On site: An inside look at the 0M renovation of Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium

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As the Baltimore Ravens took a 7-3 lead over the Atlanta Falcons at halftime in its preseason home opener on Aug. 17, fans began flocking toward the latest addition to M&T Bank Stadium — The Gatehouse.

A rooftop deck within a newly unveiled two-level social space, The Gatehouse is part of an overall $430 million renovation of the Ravens’ home stadium in Baltimore, where the team has played since 1998. Spanning over 5,000 square feet on each level, The Gatehouse offers a sports bar vibe with restrooms on both floors, a capacity of about 400 people per floor and views of Charm City.

But before bartenders poured drinks and fans soaked up the sights from the new deck, Corey Sarver, senior project executive at Gilbane Building Co., and his team worked tirelessly to have The Gatehouse ready in time for the preseason game. Even then, the space wasn’t completely finished.

Project teams work on renovations to The Gatehouse, a two-level social space at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Project teams work on renovations to The Gatehouse at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, a two-level social space with over 5,000 square feet on each floor.

Permission granted by Maryland Stadium Authority

 

Days after the preseason game, Sarver returned to The Gatehouse, now adorned with custom artwork, TV screens and raven figurines still hanging from the ceiling. This time, instead of cheering fans pouring into the bar, construction workers moved in to nail down those final touches.

For instance, to ensure that the bar was ready in time for the preseason game, Gilbane had quickly installed a temporary plastic laminate bar surface. Now, project teams replaced that temporary finish with permanent concrete tops, said Sarver, with a few weeks to spare before the Ravens’ regular season home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 15.

Renovations complete at The Gatehouse, a two-level sports bar, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Gilbane completed work on the rooftop sports bar just in time for the Baltimore Ravens home opener.

Permission granted by Maryland Stadium Authority

 

All renovation activity in The Gatehouse will be finished in time for that game, Sarver said.

Dealing with change orders

Preparing the bar for patrons and installing TV screens were the final touches in The Gatehouse renovation. Before reaching that point, however, Gilbane had to find solutions to several challenges, including a critical change order to reinforce the concrete ground floor of The Gatehouse with fiberglass. The adjustment was necessary to ensure the structure could accommodate the expected crowd and activities, said Sarver.

Gilbane chose fiberglass for reinforcing the ground floor due to its strength, durability and lightweight properties. This makes it an ideal choice for structures that need to support heavy loads without adding excessive weight.

“In order to apply this form of reinforcement and achieve the proper cure, the surface and air temperature had to be maintained at 70 degrees and above,” said Sarver. “Since this material had to be installed in February and March, we had to tent and temporarily heat the exterior loading dock where this product was being applied in order to maintain this requirement.”

corey sarver headshot

Corey Sarver

Permission granted by Gilbane

 

Gilbane quickly mobilized resources and collaborated closely with its trade partners to implement the change without delaying the project timeline, said Sarver.

Fan experience

The upgrades at M&T Bank Stadium center around one key goal: to enhance the fan experience, said Sarver. In addition to putting finishing touches on The Gatehouse, Gilbane is also wrapping up work on The Blackwing, the stadium’s most luxurious accommodation.

Project teams work on The Blackwing renovation at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore

The Blackwing, the stadium’s most luxurious accommodation for fans, features 10 suites and a private club.

Permission granted by Maryland Stadium Authority

 

The Blackwing, located in the former press box area below the club level along the Ravens’ sideline, features 10 suites that connect to a private club. The club offers concierge services, high-end food, beverage options and a fully enclosed balcony with retractable glass.

To support the structural load of this new lounge space, Gilbane reinforced the existing foundations and columns located on the concourse level. That required removing the concourse slab, excavating down to the foundations and enlarging the existing pile caps to provide additional support, said Sarver.

Gilbane then relocated the former press area to the suite level. To ensure precision, project teams used BIM technology during the project. The combination of existing structures with new additions made BIM an ideal choice for coordinating design and construction, allowing the team to integrate the two elements, said Sarver.