Williams Stadium Expansion Blog
July 2010

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - July 2010
Updated as of 7/30/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - June 2010
Updated as of 6/29/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - May 2010
Updated as of 5/28/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - April 2010
Updated as of 4/30/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - March 2010
Updated as of 3/31/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Photo Gallery - Dec. 2009 - Feb. 2010
Updated as of 2/26/10

Williams Stadium Expansion Site Video Capture (From Top of Williams Stadium East Side Concession Stand)
Image updated every 15 minutes

Williams Stadium Expansion Site Video Capture (From Top of Hancock Athletic Center)
Image updated every 30 minutes

Williams Stadium Demolition Blog
Note: Includes photos and video

Latest Williams Stadium Expansion Renderings

Williams Stadium Expansion Announcement on Aug. 30, 2009

Williams Stadium History Page

The Williams Stadium expansion project officially launched construction on Jan. 4, 2010, and LibertyFlames.com will be providing daily updates throughout the process via this expansion blog.

Starting today, LibertyFlames.com will be adding two or three photos each day (Monday through Friday) to the Williams Stadium expansion photo gallery link (see above), providing viewers the latest images throughout the eight-month stadium expansion process.

Additionally, the web site will be providing updates throughout the construction process through the expansion blog below.

The latest blog entries will be posted first. A blog post history will follow, allowing viewers to track the updates until the stadium expansion process is completed in time for Liberty’s 2010 home opener against St. Francis (Pa.) on Sept. 4, 2010.

Previous Blog Entries: Due to the larger number of photos our previous blog entries have included and the download problems larger groups of photos can create, we are going to start dividing each month’s blog entries up into a separate page. To view a previous month’s blog entry list, please click the appropriate link below:

Dec. 16, 2009 – Feb. 26, 2010

March 1 - March 31, 2010

April 1 - April 30, 2010

May 1 - May 31, 2010

June 1 - June 30, 2010

July 30, 2010: During the last seven months, we have spent a good amount of time talking about new equipment arrivals around the Williams Stadium Expansion site. Now with the project starting to draw toward a close, today we can report the removal of one of the largest pieces of equipment on site. With the Flames football training camp scheduled to open next Wednesday, the large crane that has been stationed on the field drove off campus early this morning. On Wednesday, the crane finished up its work, as it placed the last piece of precast concrete for the upper deck seating area. During the weekend, the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew will spend time clearing out the rest of the area, including the three layers of pile board which have been underneath the crane and created a protective layer between it and the Williams Stadium FieldTurf. Additionally around the stadium, the first layer of the roof is almost complete. The south corner roof is the only thing remaining to be installed, as the expansion crew must first install the second major air conditioning unit that will cool the five-story press and suite tower.

July 28, 2010: The second to last blog post for the month of July is going to bring you some bonus coverage from around the Williams Stadium expansion site, as the blog will not return until Friday. Tomorrow, many of the staff members from around the Athletics Department will be down in Charlotte, N.C., for the 2010 Big South Football Media Day (free video streaming provided by the Big South Network during the event). Since we will not have another update until Friday, we decided to include with today’s blog post several photos from around the expansion site. The fourth floor of the press and suite tower continues to progress quite well, as more than half of the 18 individual suites are framed in, while construction continues toward the South end of the hallway on the remainder. With a good portion of the framing in place for the fourth floor, the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew is starting to turn its attention to work on the fifth floor, which will house the press, coaches, game operations and suites for Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Director of Athletics Jeff Barber. The camera deck, which will stretch from the 20 to the 20 yard line, is now completely in place and is being cleared out for the next phase of the construction process. Finally, another area around the expansion site is nearing completion, as the crew working on the upper deck seating area dropped in the end cap to the south end of the stadium later in the day.

