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LA issues RFQ for $352 million Exposition Park recharge

2024-08-19T11:52:00-04:00

The City of Los Angeles will issue a major $352 million upgrade to Exposition Park in its build-up to the 2028 Olympic Games in an effort to address spatial inequalities in neighborhoods that had been “historically left behind,” Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said at the August 1st announcement.

In order to help mitigate the effects of an urban heat island in one of California’s most park-deficient and densely populated areas, the project will install a new six-acre green space and underground parking structure. Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods in South LA will benefit from the incorporation of other state-of-the-art amenities like EV charging stations and a new community space after asphalt surface parking areas are removed from its southeast corner. The announcement noted this area is currently underserved with only about 1 acre of green space available per every 1,000 persons, which is about ten times less than the national average.

Image: Torti-Gallas + Partners

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NASCAR is converting the LA Coliseum into a short-track race venue

2022-01-10T19:22:00-05:00

The track will only have two weeks to set and cure before the February 6 weekend race, which is about half the normal time, but he doesn’t expect any issues. Temporary barriers, like those used on a street circuit, will be installed to define the oval, which was designed with help from simulations conducted on the iRacing platform. A pit lane won’t be required as the Clash will consist of several short heat races and a non-stop main.

The quarter-mile track project cost about $1 million (which is apparently the going rate for a mile of paved road in the US). 1,560 tons of high-performance asphalt was poured to make the track after a protective layer of plywood and other materials was placed over the original natural grass field along with a five-inch thick layer of dirt.

The 2028 Olympics venue recently underwent a $315 million renovation that modernized the 99-year-old stadium. NASCAR has yet to confirm a 2023 edition of the short track race that would coincide with the Coliseum’s centennial celebration. The race could be seen as a success depending on whether or not it draws to the building’s 93,000-seat capacity.

The executive in charge of the installation told the New York Post he was optimistic about the event, although certain fans don't seem to be sharing his enthusiasm.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum gets an upgrade

2019-08-16T15:52:00-04:00

Giving the 96-year-old building a modern twist necessitated much more than a quick polish. The $315 million renovations required architects, building engineers, and sound engineers to revamp the modernity of the stadium while creating a brand-new, seven-story premium tower without losing a single piece of the venue’s historic stone façade.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a city gem. Standing next to the University of Southern California campus, the Coliseum is home to the USC football team as well as the temporary home to the Los Angeles Rams. Having hosted several historic and iconic sports events, including the 1932 and 1984 Olympic games, the venue was due for a much needed revamp.

In addition to these upgrades, the refurbishment includes the construction of a new "Scholarship Tower" that will house 3,000 students. Renovations on the stadium were recently completed, while work on the tower is well underway in order to accomplish the project's fall competition date. Popular Mechanics provides a detailed description of the Coliseum's construction process and delves into the construction of the new Scholarship Tower.

Remarking on the historic nature of the stadium to Popular Mechanics, Don Barnum, DLR Group principal and lead of the firm’s Sports Studio shares, "What makes it a National Historic Landmark is not...