Yankee Stadium Demolition - 05/05/10

I was out at the Yankee game today (pitiful Orioles pitching...) and took some photos of the Old Yankee Stadium demolition site. At this point, here really isn't very much left. Just one small portion of the exterior wall is still standing (gate 6). The debris field is still quite large with many grapplers cleaning up the mess. The last piece of outer wall has been like this for about a week. My assumption is that the demolition crew is waiting until after the Yankee homestand is over to pull it down. With today's 7-5 win, the homestand is over, so the last piece of the old park probably doesn't have too many days left.

I've uploaded nearly 30 photos and 2 videos to StadiumPage.com today. You can get them through the main site or directly through THIS LINK.

Yankee Stadium (1923) - Exterior Ornamentation

Yankee Stadium - Gate 2

One of the cool features of the recently departed original Yankee Stadium (the last piece is set to fall within days) was the exterior ornamentation. While alot of the details were lost in the 70's renovation, some of them were kept on the old Gate 2 entrance.



Here is a closeup of the "balcony". I don't know how it worked in the original stadium, but after the 70's renovation, there was really nothing behind it. It wasn't like there were offices or a room behind it. I believe it was always just for decoration. If you look closely at the three "seals", the two on the left and right feature a pair of baseballs, while the center seal features a "primative" version of the Yankees' interlocking NY logo.



In a recent visit to the NYC Times Square ESPN Zone restaurant, I noticed the above on display. It is an original seal, probably from gate 4 or 6 that was saved during the 70's renovations. I assume they were colored like this prior to the renovation, but painted grey in the 70's. During the recent demolition, the balconies and the seals were saved, so you may see them show up in the new Stadium's museum or even Cooperstown.




Another interesting exterior feature of the old Stadium was the "Eagle Seals". Originally, there were two of these stationed at gates 2, 4, and 6. Like the balconies, these were removed during the 70's renovation. Two of the eagles were saved, refurbished and posted above the press/club entrance that was just to the left of the post-renovation gate 4.

Check out these and thousands of other photos at StadiumPage.com

Unrealized Concepts - Volume 4 - Yankee Stadium Renovation (1998)

In 1998, just at the beginning of the current Yankees run, there were many ideas floated for a new ballpark. Most alternatives involved the Yanks leaving the Bronx to either Manhattan (their home for their first 22 years) or the New Jersey Meadowlands. This proposal was different in that it not only kept the team in the Bronx, but in Yankee Stadium.



The plan was floated by the Bronx Boro President Fernando Ferrer. It involved reintroducing many of the Stadium's classic features including the Frieze above the upper deck and the exterior facade.



An interesting feature that was eventually incorporated into the new Yankee Stadium is above. It seems to be quite similar to the "Great Hall" at the new park. Basically a glass wall which extends the concourse out onto what was then Ruppert Plaza.

The plan was never really accepted by the Yankees though. It never really got past the proposal stage. While its a shame the Yankees didn't stay in the original Stadium, at least they are still in the Bronx.

You can see these and more images of this proposal at StadiumPage.com.

Yankee Stadium Demolition - 03/22/10

Yankee Stadium demolition has progressed over the past week. They are down to the last few sections of upper deck which will probably be gone by the end of the week. From there they will likely move onto dismantling the outer walls.



Check out the above image and about 50 others at StadiumPage.com.

Yankee Stadium Demolition - 03/13/10

Demolition continued at the old ballpark even with today's nasty weather in the New York area. The upper deck continues to be cut into small pieces so they can be torn down. In the video above, you can see the grappler cutting into the concrete so to make small pieces to pull down.



I took about 50 pictures and the above video. Check out these and the whole set at StadiumPage.com.

Yankee Stadium Demolition - 03/06/10

I made another visit to the site of the old Yankee Stadium today. Demolition has progressed quite a bit in the four weeks since I visited last. The majority of the back "bleacher wall" has been torn down, so you can get a unblocked view into the stadium now. Unfortunately for me, the Manhattan bound #4 train platform was closed so I couldn't get any shots straight into the park.



They seem to be shearing the upper deck concrete into small sections that can be removed individually. I didn't see any demolition in progress, so I'm unsure what they are doing exactly. Although demolition is progressing well, I do expect some part of the stadium to be standing on Opening Day. With that, baseball fans should be able to get at least one more glance at the old ballpark.

You can see full size versions of these two photos and another 29 shots in the Yankee Stadium Demolition section of StadiumPage.com.

Yankee Stadium Demolition - 02/15/10

The demolition of the old Yankee Stadium continues, and it seems like they are making progress. At this point the seating plank for the field and loge levels has been demolished. The upper deck is basically intact except for what seems to be the last section. The stairwell "pod" next to the left field end has been removed which caused that part to be demolished. Most of the exterior remains. If I were to guess, there will still be a considerable amount of the structure left when the season begins in April. However, if the pace is increased, it could be done before then.



I was in the area today and took over 40 photos of the old ballpark. Check out larger versions of these two photos and the other 38 or so at StadiumPage.com.