New Benedetti Diamond Taking Shape
10/30/2015 10:39:00 AM | Baseball, Facilities
Anyone walking along Golden Gate Avenue over the past two months would be hard pressed to miss the steady progress that's being made on the site of the new Benedetti Diamond, future home of USF Baseball.
The U-shaped structure that will make up the main spectating deck above the dugouts and press box is already in place, thanks to 650 cubic yards of concrete that have been poured over the last three weeks. The shape of each dugout has also been carved out, along with the space for the future press box right at field level behind home plate.
Starting on Monday, Nov. 2, the massive field excavation will begin which will lower the entire playing field by 18 inches. That project, which is designed to allow for improved acoustics in the new ballpark, is expected to take 2-3 weeks. Also on Monday, crews will begin pouring the concrete for the ballpark's restroom facilities.
One of the necessities for a ballpark tucked into an urban neighborhood, such as Benedetti Diamond, is extensive netting around most of the ballpark. Beginning next week, the cabling will start to be installed that will hold these nets along the 70-foot-tall, dark green poles that surround the playing field.
If they're not excited seeing the progress already, fans and players alike will really start to see the site looking like a ballpark when the new FieldTurf starts getting installed around Thanksgiving. Laying out the entire field's worth of FieldTurf is expected to take 3-4 weeks and will be the final major piece of the renovation before the facility is ready to be used.
Once completed, the outfield fence dimensions will be 330 feet down the left and right field lines, and 410 feet to straightaway center field.
All of these pieces make up Phase I of the new Benedetti Diamond renovation. Phase I is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 15, while Phase II will start at a later date pending complete funding.
Construction of the new Benedetti Diamond started in earnest on Aug. 3.
Hornberger + Worstell, an architectural firm based in San Francisco, produced the Benedetti Diamond master plan. The firm is recognized for its expertise in the master planning and design of destination resorts, urban business and conference hotels, recreation and wellness facilities, academic and residential communities, as well as the rehabilitation and modernization of historic structures.
