HOK-Turner to design-build NYCFC home

Article posted by Coliseum, April 17^th, 2023

Image: NYC Economic Development Corporation

The New York City Football Club (NYCFC) has selected HOK as the architect and the Turner Construction Company as the general contractor to design and build New York City’s (US) first-ever soccer-specific stadium.

‘New York City FC’ stated that the club is confident that HOK and Turner will successfully deliver the club’s vision for a world-class 25,000-seat stadium that will become a community resource. The NYCFC stated that it is proud to work with the Queens Development Group (QDG) to bring forward a once-in-a-generation project for Willets Point that will include 2,500 units of 100 percent affordable housing, a 650-seat new public school, a hotel, open space, and NYCFC’s fully privately-financed stadium.

The New York City Football Club (NYCFC) is an American professional soccer club based in New York City that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of American soccer, as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference.

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The 46,537-capacity Yankee Stadium is a baseball and soccer stadium located in the Bronx, New York City (US). It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB), and the New York City FC of Major League Soccer (MLS).

St. Louis, Missouri (US)-based HOK, formerly Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum and legally the HOK Group, Inc., is an American design, architecture, engineering, and urban planning firm, founded in 1955. As of 2018, HOK is the largest US-based architecture-engineering firm and the fourth-largest interior design firm.

Carlos de La Barrera, Senior Associate, HOK, UK, is a Member of Coliseum – Global Sports Venue Alliance.

New York (US)-based the Turner Construction Company is a North America-based, international construction services company and is a leading builder in diverse and numerous market segments. The company has earned recognition for undertaking large, complex projects, fostering innovation, embracing emerging technologies and making a difference for their clients, employees and the community.

Willets Point, also known locally as the Iron Triangle, is an industrial neighborhood within Corona, in the New York City borough of Queens. Located East of the Citi Field near the Flushing River, it is known for its automobile shops and junkyards, and had a population of 10 people in 2011.

‘New York City FC’ further stated that following the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) approval process, construction on the $780 million project aims to be completed for the club to play in its new stadium for the 2027 MLS Season.

The Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) is a process mandated by the 1975 revision of the New York City Charter that is invoked when a proposed development will affect certain legal protections afforded to the existing area and/or its inhabitants.

Enthused Brad Sims, NYCFC head honcho, “We’re extremely excited to announce HOK as the Architect and the Turner Construction Company as the General Contractor for our future home. It is clear that HOK and Turner are the right partners to bring our vision of a world-class stadium that is integrated into the local community. Soccer is known around the globe for its incredible in-stadium atmospheres, and we are committed to delivering a best-in-class experience for our fans in a stadium that reflects the greatest City in the world. This project will be transformative for Queens, the World’s Borough is the perfect location to build the City’s first stadium for the world’s game. Stadiums are where people come together, and we share a vision with HOK to ensure our stadium becomes a destination of soccer for our fans while playing an important part in the development of Willets Point. HOK is renowned for designing some of North America’s most successful stadiums, arenas and entertainment districts, and we are looking forward to working with them as we enter the ULURP approval process. Turner is recognized as a leading builder of stadiums, arenas and ballparks -including one dozen Major League Soccer (MLS) stadiums – that support the communities in which they are built.”

HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment key projects include the Major League Soccer (MLS) team St. Louis City SC’s new 22,500-capacity CityPark, the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (home of National Football League’s [NFL’s] Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s [MLS] Atlanta United) and the renovation of the 21,000-capacity State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, the renovation of the 18,422-capacity Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, the 65,326-capacity Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the 18,500-capacity Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada, and the ICE District (mixed-use sports and entertainment district) in Edmonton, Canada, and the 19,515-capacity Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and The District Detroit.

HOK also designed the new award-winning Terminal B at the LaGuardia Airport in New York, which was designed and constructed as one of the largest public-private partnerships in the United States aviation history. With 1,600 people across 25 offices worldwide, the HOK will draw on its interdisciplinary team of planners, designers and engineers for the project.

Rashed Singaby, Principal and Senior Project Designer at HOK, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, citing a shared commitment to community-focused design – “We’re honored to work with the NYCFC to design New York City’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium for the 2021 MLS champions. The stadium will embody New York City’s dynamism and cultural diversity and will become a vibrant example of urban placemaking. Our design will embrace the multifaceted identity of Queens, Flushing Meadows and the site’s industrial heritage, offering fans an unprecedented, hospitality-driven gameday experience while integrating into the local community as an everyday asset.”

HOK’s design will strategically position the stadium along the edge of 126th Street, integrating into the City grid to optimize land use and incorporate the public open space. In addition to providing a home for the NYCFC, the stadium will provide a variety of year-round amenities and events. Designed with a pedestrian-friendly scale, the stadium will showcase cutting-edge technology, offer flexibility and create a grand arrival experience. The site is adjacent to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the Major League Baseball (MLB) team New York Mets’ 41,800-capacity Citi Field, creating a world-class destination for sports and entertainment in Queens.

The Turner Construction Company has a dedicated Sports Group that brings together an enormous breadth of specialized resources in the unique aspects of sports construction. Turner’s Sports Group is made up of dedicated, passionate staff with the experience, industry knowledge, creativity, and resourcefulness to deliver on commitments. Turner clients include professional teams in soccer, football, baseball, hockey, and basketball.

Turner has worked on many of the top sports venues in the world, including the 26,000-capacity TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, the 70,240-capacity SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the 20,371-capacity Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, the 17,608-capacity Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, Yankee Stadium, the 20,789-capacity Madison Square Garden, the 68,500-capacity Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and the 18,000-capacity Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Turner has earned a reputation for safe, efficient project management and innovative solutions to complex challenges.

Commented Charlie Whitney, Turner Vice-President and General Manager, “We are honored to be a part of the team building for the new home of the NYCFC. The stadium will elevate the experience for this incredible team and their fans. From the very beginning of our involvement, we understood the importance of this project and the positive impact and transformation it will bring to the entire community. We look forward to continuing to work in close partnership with HOK and the entire team over the next several years to achieve our common goals, deliver on our commitments and make this project a reality for the NYCFC and the New York City.”

The HOK and Turner Construction Company’s relationship dates back to 50 years, and in that time, the firms have completed more than 400 projects together. They have successfully delivered large-scale projects in the New York market and across United States spanning corporate, healthcare, science + technology, and sports + entertainment facilities.

For nearly a decade, the NYCFC has been investing in local communities across New York City through its foundation, which will be housed in the new stadium, enabling the organization to expand its free-soccer programs available to the local Queens community.

The Queens Development Group, a joint venture between Related Companies and Sterling Equities, will oversee the stadium and district’s development. The entire project will enter the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) approval process later this year and will be reviewed by the New York City Public Design Commission. The NYCFC will work to finalize the stadium design to align with entering the ULURP approval process later this year. The stadium and development are projected to generate more than 14,200 local jobs during the construction phase, with 1,550 permanent positions created upon completion.

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