The front entrance view of Walt Whitman High School looks a lot different right now than it did at the beginning of the school year!
The press box/field tower and the bleachers at the athletic field are gone - demolished to make way for new construction of ADA accessible bleachers and a larger, updated tower. Demolition began in early December. First, the metal bleachers were removed using heavy machinery. After the seating and the underlying support structure of the bleachers were completely removed, it was time to tackle bringing down the tower that has stood watch over the athletic field since the 1970s.
Early on the morning of Saturday, December 16th the machinery operator climbed into the excavator to begin to take the tower down. The excavator started at the top, and after removing the metal railing with almost hand-like precision, the bucket slammed down on the structure, cutting into the masonry, and beginning the process of leveling the tower. It was reduced to rubble in about 12 minutes! We’ve used time lapse to speed up the entire tower demolition process to 45 seconds. Click HERE to see the time lapse video!
The new bleachers will have stairs and ramps and provide seating for more than 1,800 people. The larger field tower will feature a three-room press box on the second floor and a concession stand on the first floor. A large plaza will provide access to the bleachers with standing room for people to view events. We’ve included renderings of the completed project to see what it will look like. Construction will be ongoing Monday through Friday, and the construction zone will remain fenced off and monitored by school security until the project is finished.
For seniors who are already looking ahead to this year’s graduation, this is an important project. It’s where graduation happens! Will it be finished? The new bleachers and tower are scheduled to be completed by April 19, 2024. Graduation is scheduled for June 28th. We’ll continue to follow construction and provide updates.
The field tower and the bleachers at the athletic field are gone - demolished to make way for new construction of ADA accessible bleachers and a larger, updated tower.