By Garrett Largoza, Layout Assistant II
The Northwest Gateway Project, a collaborative effort between the College and Lancaster General Health, is officially underway as the 28-acre site on the northern end of campus is being cleared for construction. After the project’s completion, the space, which was formerly a Norfolk Southern Corp. rail yard, will become the location of the multipurpose Shadek Stadium for F&M Athletics.
According to Lancaster Online’s article, “After 92 years, pedestrian rail yard bridge in Lancaster is coming down and will be reused,” the Northwest Gateway Project has lasted for nearly a decade at a budget of $75
million.
At the site, D.H. Funk & Sons, a contractor based in Columbia, PA, were hired to treat the existing site’s soil, add new soil, and level it alongside existing green space. Currently, they are working on site grading and storm water management, with substantial completion of this work.
scheduled for May 2015.
“We are 40 percent complete with the overall project,” says Mike Wetzel, associate vice president for Facilities Management and Campus Planning at the
College.
Portions of the project yet to be completed include the removal of power lines near the site and the construction of a road to connect College Ave. with Liberty St. Additionally, crews will remove the metal pedestrian bridge that currently links College Ave. to Liberty St.; this is also scheduled to occur
beginning in May 2015.
“To date, no construction work has been scheduled for the stadium, but a conceptual design has been completed along with some preliminary cost
estimates,” Wetzel said.
According to Lancaster Online’s article, disassembled parts of the bridge will be recycled and rebuilt, either as part of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail in Conoy Township or as part of the Farmingdale Trail in East Hempfield.
The site will be called Northern Campus after completion and will be home to Shadek Stadium, the College’s newest athletic and recreational facility. It will feature a synthetic turf field on which sports like football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey will play. As of now, it does not include an outdoor track, so the track on campus at Williamson-Sponaugle Field will remain. After Shadek Stadium is completed all current F&M athletic
facilities will remain in use.
First-year Garrett Largoza is a layout assistant. His email is glargoza@fandm.edu.