Designed by Stantec’s landscape architects, the Heritage Field in Bronx provides all sports and recreational amenities for the community that has played host to the Yankees for over 85 years. The park is designed as an eco-friendly public space forming the latest phase of a $195 million project to renovate the Bronx park systems. The ground breaking ceremony was held on June 29, 2010.
After the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, the New York City officials have evolved a plan to tie the old stadium to the neighborhood. The city worked with Stantec on a plan to convert the former stadium site into a community park and athletic field complex. The Heritage Field is the centerpiece of the scheme encompassing a sports field complex.
The Heritage Field is designed to function as a much-needed community recreation space while honoring and preserving the history of the 1923-built Yankee Stadium, which is nicknamed as ‘the House that Ruth Built’. The new complex, which contains Little League, softball, and championship baseball fields, incorporates two of the signature frieze panels from the original stadium façade and uses the same field orientation for the championship field. Each of the field is designed with bleacher and landform seating within a landscape of ornamental grasses, shrubs, and shade and flowering trees.
The commemorative park also showcases sustainable design, incorporating such features as permeable pavement systems, a rain garden for storm water management, and the reuse of demolition material and other recycled materials for such amenities as site furnishings, pavements, and playground surfacing.
The fields offer several entrance points allowing for easy pedestrian access, connected via a perimeter walkway of red aggregate. Heritage Field connects to a parking garage and the new Yankee stadium via a grand staircase and walkway.
The development has taken care to replace every inch of parkland displaced by the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, while also providing additional usable recreational space. Over 32 acres has been added to Bronx park systems as part of the Yankee Stadium Area Redevelopment Project.