July 27, 2010: Following a short period of heavy rain during the early morning hours on Tuesday, the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew quickly got back to work and was able to accomplish much around the Williams Stadium expansion site. The most noticeable accomplishment of the day came outside the new five-story press and suite tower, as some of the final pieces of precast concrete were put into place to form the last sections of the new upper deck seating area. The base for the new sections 201 and most of 202 have been on hold the last several weeks, as the large crane stationed on the field has been in use in other areas around the expansion site. Once completed, the new upper deck seating area, along with the additional bleacher seating areas in each corner of the stadium, will help increase the stadium’s overall capacity from 12,000 to 19,200 for the 2010 season.

July 26, 2010: An exciting sight was found around the Williams Stadium expansion site later in the day on Monday, as the large crane stationed behind the project started to lower sections of stairwell for the South Tower. Once the pieces are lowered in from the opening atop the tower, the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew will start to assemble the stairwells that will service the third, fourth and fifth floors of the new press and suite tower. This sight brings much excitement to those of us around the Athletics Department that are not used to construction sites and using temporary scaffolding staircases to access areas that are three, four and five stories off the ground. Finally, Nick Pierce was able to sit down with Director of Athletics Jeff Barber to get a bi-weekly update on the project’s overall status.

Jeff Barber Audio Interview – July 26, 2010

July 23, 2010: While nearly 50 percent of the medal sheets have been installed atop the roof of the press and suite tower, work also continues two floors below the most noticeable progress around the Williams Stadium expansion site during the last week. On the fourth floor, the 18 individual suites are starting to take shape. The “tub” overhangs, that will create the individual balconies for each suite, have been installed and have already been individually divided. Additionally, you can also start to see the floor plan for each individual suite start to take shape with the work that had been completed by the end of the day on another hot day in Central Virginia (highs topped out around 97 degrees).

July 22, 2010: The Williams Stadium expansion project continues to take shape, spotlighted today by beginning work on the first layers of the roof. A 6-man crew worked in conjunction with the large crane behind the new structure, as the crane hoisted large sheets of metal to the top of the newly installed trusses atop the five-story press and suite tower. By the early afternoon hours, the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew had already installed metal sheeting for roughly 20 percent of the roof.

July 21, 2010: While most of the Williams Stadium expansion project is still midway through the construction process, some phases of the eight-month project are already getting some finishing touches. During the last several days, the expansion crew has been laying finished brick around the base of the North and South elevator towers. By the end of the day today, the expansion crew had finished nearly 30 feet of brickwork on the South tower, while the first several rows of brick have been laid on the North Tower. Another “finishing touch” is scheduled to take place next week, as the first sections of windows are going to be installed.

July 20, 2010: The Flames Club Pavilion Room is starting to take shape, as the Williams Stadium Expansion crew started framing in the walls for the 10,000 square foot room throughout the day. Prior to the walls being framed in, this week’s LibertyFlames.com Workers of the Day had a less than admirable job. Pictures 7 through 11 of today’s blog entry picture portions of the Branch & Associate, Inc., crew who where tasked with pouring the first layers of insulation for the ceiling of Floor 3 of the press and suite tower (which is not exactly the job you are hoping to get assigned to on a day where the Central Virginia temperatures topped out around 94 degrees).

July 19, 2010: I would like to begin today’s Williams Stadium expansion blog by thanking Assistant Athletics Communications Directors Paul Carmany and Eric Brown, who have been our guest bloggers since July 1. Paul and Eric did a nice job keeping the blog rolling with their own personal take on this eight-month expansion project, including some new features to the blog (Worker of the Day … we will see if we can keep this new feature running from time to time). During today’s blog entry, we are going to focus on the overhangs for Floors 4 and 5 of the press and suite tower. During the last several days, the pieces of the “tubs” (as they are referred to by the Branch & Associate, Inc. crew) have steadily been added to both levels. On Floor 4, the “tub” overhangs will be part of the 18 suites, allowing suite holders to sit outside and watch the game from an individual balcony. On Floor 5, the “tub” overhang will serve as part of the camera deck, where Bruce Carey and his Flames Sports Network television cameramen, along with football coordinator Danny Wenger and his staff will do their work during home games. Previously, these two crews, along with the visiting team video coordinator, all had to share a very small area on top of the former press box. However, this year (and for the future), they should have all the space they need, as the overhang runs the entire length of the press box. The camera deck on Floor 5 will also create covering for each of the balconies for the individual suites on Floor 4.

