Duke University, Kennedy Tower + Track

As part of the overall upgrades and renovations of Duke University’s Athletics District, the NCAA football playing field at Wallace Wade Stadium was lowered five feet with seating added to the historic stadium. Before the renovation of Wallace Wade, the University’s NCAA track was located in the stadium. As part of the improvements to the overall district, a new NCAA track facility was built on the north side of Bassett Drive in the previous location of the lacrosse and soccer practice fields.

The civil utilities for the project were a major challenge to McAdams and the University due to decades of utility relocation, rerouting and additions in the area. The area was nicknamed the “hornets’ nest” for utilities by the University’s Facilities Management Department due to all the complications from previous installations and routing. McAdams was able to successfully design, permit and provide construction administration for the new utility routings providing modeling and color-coded profile drawings for the intricate work.

The new NCAA track facility was designed and constructed to accommodate both ACC and NCAA events with the dimensions of the infield designed to allow for both ACC and NCAA records to be set in throwing events. The Kennedy Tower was designed and constructed as a world-class athletic facility to host program elements from lacrosse, soccer and track and field. The facility is 11,000 square feet and four floors with multiple levels, viewing / camera platforms and press boxes to serve both lacrosse for Koskinen Stadium and track and field. McAdams worked alongside the architect and contractor to make this project a success.