441
59
75
GEORGIA STATE EDITION
Cornella 19
A Supplement to:
Rome 85 27
Athens 441
Atlanta
20
Madison Augusta
85
20
Griffin 1
129
Milledgeville
75
La Grange
Macon
301
185 19
16
Dublin
Swainsboro Oak Park
Columbus
Statesboro
341 441 16
Lyons Americus
May 13 2015 Vol. XVII • No. 10
301
1
82
Dorchester
341
Cuthbert
75
Albany
84
Douglas Tifton
82
95
82
Blakely
Pearson
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Savannah
McRae Cordele
27
27 84
Moultrie
19 319
84
Bainbridge
Valdosta Thomasville
Waycross Brunswick 82
1 441
Your Georgia Connection: Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479
SunTrust Park to House Atlanta Braves in 2017 By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
SunTrust Park, which is expected to be unveiled in time for the first pitch of the 2017 season, will serve as the new home of the Atlanta Braves. The $1.1 billion construction project in Cobb County will include restaurants, shops, offices, a hotel and residential spaces directly connected to the park. The Braves organization is making history by building out the development at the same time the stadium is being constructed. “The new ballpark constitutes a new chapter in Atlanta Braves baseball, and we are excited that SunTrust has decided to build upon our decades-long relationship and embark on this journey with us,” said Terry McGuirk, Atlanta Braves chairman and CEO “Both of our organizations have deep roots in Atlanta and loyal fans throughout the Southeast and across the nation.” Developed by the Braves in partnership with the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority, SunTrust Park is being constructed by American Builders 2017. The joint venture consists of Brasfield & Gorrie, Mortenson Construction, Barton Malow Company and New South Construction Company. The team has more than 225 years of experience and has completed more than 330 sports projects, including football stadiums, baseball parks, basketball arenas and soccer stadiums. “As with any stadium project where opening day is non-negotiable, schedule is a challenge,” said Chris Britton, project director of American Builders 2017. “The & Gorrie photo mixed-use component of this develop- SunTrust Park, which is expected to be unveiled in timeBrasfield for the first ment will also present a challenge, as pitch of the 2017 season, will serve as the new home of the Atlanta there will be many moving parts going on Braves. adjacent the ballpark site, but we are prepared to overcome that.” up existing grades and create temporary roadways for crews Construction began in August 2014, with workers operat- and equipment. The temporary roads will lessen the impacts ing under a 30-month time frame. Early tasks have involved of heavy rain on the project schedule by improving drainage. erosion control, clearing and grading the site and blasting In early 2015, construction began in full force on the elerock. Crews also installed temporary fencing and coordinat- vated structure. Site work will continue through the spring ed with other vendors that handled pipeline relocation. months, with the number of workers on the premises growDuring the initial months of the project, grading and rock ing as operations expand. In late 2014, crews installed removal comprised the majority of work on the almost 60- shoring walls to maintain grading operations and began acre site. As workers excavated, they set up an onsite opera- drilled piers. Approximately half the site will rest on the tion to crush 150,000 cu. yds. (114,683 cu m) of rock. Much drilled piers and half will sit on spread footings. of the crushed rock is being used on site for backfill to bring Before work began, trees were cleared, a pond was
Atlanta Braves rendering
A rendering of the completed SunTrust Park.
drained and Boy Scouts completed a service project to relocate turtles from the area. Existing pipelines ran through the middle of the proposed stadium and had to be relocated. Working around active gas and oil pipelines during the pipeline transition was a concern for construction teams, who are keeping the perimeter streets as clean as possible. “Being good neighbors is a priority for us,” said Britton. “We are striving to respect the county and the businesses around the site, as we construct this landmark project. We are coordinating with Cobb County on a continuous basis. We are placing a high priority on implementing erosion control to minimize dust and help keep surrounding roads free of construction-related materials.” Crews also held a sustainability charrette in which all team members came together to talk about green aspects of the project. Workers plan to recycle construction waste and reuse materials as much as possible. “We expect to move approximately 700,000 cubic yards of excess soil material off the site,” said Britton. “We plan to move more than one million cubic yards of earth and rock across the entire site.” Some of the main equipment utilized on the project includes Caterpillar excavators 349E, 336E, 330C, 325, 365B and 385C, along with a D8 dozer with root rake, a 930 G wheel loader and a 140 H motorgrader. Other heavy machinery includes compactors, pans, off-road trucks, a water truck, a service truck, light towers, a power broom, utility carts, a DX 800 rock drill, a track-mounted tub see SUNTRUST page 6