Client:
International Facilities Group, L.L.C. (Detroit Tigers Organization

Location:
Detroit, Michigan

Prime Consultant:
NTH Consultants, Ltd.

Total Project Contract Values:
$60 Million

Total NTH Budget:
$1.1 Million

Project Start:
1995

Project Completion:
April 2000
NTH’s Value Added: NTH’s aggressive innovation, multi-faceted expertise, and efficient processes helped to deliver Comerica Park to Tiger fans on Opening Day, April 11, 2000, as planned.

Comerica Park

A Grand Slam for Detroit
Project Overview
Building a 40,000-seat baseball stadium in less than two years on an urban renewal site in Downtown Detroit demands extensive expertise and aggressive innovation. The International Facilities Group, L.L.C. (and later the Detroit Tigers Organization) found this unique combination in NTH, who they retained to provide the engineering services that formed the backbone of this landmark project.

Project Scope
NTH provided the following service for this project:
  • Environmental investigations, remediation and emergency response.
  • Geotechnical investigations, foundation design, and underground engineering.
  • Construction monitoring for earthwork, foundations, concrete, steel erection, and other supplemental areas.

NTH provided a seamless team of engineering professionals for the project. We began with an environmental evaluation of over 50 parcels, with histories ranging from residential to multi-use industrial.  

NTH identified potential sources of contamination in the ground and within the abandoned buildings (such as lead and asbestos). Remediation proceeded, all according to an Administrative Agreement/Covenant Not to Sue, executed between the project developers and the State of Michigan.

While site cleanup was underway, NTH performed a geotechnical investigation for the stadium and related structures. We designed a cost-effective foundation system that met stadium design requirements and local geotechnical conditions. NTH also addressed the challenges involved with excavating the playing field 26 feet below street level.

Our professionals provided full-time, on-site observation during earthwork and foundation installation to verify that subsurface conditions were consistent with those defined during the geotechnical investigation. We remained on site throughout the project, providing construction monitoring of steel erection, concrete and earthwork aspects, as the last details were completed.

All work was done according to an aggressive schedule to be ready for Opening Day 2000.