Long and all metal.

[WilsonBlvdHoya]

Thanks for the update, 4ever! I was on campus yesterday and didn't see any signs of stands yet....half an hour to Bucknell.......

[GUHoya07]

When I saw them yesterday evening it looked like they may turn out kind of short. They look like they will extend to a fairly normal length on the side of the Southwest Quad and McDonough, but on the other side closer to Yates there is still a hill that I would think will prevent them from putting up stands there. It looks like the stands extend to like the 30 yard line and then there is a hill where they have put sod down, making me think that they will try to create a sitting hill there.

I could be wrong, but it just looked like that to me considering that the places where the stands were being put in all looked flat, and why would they put sod down on a little hill if they were going to cover it up with stands anyway. But I guess it has been like that anyway since the teams been playing on Harbin Field.

Either way, I just hope it looks fairly good and that its an improvement over the past few years.

[Deleted]

Remember, folks... what's going up now (according to the powers-that-be, at least) are still only temporary stands.

[GUHoya07]

buffalohoya said:

Remember, folks... what's going up now (according to the powers-that-be, at least) are still only temporary stands.

I think we're all aware of that, but we're curious what they're gonna look like.