July 16, 2010: Libertyflames.com closes out the week by taking a look at the fourth and fifth floors of the Football Tower. Once completed, the fourth floor or suite level will contain 18 luxury suites. Each 250-square foot suite will feature four seats inside and an outside patio with 12 seats. These luxury boxes will also include the following amenities: flat screen TVs, couches, chairs and a kitchen area with a microwave and refrigerator. Half of the concrete flooring has already been poured for this level and dividers are being set in place for the patios. Likewise, the flooring for the top level was poured yesterday with the remainder expected to be added by the end of next week. Once completed, this level will feature Chancellor and Director of Athletics suites (24 seats) as well as a working press operations room and coaches’ boxes.

July 15, 2010: Those driving past Williams Stadium can visibly see the continued work being done on the Football Tower and seating area, courtesy of Branch & Associates, Inc. But what kind of work is being done underneath the stadium? Today, LibertyFlames.com examined the progress being made on the primary spectator concourse, which goes unseen by the casual passerby. Picture No. 1 provides an overview on what is taking place at the base of the Football Tower. The left side of the photo shows workers putting the roof on the south end concession stand. This particular structure is certainly taking shape at a rapid pace, as yesterday afternoon it did not contain any roofing. Speaking of concessions, picture No. 3 shows the inside of the large concession stand, which will be located in the center of the stadium. This area alone will provide significantly more points of sale than the stadium’s former offerings. Last but certainly not least, picture No. 7 is LibertyFlames.com’s Worker of the Day. Today’s winner, who was actually nominated by his co-worker is none other than the project’s superintendent, Dale Sherburne. In this photo, Dale can be seen operating a bulldozer, which demonstrates that on this particular project, even the top guy gets his hands dirty. Way to go, Dale!

July 14, 2010: It is not an understatement to say that the Branch & Associates, Inc. construction crew is working harder than those little green men on the classic children’s television show Fraggle Rock. Workers can be found on every level of the Football Tower, completing an assortment of tasks, such as installing piping on the bottom level, detailing concrete and steel structures with blow torches and putting roof trusses and large pieces of precast concrete into place on the fifth floor. The first four photos in today’s assortment provide an inside look at the two towers (insert Lord of the Rings reference here). Once completed, the inner workings of each tower will feature an elevator shaft and a stairwell, granting access to all floors. LibertyFlames.com would also like to take this time to honor today’s Worker of the Day (pictured in photos No. 6 and 7 below) for displaying an amazing balancing act while installing trusses on the top level of the Football Tower. Our hats are off to you, sir, for a job well done.

July 13, 2010: Today turned out to be a much better day for expanding a stadium, with clear skies and no precipitation to cause interference. The cranes were in full force, moving objects from the ground to various levels of the Football Tower. Some significant pieces being added to the puzzle today were the trusses on the top level, which will make way for the roof of the entire Football Tower. For those keeping count at home, the picture at the top of this blog (taken around 5 p.m., yesterday) showed three trusses in place. By 3 p.m., this afternoon, the Branch & Associates, Inc. construction crew had 11 installed. If you look closely at picture No. 4 of the mini gallery below, you will see a worker welding one of the steel frames into place. For those confused by picture No. 5, no need to worry. What may look like E.T.’s bicycle flying through the air is actually a generator being transported via crane to one of the upper levels.

July 12, 2010: Despite the heavy rains in the Lynchburg area today, LibertyFlames.com is not ceasing in its efforts to bring Flames fans coverage of the latest happenings in the Williams Stadium expansion project. In today’s installment, we escaped the intense downpour by focusing on the three concession and restroom areas on the bottom level. The last time we checked in on the progress of these areas (June 25), the Branch & Associates, Inc. construction crew was in the process of completing the cinder block work. With the cinder block work now complete, workers are now placing the roofs on top of these structures. In previous years, Williams Stadium featured one concession stand with four points of sale. With the expansion, the stadium will feature three stands, adding a significant number of points of sale for the convenience of fans. We were not the only ones trying to combat the weather today, as Branch & Associates, Inc., put up multiple tarps to shield workers and the project from the rain.

