Here comes construction! Notre Dame Stadium gets upgrades

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A place that’s all about tradition is getting a facelift. The final phase of a six year construction project is under way at Notre Dame Stadium. This is a multi-year and multi-phase repair project that is planned to finish this fall.

Included in the project is rehabilitation work on the lower seating bowl of the stadium. This includes concrete repairs and water proofing.

Doug Schlagel the Director of Construction and Quality Assurance at Notre Dame said the concrete used to build the stadium in the 1930’s just doesn’t compare to technology used today.

"Some of the technology and science that goes into concrete mix design provides for the stability of concrete to last over years and years with with multiple freeze-thaw cycles, so back then they didn’t have that technology, and that’s why the concrete has deteriorated," said Schlagel.

The majority of this construction work is happening between seating sections 19 to 24.

Engineers have labeled areas that need repair with neon orange marks, and then wood molds can be seen in the areas where new concrete will be laid.

Schlagel said it can be challenging to make repairs to a place that’s known for its tradition.

"Certainly its one of the biggest challenges to preserve the history, the tradition, and the architecture of this very historic place," explained Schlagel.

The drainage tunnel that circles the stadium was also recently repaired and thus a new brick wall was built around the perimeter of the field.

Along with that work new black top will be laid down on the exterior of the field, which they hope to have completed by May Commencement.

"Hopefully we’ll be able to have that completed in time for commencement activities, so the idea is that when commencement roles around it looks like no one has ever been here," said Schlagel.

There will still be other work to finish the rest of the summer. This is in the lower concourse underneath the seating bowl.

The entire project is planned to wrap up at the end of August, just in time for football.