Renovation of Historic Whittier Field Earns Honor Award in ACEC ME Engineering Excellence Awards

CHA is elated to announce the Whittier Field Athletic Complex Renovation has earned an Honor Award for Integrating Historical Preservation in Engineering Design in the 2019-2020 ACEC Maine Engineering Excellence Awards. CHA’s John Hickok, PE, accepted the award at the ACEC of Maine 2019 Fall Forum and Engineering Excellence Awards on October 25, 2019.

Bowdoin College’s Whittier Field in Brunswick, Maine, is one of the most storied collegiate football fields in America. Opened in 1896, with the later addition of Hubbard Grandstand and Magee Samuelson Track, Whittier Field Athletic Complex was renovated in a two-phase project that revitalized this revered piece of college sports history with modern amenities meeting the current and future athletic and recreational needs of the College while preserving its much-loved history.

The initial phase replaced the grass field with artificial turf and added lights, seating, and a new two-level press box, along with expanding the six-lane track to the eight lanes necessary to host NCAA championship track meets. The exterior of Hubbard Grandstand, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, was also rehabilitated. Bleachers that had been built around Hubbard Grandstand were removed to showcase its historical architecture. Additional aluminum grandstands were constructed on the opposite side of the field to preserve the spectator seating capacity.

The second phase relocated a public roadway, constructed a one-story team/spectator support facility, and completed the east end of the additional spectator seating constructed in Phase 1. The support facility houses locker, training, and equipment rooms and modern spectator restrooms.