July 9, 2010: We wrap up the first full week of July by giving you the first peek at the fourth level of the Football Tower at Williams Stadium. When completed, this floor will house 18 luxury suites. As you can see in the photos below, the concrete floor has been poured at the north end of the fourth level. Meanwhile, five large pieces of precast concrete which will form the base for the suites’ outdoor seating area have been set into place. The south end of the Football Tower’s fourth level and the north end of the fifth level are both currently being prepared for concrete flooring.

July 8, 2010: Although this week’s most visible work at Williams Stadium has taken place on floors three, four and five of the Football Tower, progress continues in the new upper deck seating area. The large pieces of precast concrete have been set into place in all but section 201 and part of section 202. Meanwhile, the remaining sections of the upper deck have seen stairways added, as well as considerable welding and caulking work. When complete, the upper level will feature three different seating options spread out over nine sections (201-209), including club seats, premium seats and general admission seats.

July 7, 2010: The Branch & Associates, Inc. construction crew made considerable progress on Wednesday, braving the hottest day of 2010 in Lynchburg. The Hill City’s high temperature nearly reached triple digits, but a significant amount of steel framing was added to the south end of the Football Tower. Meanwhile, the north end of the tower saw several large pieces of precast concrete added to the base of the suite level (fourth floor). This will prepare the way for the pouring of the fourth level’s concrete floor in the near future. Steel beams are also being added to the auxiliary concession stand/restroom facility located behind sections 207 and 208.

July 6, 2010: As you can see from the expansion site video capture pages, quite a bit of work has taken place at Williams Stadium since our last blog update. Additionally, as Director of Athletics Jeff Barber noted in his bi-weekly interview with Nick Pierce, considerable progress is expected in the next 2-3 weeks as well, especially on the third, fourth and fifth floors of the Football Tower. We will check back in on the progress of the seating area and Football Tower later in the week. Today, however, our focus is on the less visible work currently taking place at the facility. This group of photos shows the three concession stand/restroom facilities located off the main concourse, as well as the brickwork being added to the North and South Towers.

Jeff Barber Audio Interview – July 6, 2010

July 2, 2010: Those pictures of the Flames Club Pavilion we posted yesterday are already quite outdated, because much of the steel framing for the other half of the pavilion was set into place today, now that the block work on the South Tower is complete. For the first time during the Williams Stadium expansion process, we have a good visual image of the overall size of the Flames Club Pavilion (third floor), 18 suites (fourth floor) and working press box area (fifth floor). We mentioned Canada Day within yesterday’s blog post. So, we would be remiss if we did not note that today is the 234th anniversary of Continental Congress approving a resolution of independence from Great Britain and officially forming the United States of America. With Sunday being the 4th of July and Monday being recognized as a holiday at Liberty University, this expansion blog will also take a holiday until Tuesday. However, Branch & Associates, Inc. plans to work right through the holiday weekend. So, you can keep an eye on the expansion site video capture pages (here and here) to follow their progress in the meantime. Happy Independence Day, everyone!

July 1, 2010: While Canada Day is being celebrated north of the border, Liberty’s annual Director’s Day took place at the Williams Football Operations Center (FOC). Today, the Flames Club invited members at the Director’s Level ($2,500) or higher to secure priority seating for the 2010 football season. In conjunction with this event, today’s expansion blog post focuses on the Flames Club Pavilion, which will occupy the third floor of the new Football Tower, just above the top of the upper deck seating area. Seen below are photos taken from inside the Flames Club Pavilion, as well as views of the Williams Stadium field and the Blue Ridge Mountains from that lofty perspective. When completed, the Flames Club Pavilion will measure 11,000 square feet. Please click here to read more about Director's Day and check out a photo gallery chronicling the event.

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