BLUEFIELD —
With the Battle of the Bluefields and the rescheduled Second Chance concert three weeks away, Bluefield city officials are confident construction will be complete at Mitchell Stadium on time.
Crews are working to make the stadium compliant with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act after a complaint was filed by a concerned citizen several years ago.
Brian Cochran, interim Bluefield city manager and city attorney, said the stadium should be open by Friday, Aug. 24 when the Bluefield Beavers face off against the Graham G-Men. The rescheduled Second Chance concert has also be set for Sunday, Aug. 26. at Mitchell Stadium.
“Everything is going well and is on schedule. As far we as know at this time it should be completed as scheduled,” Cochran said. “We had some unforeseen trouble with some of the manufactures of the railing and the seating, but those have been resolved. We are on track to have it ready for Beaver Graham.”
Cochran previously told the Daily Telegraph issues the stadium faces includes seating requirements, parking requirements, and accessibility to restrooms.
An investigation by the Department of Justice led to the federal agency ordering the city-owned statement to make the stadium compliant by April 2012. However, the city was able to receive an extension, requiring that updates to the stadium be finished by September 2012.
The stadium seats 10,000 and was built by the federal Works Progress Administration in 1935. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990.
In addition to construction on Mitchell Stadium, the city is also facing a minor delay working on the demolition of the Scott Street Parking Garage. City officials were hoping demolition on the structure would begin on July 23, but unforeseen delays have held up the process.
Cochran said demolition on the Scott Street Parking Garage has to wait until electric officials clear the site before demolition can safely begin.
“We are waiting in AEP to do a few things there before we can begin,” Cochran said. “They have been held up on work there due to all the work from the storm. There is a breaker box or power going into the bank, but they have to make sure none of the lights are plugged on or active. We are hoping to be ready to get ready for demolition pretty soon.”
Swope Construction, Stafford Consultants and Lusk Disposal are overseeing the demolition of the Scott Street Parking Garage along with the reconstruction of 80 new parking spaces along with a two-to-three-tiered retaining wall. The contract between the companies and the city allows for a 180-day construction period. The project is slated to be finished as of Jan. 1, 2013.
The Scott Street Parking Garage was built in 1947, but was closed after becoming a public safety hazard due to salt brought in on vehicles during the winter and a lack of maintenance on the structure.
— Contact Kate Coil at
kcoil@bdtonline.com
Local News
August 1, 2012
Officials confident construction at Mitchell Stadium will be complete before big events
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